Waipahu

Waipahu, Hawaii
—  CDP  —
Location in Honolulu County and the state of Hawaii
Coordinates: 21°23′33″N 158°0′39″W / 21.3925°N 158.01083°W / 21.3925; -158.01083
Country	United States
State	Hawaii
County	Honolulu
Area
- Total	2.6 sq mi (6.8 km2)
- Land	2.6 sq mi (6.7 km2)
- Water	0.1 sq mi (0.2 km2)
Elevation	62 ft (19 m)
Population (2000)
- Total	33,108
- Density	12,882.8/sq mi (4,974.1/km2)
Time zone	Hawaii-Aleutian (UTC-10)
ZIP code	96797
Area code(s)	808
FIPS code	15-79700
GNIS feature ID	0364878

Waipahu is a former sugar plantation town and now census-designated place (CDP) located in the ʻEwa District on the island of Oʻahu in the City & County of Honolulu, Hawaiʻi. As of the 2000 Census, the CDP population was 33,108. The U.S. postal code for Waipahu is 96797 .

Waipahu is a name of an artesian spring.^[1] In Hawaiian, Waipahu is derived from wai, meaning water, and pahū, meaning "burst or gush forth". The early Native Hawaiians took pleasure in the cool and clear water gushing from the ground and named this spring Waipahu. Before the Western civilization set foot in Hawaii, the Hawaiians considered Waipahu to be the capital of Oahu. Royalty in the Kingdom of Hawaii would often gather and enjoy the fresh water from the spring Waipahu.^[1]

Oahu Sugar Company at Waipahu (Gold Bond Certificate)

In 1897, Oahu Sugar Company was incorporated and its Board of Directors named the sugar mill site to be at a place called Waipahu.^[2] The Company's managers from 1897-1940 were: August Ahrens (1897-1904); E.K. Bull (1904-1919); J.B. Thomson (1919-1923); E.W. Greene (1923-1937); and Hans L'Orange (1937-1956). Oahu Sugar Company shut down plantation operations after the 1995 harvest.^[3]

In 1923, the athletic field now known as Hans L'Orange Park was built.^[2] and is located in Waipahu. Today, the park is home of the West Oahu CaneFires minor league baseball team in the Hawaii Winter Baseball league.

In 1973, the City and County of Honolulu and the State of Hawai'i purchased 40 acres (160,000 m²) opposite the Waipahu sugar mill to establish the Waipahu Cultural and Garden Park. The park matured and is known today as the Hawai'i Plantation Village.^[3] Hawai'i Plantation Village is a living history museum located in Waipahu.

In 1997, the Governor of Hawaii, Benjamin J. Cayetano, proclaimed the months of June 1997 through November 1997, to be Waipahu Centennial Celebration Months. Many activities and events were held to celebrate Waipahu Centennial.^[2]

Waipahu is the home to the 2008 Little League World Series Champions from Waipi'o Little League. They defeated Matamoros, Mexico 12-3 in the final game on August 24, 2008.

Waipahu is located along the northern shore of both Middle Loch and West Loch of Pearl Harbor. Waipahu contains two (high) school districts with some students attending Waipahu High School with others attending Pearl City High School.

Geography

Waipahu is located at 21°23′33″N 158°0′39″W / 21.3925°N 158.01083°W / 21.3925; -158.01083 (21.392500, -158.010710)^[4]. Both Interstate H-1 and Farrington Highway (Hawaii Route 90) run east-west through the length of Waipahu. Waikele is located across the freeway north of Waipahu. Waikele consists of newer subdivisions and a world famous outlet shopping center and golf course. To the west via either roadway can be reached Makakilo and Kapolei, with the Leeward coast beyond. To the east, lies Pearl City and the H-2 interchange to Waipiʻo. At the western end of Waipahu is Kunia Road (State Rte. 750) which leads to the Waipahu newer growth areas of Royal Kunia and Village Park north of H-1, and eventuually on up across the central plain to Kunia and Schofield Barracks, Wheeler Army Airfield, and Wahiawā. Kunia Road becomes Fort Weaver Road (State Rte. 76) south of Farrington Highway, and goes south through Honouliuli and ʻEwa Villages to ʻEwa Beach.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of 2.6 square miles (6.8 km²), of which, 2.6 square miles (6.7 km²) of it is land and 0.1 square miles (0.2 km²) of it (2.28%) is water.

Demographics

As of the census^[5] of 2000, there were 33,108 people, 7,566 households, and 6,431 families residing in the CDP. The population density was 12,882.8 people per square mile (4,974.0/km²). There were 8,033 housing units at an average density of 3,125.7/sq mi (1,206.8/km²). The racial makeup of the CDP was 4.73% White, 0.93% African American, 0.14% Native American, 65.77% Asian, 12.31% Pacific Islander, 0.86% from other races, and 15.26% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 6.09% of the population.

There were 7,566 households out of which 36.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.8% were married couples living together, 18.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 15.0% were non-families. 11.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 6.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 4.23 and the average family size was 4.37.

In the CDP the population was spread out with 26.4% under the age of 18, 9.5% from 18 to 24, 26.8% from 25 to 44, 21.5% from 45 to 64, and 15.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 97.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.3 males.

The median income for a household in the CDP was $49,444, and the median income for a family was $51,855. Males had a median income of $28,295 versus $23,818 for females. The per capita income for the CDP was $14,484. About 10.6% of families and 13.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 17.0% of those under age 18 and 13.9% of those age 65 or over.

Education

The Hawaii Department of Education operates public schools.

Elementary schools in the CDP include August Ahrens, Honowai, and Waipahu. Waipahu Intermediate School and Waipahu High School are in the CDP.^[6]

References

1. ^ ^{a b} Michael T. Yamamoto, Nina Yuriko (Ota) Sylva, Karen N. Yamamoto, Waipahu...Recollections from a Sugar Plantation Community in Hawaii, 2005. Albuquerque: Innoventions
2. ^ ^{a b c} Waipahu Centennial 1879 - 1997, 1997. Waipahu Centennial Committee
3. ^ ^{a b} Dorrance, William, Sugar Islands; The 165-Year Story of Sugar in Hawai'i, 2001, Honolulu, Mutual Publishing
4. ^ "US Gazetteer files: 2000 and 1990". United States Census Bureau. 2005-05-03. http://www.census.gov/geo/www/gazetteer/gazette.html. Retrieved 2008-01-31. 
5. ^ "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. http://factfinder.census.gov. Retrieved 2008-01-31. 
6. ^ "Waipahu CDP, Hawaii." U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved on May 21, 2009.

External links

• Waipahu, Hawaii is at coordinates 21°23′33″N 158°00′39″W / 21.3925°N 158.01071°W / 21.3925; -158.01071 (Waipahu, Hawaii)Coordinates: 21°23′33″N 158°00′39″W / 21.3925°N 158.01071°W / 21.3925; -158.01071 (Waipahu, Hawaii)
• http://www.hawaiiplantationvillage.org/

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