Kailua

Surrounded by nature's beauty - the towering Pali, the majestic Mount Olomana and sparkling Kailua Bay -Kailua is a town in transition. The area is struggling to maintain its quiet hometown atmosphere amid increasing tourism and development. Multimillion dollar homes line the once quiet Lanikai Beach and are now sprouting up on Kailua Beach. The town has undergone a facelift, inviting tourists and residents alike to stroll through boutiques, sip coffee or dine at sidewalk tables. It's a town that has much to offer - beautiful beaches, hiking, shopping, dining and other amenities of resort living. Joggers, walkers and bikers stream down to the beach and teenagers toting surfboards head to the waves. Canoe paddling club members include entire families and the parks feature baseball, football, basketball and volleyball leagues for all ages.

Historians believe Kailua was home to Hawaiians at least 1,500 years ago. Ali'i were attracted to the place in the 16th century and the area is replete in historical and cultural sites, including the Kawai Nui Marsh, a large freshwater fish pond, heiau and taro fields. At one time the town had a horse racetrack. Sugarcane, rice and taro grew in the marsh that was eventually used to raise cattle. Crops were also grown in the town, which had a dairy farm. Bumper coconut crops led to one section being named Coconut Grove. In the 1940s it was considered a sleepy town but after the war development spread to surrounding areas forming subdivisions including Pohakupu, Olomana, Enchanted Lake, Kalaheo Hillside and Aikahi Park. The U.S. government took over the Mokapu Peninsula prior to the war and today Marine Corp Base Hawai'i and its personnel are an integral part of the fabric of Kailua and neighboring Kaneohe. Kailua is known for its annual Fourth of July Parade and fireworks show, the 'I Love Kailua Town Party', 'Light up Kailua Christmas Kickoff' and the new Malama Kailua Festival.

Population: 51,081
Housing units: 16,770
Land area: 20.5 square miles
Businesses: 1,500

Kaneohe

In ancient times, the ahupua'a of Kane'ohe was home to one of O'ahu's most complex irrigation systems. Taro patches (lo'i) were plentiful, as was the water needed to support them. Native Hawaiians also grew sugar cane and sweet potato throughout the ahupua'a. Such prolific agriculture has largely given way to residential space; the vast majority of Kane'ohe's nearly 11,000 households reside in single-family homes. Kane'ohe has also developed a similar racial demographic to the rest of the island, with 23.6 percent Japanese, 20 percent white, and 10 percent Hawaiian populations. A significant number of residents also reported a mixed heritage, 60 percent declaring mixed-Asian ancestry and 30 percent mixed-Hawaiian ancestry.

Like many of the island's residential areas, Kane'ohe is a family place. An abundance of parks and recreation facilities accomodate youth sports leagues each week, and shopping, dining, and entertainment experiences are easily accessible. Kane'ohe's median family income is $71,316, with a low family poverty rate of 4.4 percent. The median price for a home in Kane'ohe is just less than $300,000. Nearly 35,000 residents make Kane'ohe second only to Kailua in population for Windward O'ahu.

He'eia is an area on the northern border of Kane'ohe town that includes the communities of Ha'iku, He'eia, and He'eia Kea. He'eia literally means "washed away" in Hawaiian, an allusion to an ancient battle in which a tsunami washed the invading army from the shore. He'eia State Park and the He'eia Boat Harbor provide recreation opportunites for residents, while the restored He'eia Fishpond is the site for Hawaiian fishery research.

Ha'iku Valley is located inland, at the feet of the Ko'olau range. It was once a Coast Guard radio transmit station, and more recently the site of controversy due to the construction of the H-3 Interstate, which runs through sacred Hawaiian land.

He'eia is a sleepy area with a population of about 5,000. Poverty among residents is virtually nonexistent, and the median family income is $90,435.

In Hawaiian, 'Ahuimanu means 'group of birds,' a reference to the area's ancient designation as a popular bird hunting ground. Bird feathers were used to make capes and other forms of adornment for ali'i (Hawaiian royalty).

An inland area just north of Kane'ohe town, 'Ahuimanu consists of quiet neighborhoods in the foothills of the Ko'olau range. 5,000 residents occupy single-family homes with a median household income of $71,732. 'Ahuimanu is also home to the Byodo-In Temple, the largest Japanese gardens and wooden Buddha statue outside Japan.

