1977 Map of Wailuku

About this map

Wailuku and Kahului emerge as the central urban hubs on the island of Maui in the late 1970s, shown here in high-contrast detail via orthophotography. The map captures the transition from the deeply eroded ridges of the West Maui Mountains to the developed coastal plains. The dramatic shadows of Iao Valley dominate the western half of the sheet, illustrating the steep volcanic terrain that gives way to the agricultural and residential patterns of the central valley. To the north, the Waihee River flows toward the coast, where the urban grid of the towns meets the Pacific Ocean. This 1977 aerial perspective provides a unique view of Hawaii’s land use before later decades of expansion, documenting the exact footprint of sugar cane fields and burgeoning suburban neighborhoods at the time.