Kahaluu Taro Lo'i
National Register of Historic Places

Kahaluu Taro Lo'i

Kahaluu, Honolulu County, Hawaii
Listed
March 14, 1973
Type
District
Period
Listed
Ref No.
73000669

About this property

The Kahaluʻu Taro Loʻi Historic District, also known as the ʻĀhuimanu Taro Complex, in Kahaluʻu on the windward side of Oʻahu, is the most complex and largest intact system of terraces for growing wetland taro on Oʻahu. It contains at least 18 loʻi (pondfield) terraces once watered by ʻĀhuimanu Stream and associated ʻauwai (irrigation ditches) over about 25 acres (100,000 m2) that start from headwaters just below the cliffs of the Koʻolau Range. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1973, after windward residents raised concerns about development plans in the area. The Kahaluu Fish Pond was also added to the National Register at that time. The terraces are roughly rectangular in shape and average 5 by 10 meters in size, with front facings of stacked stone ranging up to 2 meters or more in height. The pondfields have all been silted in and are often obscured by heavy overgrowth of hau, mango, and guava trees, but they have withstood many generations of heavy rainfall on steeply sloping hillsides, in silent testimony to ancient Hawaiian expertise in irrigation and flood control. In 1973, a University of Hawaiʻi archaeology program field school excavated soil profiles from the terraces, and the site was cleared during the 1980s, but the State of Hawaiʻi Historic Preservation Division is now seeking community organizations willing to clear the site and make it operational again. The site is owned by Temple Valley Corp., which has continued to develop new houses around it. At the time of the NRHP nomination, the Historic District was said to lie 900 meters west of the west end of Hui Kelu Street and to be accessible via an abandoned jeep road. Even as late as July 1996, a hiker described returning via the jeep road. But Hui Kelu Street has since been extended across ʻĀhuimanu Stream, where the hiking trail begins, and the lower portion of the jeep road is now Heno Place.

Location

Kahaluu, Honolulu County, Hawaii
21.42968, -157.84035

Categories

AGRICULTUREENGINEERING
National Register nomination ›
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

Unlimited access

Everything a full report reveals about Kahaluu Taro Lo'i

This page lists Kahaluu Taro Lo'i. A full Aubrey report for an address near it pulls together this listing alongside battlefield records, land patents, and every other historical record within a chosen radius:

Overview
An interactive map of the location with historic sites, battles and Native heritage plotted, and its full story era by era.
The Land
The historic sites and place names around the location, and how this land was settled and used.
Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back millions of years.
LiDAR Terrain
Laser-scanned terrain that reveals earthworks and old features hidden in the landscape.
Conflict & War
The battles, raids and skirmishes fought near here, across every era of American conflict.
The Civil War
The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.
The Soldiers
The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.
Native Heritage
The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.
Settlement
Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.
The Community
How the town grew, who came, and what kind of place it became, traced through the census record.
Rivers & Rail
The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.
Notable People
The people born, buried or genuinely tied to this exact place, with their stories.
Historical Maps
Historic maps of the location layered over how it looks today.
Finds & Access
Museum objects tied to the area, and the laws on searching, collecting and access here.
Literature
The old books, county histories and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.
Spotlight
A deep dive into the most remarkable, lesser-known history of the place, traced back to the record.
Points of Interest
The most significant historic sites and landmarks near the location, and why they matter.
Timeline
The whole story of the location told era by era, from first peoples to the present day.
First month just $5.99, then $11.99 a month. Unlimited locations, cancel anytime.

Every location is different. Not every section appears for every place, only what the historical record actually holds turns up in a report.

Start your Kahaluu Taro Lo'i report
Or see a real report first

Nearby Historic Sites

Leleahina Heiau
Industrial
1.2 mi
Kahaluu Fish Pond
Modern
2 mi
Keaiwa Heiau
Industrial
4.7 mi
Kaneohe Naval Air Station
Industrial
4.8 mi
Kaneohe Ranch Building
Modern
5.4 mi

Nearby Battles

Attack on Pearl Harbor — Battleship Row
1941Modern
8.5 mi

Questions about this property

When was Kahaluu Taro Lo'i listed on the National Register?

Kahaluu Taro Lo'i was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on March 14, 1973.

What type of historic resource is Kahaluu Taro Lo'i?

Kahaluu Taro Lo'i is classified as a district in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Kahaluu Taro Lo'i?

The period of significance for Kahaluu Taro Lo'i is recorded as the listed era.

Can I research the history near Kahaluu Taro Lo'i?

Yes. Aubrey Research reports search National Register listings, battlefield records, land patents, and other primary historical sources within any radius of a US address. A report for an address near Kahaluu Taro Lo'i will include this listing and all other historical records in the area.

More in Honolulu County

Historic places, battles, and census history across Honolulu County.

Explore HonoluluCounty ›

More historic places in Hawaii

Browse all historic places in Hawaii.

View Hawaiihistoric sites ›

Conflict records

Explore 19,000+ military engagements across American history.

Browse US conflicts ›

Hawaii history

Colonial settlement, territorial period, and statehood narrative.

Hawaiihistory ›

Research the history near this site

An Aubrey US report for an address near Kahaluu Taro Lo'i will include this listing alongside battlefield records and other historical sources within your chosen radius.

Research your locationView a free sample report