Paauhau Camp: Land of Sunshine

10/06/2026

Do you have any special memories?

Did you know that Honokaʻa Town experienced a building boom in 1927?

In 1927, the Botelho Building was built by Judge Manuel S. Botelho. The businesses conducted in the Botelho Building, which was conceived to be a state-of-the-art garage, were a main store, a show-room, and office for the manager, a room for the post office and an office for the postmaster on the first floor. The second floor consisted of a large social hall as well as six large office rooms. An adjacent car repair shop was also constructed. The total cost for construction of the Botelho Building was $26,000.

Honokaʻa also got a new Bank of Hawaiʻi building that same year and during its construction banking business was carried out in the old Honokaʻa Club. The bank cost $18,000 to build. Other building constructions in Honokaʻa were the Ferreira Building and the New Union Church (now the Honokaʻa Methodist Church).

We are extremely lucky that so much of Honokaʻa remains, making our town the most intact wood-framed plantation town in all Hawaiʻi!

10/01/2026

So many memories…

Today, we celebrate the resilience of our community as we mark the 32nd anniversary of the closing of Hamakua Sugar Company and the Final Harvest.

The community came together to witness the poignant Final Harvest parade through town, with cane trucks proudly hauling the last harvest of sugar cane, symbolizing the end of an era that empowered the island, especially the Hāmākua area.

We would love those who attended the parade to share their memories below to commemorate this unforgettable day.

Photo: Paul Christensen Collection/University of Hawaiʻi

09/26/2026

The Honokaʻa Heritage Center in the historic Botelho Building in Honokaʻa Hawaiʻi is now open.

09/22/2026

Did you know that alongside the iconic "Cane Cutters" mural next to the Hotel Honokaʻa Club, there's another remarkable heritage mural celebrating the sugar industry at the Kō Education Center?

Created by artist and educator Grady Keystone, this mural captures two sugar laborers preparing sugar bags for transport to a ship at Kukuihaele Landing. It offers a powerful glimpse into the labor and history that shaped our community.

Take a moment to visit these heritage murals and honor the legacy of our historic town!

09/21/2026

1955, Paauhau Little League

The Pāʻauhau Little League was riding high in 1955 with a winning season record of 9-2, placing them in contention for the championship title in the Jaycees Hāmākua League.

The team members included: Kenneth Takata, Stanley Tadio, Rudy Embernate, Robert Uemura, Leslie Wachi, Kenneth Takamine, Leslie Vinluan, Milton Honda, Tokio Nakata, Randol Hernandez, Stanley Watanabe, Abel Vinluan, Romualdo Pascual, Jr., Maurice Nakagawa, Ronald Tadio, Thomas Higashi, and James DeRego.

09/20/2026

The more input the better for the future generations beyond us

Do you enjoy reading our posts as much as we enjoy writing them?

We’re always looking for new topics to share and new ways to celebrate the people, places, history, and unique character that make our community so special.

Tell us what you’d like to see more of - weʻd love to hear from you! 😀

09/12/2026

This was Dad’s life and many of the other plantation fathers and grandfather’s in the Hamakua area.
Ultimately dad took part in all aspects of harvesting.
Explicitly, I remember him being a crane operator and a truck driver. I know he also took care of the yards at some point as when he was younger and even younger still he was a part of the road gang.
All for Paauhau Sugar Mill

Working in the harvesting department of the sugar plantation was just one of the many responsibilities that employees in that department undertook. Many also contributed to essential tasks like planting and irrigation. During the off-season, they often found themselves working in jobs like welding and carpentry.

A typical shift in the field required teamwork, with sixteen truck drivers, three rake operators, three loader operators, and three workers managing small tractors to clean up stray cane, plus one utility person to keep everything running smoothly.

During the evenings, the cane fields were brightly lit by floodlights on the equipment. The night harvesting system kept the mill going 24 hours a day, producing electricity that was generated with bagasse.

Photo by: Paul Christensen Collection/University of Hawaiʻi

09/08/2026

There was such a huge sense of community back in the day where everyone knew everyone and the businesses were owned/operated by the people who lived in the area.
The perfect combination.

Did you know that in the 1930s, Anton Teves operated a shuttle bus service between Honokaʻa and the Hawaiʻi Consolidated Railway station in Paʻauilo? The bus, which could hold up to 30 passengers, made stops along Māmane Street to pick up travelers from nearby areas like Pāʻauhau, Haina, Āhuloa, and Kukuihaele.

When not in use, the shuttle bus was stored in a garage near where the Salvation Army stands today. It was an essential part of local transportation, connecting people to the railway so that they could travel to Hilo and back.

Photo by: NHCF Credit Union

09/07/2026

The house where I grew up in is in this video from 2014… maybe yours is too

Nothing fancy. Watch it if you miss driving through Pa'auhau, Honoka'a, and Kukuihaele / Waipio Valley Lookout on the Big island of Hawaii. Shot on GoPro Jan...

09/03/2026

Did you know that Kualoa Ranch & Hamakua Sugar Company share more than just a deep history? Besides both having deep ties to shaping the local culture and agricultural development, they share an interesting family connection.

In 1850, Dr. Gerrit P. Judd, a prominent physician and advisor to King Kamehameha III, purchased 622 acres of land in Kualoa for $1,300. Over the next 20 years, he expanded his holdings to a total of 4,000 acres, which became known as Kualoa Ranch.

Francis Morgan, a 5th-generation descendant of Dr. Judd, grew up on the ranch and later took on the stewardship of the family's agricultural legacy. In 1984, Francis purchased the Davies Hamakua Sugar Company, renaming it the Hamakua Sugar Company, Inc.

Today, both Kualoa Ranch and Hamakua Sugar Company are a part of the Morgan family legacy. Francis's son, John Morgan, is now the owner and president of the renowned Kualoa Ranch, which continues to be a hub for agriculture, tourism, and conservation on Oʻahu.

These two iconic businesses highlight the lasting impact of one family’s dedication to shaping Hawaii’s agricultural, cultural, and economic landscapes.

Photo by: Kualoa Ranch Website