With a population just under 3,000, Kahalu'u is the first in a series of small communities lining the length of the Windward Coast. Like the other ahupua'a in the Ko'olaupoko District, Kahalu'u is lush and green, anciently home to taro farmers and fishermen. Kahalu'u translates to "diving place" in Hawaiian, probably refering to the many fishermen who once dived into the water for their catches here. Kahalu'u's Hawaiian population is also strong, with over half of residents reporting Hawaiian or mixed-Hawaiian ancestry.

The small coastal communities of Waiahole and Waikane are among the wettest places on O'ahu. Anciently, Waiahole was the site of an adze quarry, a valuable asset for craftsmen in need of tools. Waiahole was also a designated home for kahuna, or Hawaiian priests. Unlike many of the other more developed ahupua'a of Ko'olaupoko, Waiahole and Waikane have largely retained their rural, agricultural roots. It remains one of the smallest residential areas on the coast, with a population of 726.

Anciently, Kualoa was one of the most sacred places on the island of O'ahu. The site of a Pu'uhonua (city of refuge), ali'i burial caves, and kahuna (priest) training, in recent years the voyaging canoe Hokule'a chose Kualoa as its launching point. Located at the northernmost segment of Kane'ohe Bay, Kualoa is now largely a tourist destination. Kualoa Park, Kualoa Ranch, and the Kualoa Macadamia Nut Farm draw visitors from all over the island. Kualoa is also famous for Mokoli'i Island, popularly known as "Chinaman's Hat." The privately-owned Kualoa Valley is also the site of many Hollywood films.

La'ie/Kahuku

Located on the northernmost end of the Ko'olau Mountain Range on O'ahu, La'ie town has often been hailed as a gathering place. And no wonder—with an average of 800,000 visitors per year, this small town is well known to many tourists as the home of the Polynesian Cultural Center. Despite a population of barely 4,500, La'ie is also home to a private college, Brigham Young University-Hawai'i, and a Mormon Temple. The cultural center, university and temple are historically connected – all were founded by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints - and all provide residents with community resources and employment. La'ie is one of the first mission settlements of the church (popularly known as "Mormon") in Hawai'i. The church population continues to comprise the dominant portion of residents in the area today. Every July, the community celebrates "La'ie Days," a month-long program of events that includes a parade, basketball and volleyball tournaments and community concerts.

Originally comprised of the 'ahupua'a (land divisions) La'iewai and La'iemalo'o, La'ie was anciently the site of a pu'uhonua, or "City of Refuge" at Malaekahana (now a popular state recreation area). At Pu'uhonua O Malaekahana, warriors found protection from enemies and outcasts found sanctuary and the opportunity to earn absolution for breaking taboos, or kapu.

The area's history as a gathering place continued when the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints purchased 6,000 acres of La'ie land in 1865, establishing a plantation community of Hawaiian church members. Delighted by the thriving population of Hawaiian children in the area, King Kalakaua and Queen Kapi'olani enjoyed visiting, even aiding in the construction of a community church, I Hemolele. 
In 1940, however, I Hemolele was accidentally burned down, and the tradition of the La'ie Hukilau began. In order raise funds for the construction of a new building, La'ie residents began a lu'au at Hukilau Beach, charging visitors a $3 admission fee. The La'ie Hukilau lasted for more than two decades, ultimately funding the new chapel and maintaining a tight-knit community. It was also the inspiration for Arthur Godfrey's popular "Hukilau Song."

Today, La'ie boasts one shopping center, one traffic light, and a gas station. Like many areas in Hawai'i, real estate is expensive and vacant housing is hard to find. Population density is also high, with an average family size of 4.75 and a mere 908 households to support a population of more than 4,500. Many households host multi-generational families due to an escalating housing crunch in the area. Additionally, most residents rent their homes (58.9 percent), while only 41 percent are homeowners—and rent is almost double the national average. Local students (attending La'ie Elementary and nearby Kahuku High & Intermediate School) consistently place well in state and national academic and athletic competitions, achievements that the entire community takes pride in. At over 36 percent, La'ie's concentration of Polynesians is surprisingly high—another effect of the combined magnetism of the temple, college and the cultural center.

