What's in a Photo?

Aerial photos taken by the Navy in 1954 provide a wealth of information about the Hakalau Kuleana:

• The Big Picture: Lots of sugar cane, gulches, polution in Hakalau Bay, and a "smattering" of buildings.
• ​ The Closer Look: Detail about Camps and Villages.

​Here's an example showing the area from Hakalau Bay to all the way to Honomu.

Aerial photo from the Map Collection, University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa Library. The direct link to the landing page is https://guides.library.manoa.hawaii.edu/magis. This photo, 016-1095, was taken by the US Navy on November 10, 1954.

Here's a closer view, from Hakalau Bay to Kolekole:

...and a more targeted view, from Chin Chuck Road to Kolekole, focusing on the Old Mamalahoa Highway area.

Updates: July 10, 2025

Upcoming Events:

• 7/2/25 - Updated schedules: Classes, Presentations, Workshops, Community Service, and the  Hakalau  Farmers Market.​​.

Yesterday:

• 7/10/25 - Added photo from the newspaper about the 1976 closure of the Hakalau Sacred Heart of Jesus Catholic Church
• 7/7/25 - Added programs for the 50th Anniversary of the Hakalau Jodo Mission's Fujinkai (Ladies Association) and the 70th Anniversary of the Mission itself, both in 1972
• 7/2/25 - Expanded history of Honohina Hongwanji

Hakalau Then and Now:

• 7/7/25 - Updated Then and Now with examples of aerial maps taken in 1954 to explore changes over time,
• 6/8/25 - Expanded Up and Down Camps: Then and Now with an aerial photo from 1925 and supporting information from 1914 Japanese maps and name lists.​​

Today: ​​

• 6/29/25 - Added July-August 2025 Newsletter to the Hakalau Jodo Mission today
• 6/6/25 - Added photos of the 2025 Memorial Day to the Hakalau Jodo Mission today.
• 6/2/25 - The history of the American Gatha presented by musicologist Cynthia Morris at the Hakalau Jodo Mission is included with narrated slides.
• 6/2/25 -Information on previous presentations at the Hakalau Jodo Mission since 2019 is available, including: ​Building World Peace, Local Style; Stronger than a Tsunami; The End of Sugar: Land and Water Use; Ready, Set, Obon! ​

Here's the detail:

As we receive additional photos from the Map Collection, University of Hawaii Mānoa Library, we will highlight different camps and villages within the Hakalau Kuleana...stay tuned! Questions? Corrections?...CONTACT US!