Waiakea, Hawaii


Waiākea is an ancient subdivision in the Hilo District of the Big Island of Hawaii and an early settlement on Hilo Bay.

Origin

The name comes from wai ākea in the Hawaiian Language meaning "broad waters", and sometimes what is now called Hilo Bay was called Waiākea Bay.
Waiākea is home to many and has its own schools. It stretches for miles and ends at Waiākea-Uka. Waiākea-Uka houses many expensive houses, including a Swiss chateau. There are also some cattle farms in Waiākea-Uka, and a state forest reserve.
There are four schools located in the Waiākea complex: Waiakeawaena Elementary School, Waiakea Elementary School, Waiakea Intermediate School, and Waiakea High School.
Waiākea Stream flows from the slopes of Mauna Loa at into Waiākea Pond at an elevation of only at.

History

When William Ellis visited in 1823, Waiākea was the main settlement on Hilo Bay.
The Waiākea Mission was the first church in eastern Hawaii island, founded in 1824.
Several eruptions of Mauna Loa have threatened the area. Tsunamis devastated Waiākea-Kai, with the largest in 1946 and 1960. A clock found in the rubble set to the exact time when it stopped in 1960 serves as a memorial.