La'ie is a place for families. Saturdays find families at the beach, participating in youth league sporting events, or simply cleaning the yard. On Sundays, families attend church together, gathering again in the evening to eat, laugh, and relax. During the week, rental convertibles with rubbernecking tourists agape at the majesty of the Ko'olau range on one side and the Pacific Ocean on the other are common here, but La'ie remains one of the last true 'country' towns on O'ahu.

In Hawaiian, Ka huku literally means "the projection," an appropriate appellation for a town located on the northernmost tip of O'ahu. Well-known for its shrimp lunch truck, sweet corn, and roadside fruit stands, Kahuku marks the easternmost boundary of the North Shore. Places of interest in and around town include the old sugar mill, a public golf course, and Kahuku High School. Just down the road, the Turtle Bay Resort and Spa provides four-star service, more golfing, surfing lessons, horseback rides, and employment to many residents in the area. Kahuku is also the site of the only hospital on the North Shore.

Originally a plantation town, the Kahuku Mill was once one of the major producers of sugar in Hawai'i. Complete with shops and a tiny movie theater, the mill provided employment and recreation for its small community of workers. Closed in 1971, the mill now houses a small shopping center and gas station, including a restaurant, shrimp wagon, and a health clinic. Perhaps influenced by Kahuku's deep historical roots as a plantation village, most residents are local-born and raised. Consequently, Kahuku town is crowded, with a housing occupancy rate of over 98 percent.

Today, Kahuku High and Intermediate School, or "The Pride of the North Shore," accommodates students from Ka'a'awa through Hale'iwa. It is one of the older public schools on the island, founded in 1896 for the children of plantation workers. With students and graduates regularly earning state and national awards for academic, civic and athletic excellence, Kahuku School has become one of the top public high schools on O'ahu.

Turtle Bay Resort and Spa recently underwent a $60 million renovation project, upgrading to a four-star resort. Plans to build five more resorts with a total of 3,500 additional rooms by developer Kuilima Resort Company have many residents throughout the North Shore area campaigning to "Keep the Country Country," despite a 1986 community economic development plan approving the expansion.

Today, Kahuku is a town in transition. With a total population of 2,000 residents in just over 500 households and a median household income of less than $39,500, new economic resources need to be developed. Many residents commute to work, and with the promise of development at Turtle Bay, more local jobs will be available. Despite everything, Kahuku is a place where people are proud of their roots and hopeful for the future. Just attend any Kahuku Football game—the entire community will be there in the stands with you.

Hau'ula town is located in the heart of the Ko'olau mountain range on the Windward side of O'ahu. Hau'ula is home to a large population of Native Hawaiians (more than 20 percent), many of whom live on a large tract of Hawaiian Homestead Land just mauka of Kamehameha Highway. Sugarcane was once grown on this land, although it is now primarily residential space. One of the larger settlements on the northeastern half of the island, Hau'ula has a population of more than 3,600.

Hau'ula is known for its annual Ho'olaule'a festival, usually held around the Fourth of July holiday. Food, music, and dancing entertain community crowds at Hau'ula Beach Park during the three-day weekend. Throughout the summer months, camping at the beach park is also a favorite community activity.

In recent years, Hau'ula has struggled with drug and substance abuse, crystal methamphetamine, or "ice," in particular. Community groups such as the Hau'ula Ice Breakers have put on events in conjunction with other organizations in attempts to educate the community and eradicate the problem with varying levels of success.

Ho'opono Ko'olau Loa, a community based board comprised of organizations from Kahana to La'ie, is concerned with a growing percentage of unemployed residents. Over 40 percent of families and almost 20 percent of individuals in Hau'ula are below poverty level, most falling below the median household income of $38,000. The board has cited a rise in crime, family ruptures, and overall poverty as consequences of unemployment and low wages in the community.

Hau'ula has a gas station, a 7-11 store, a fire station and an elementary school. Ponds at Punalu'u, the area's only senior assisted-living facility, occupies 40 acres of land at the base of the Ko'olaus. The economic stability of the town's small commercial center has fluctuated, but is currently on the upswing with successful restaurants, a grocery store and a post office. Many residents travel outside of Hau'ula to work, with an average commute of over 40 minutes. A small town in every sense of the word, Hau'ula lacks even a stoplight to slow travelers on their way to and from the North Shore.