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36-587: The Wailoa River State Recreation Area , also known as Wailoa River State Park , is a park in Hilo , on Hawaiʻi Island in the US state of Hawaii . It was developed as a buffer zone following the devastating 1960 tsunami that wiped out the central bayfront district of Hilo. The name wai loa literally means "long water" in the Hawaiian language . The Wailoa River itself flows just a short distance from Waiākea Pond within

72-489: A parcel for a new commercial center and County offices along Kilauea Avenue.  Plans for Project Kaikoʻo were approved in March 1961; most businesses agreed to move to public lands zoned for light industrial uses near the airport, but residents were more stubborn and refused relocation. In some cases, land had to be condemned and the property seized. 600,000 cu yd (460,000 m) of volcanic fill were used to create

108-650: Is Hilo's primary newspaper distribution company along with other newspapers like the Honolulu Star-Advertiser . Asteroid (342431) Hilo is named after Hilo. Hilo also referred to the District of Hilo when the Big Island was divided into six districts by the traditional moku land division. Hilo is now divided in two: North and South Hilo Districts. The District of North Hilo, along Hawaii State Highway 19 from north to south, encompasses

144-519: Is administered by the Hawaiʻi Department of Land and Natural Resources . It includes a boat ramp and visitor center with cultural displays. The Wailoa Arts & Cultural Center, founded in 1967, has free admission, but limited hours. On display is a Kamehameha Statue (although not the original work by Thomas R. Gould ) honoring King Kamehameha I , founder of the Kingdom of Hawaii . The statue

180-464: Is home to Hawaii's only tsunami museum , mostly dedicated to the 1946 Pacific tsunami , and is notable for the banyan trees planted by Babe Ruth , Amelia Earhart and other celebrities. It is home to the Pana'ewa Rainforest Zoo , shopping centers, cafés and other eateries, movie theaters, hotels, restaurants, and a developed downtown area with a Farmers Market. Downtown Hilo is bounded approximately by

216-408: Is on the eastern and windward side of the island. It is classified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a census-designated place (CDP), and has a total area of 58.3 square miles (151.0 km ), 53.4 square miles (138.3 km ) of which is land and 4.9 square miles (12.7 km ) of which (8.4%) is water. Hilo has a tropical rainforest climate ( Köppen : Af ), with substantial rainfall throughout

252-471: Is served by Hilo International Airport , where Hawaiian Airlines , and Southwest Airlines operate. Hilo is served by the county Hele-On Bus . Hilo is served by the Big Island's largest harbor, Hilo Harbor, which is on Hilo Bay . Hilo is home to a number of educational institutions, including two post-secondary institutions, the University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo and Hawaiʻi Community College , and

288-513: Is served by Hilo International Airport . Around 1100 AD, the first Hilo inhabitants arrived, bringing with them Polynesian knowledge and traditions. Although archaeological evidence is scant, oral history has many references to people living in Hilo, along the Wailuku and Wailoa rivers during the time of ancient Hawaii . Oral history gives the meaning of Hilo as "to twist". Originally,

324-711: Is sometimes called "the tsunami capital of the United States". The bay's topography steers tsunamis to Hilo from earthquakes in active areas such as Chile and the Aleutian Islands . The April 1, 1946, tsunami from the 1946 Aleutian Islands earthquake killed by between 165 and 173 people in Hilo Bay. On May 23, 1960, a tsunami originating from the 1960 Valdivia earthquake in Chile (the most powerful earthquake ever recorded) killed 61 people in Hilo. After

360-452: Is the annual week-long Merrie Monarch Festival , the world's preeminent hula competition and festival, which brings in visitors and participants from all over the world. It is held in the spring of each year beginning on Easter Sunday. The local orchid society hosts the largest and most comprehensive orchid show in the state, the annual Hilo Orchid Show, which has been presented since 1951 and draws visitors and entrants worldwide. Hilo

396-598: Is the county seat. Hilo is home to county, state, and federal offices. The oldest city in the Hawaiian archipelago, Hilo's economy was historically based on the sugar plantations of its surrounding areas, prior to their closure in the 1990s. While Hilo has a fairly significant tourism sector, it gets less than half the annual visitors as the western coast of the Big Island, which has much sunnier weather and significantly less rain, with sandy and swimmable beaches and numerous major resorts. A main source of tourism in Hilo

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432-647: The Aleutian Islands created a 46-foot-high (14 m) tsunami that hit Hilo 4.9 hours later, killing 159 total in the islands, with 96 deaths in Hilo alone. In response, an early warning system, the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center , was established in 1949 to track these killer waves and provide warning. This tsunami also caused the end of the Hawaii Consolidated Railway , and instead the Hawaii Belt Road

468-486: The Wailuku River , Kamehameha Avenue , Ponahawai Street, and Kapiolani Street. The Mauna Loa Macadamia Nut Corporation is in Hilo, south of the main town off Hawaii Route 11 , north of Keaʻau . Hilo is home to most of the astronomical observatories on Mauna Kea as well as the ʻImiloa Planetarium and Museum. Astronomy has an economic impact of $ 100 million annually on the island. Astronomy on Mauna Kea

504-525: The 1960s. The downtown found a new role in the 1980s as the city's cultural center with several galleries and museums opening; the Palace Theater reopened in 1998 as an arthouse cinema . Closure of the sugar plantations (including those in Hāmākua ) during the 1990s hurt the local economy, coinciding with a general statewide slump. Hilo in recent years has seen commercial and population growth. Hilo

540-475: The Hilo and Waiakea primary and secondary school districts. Charter schools in the area serve primary and secondary students. Although sometimes called a city , Hilo is not an incorporated city, and does not have a municipal government. The entire island, which is between the slightly larger state of Connecticut and smaller Rhode Island in size, is under the jurisdiction of the County of Hawaiʻi , of which Hilo

576-542: The Year About Hawaii, is set in Hilo. Hilo Bay Hilo Bay is a large bay located on the eastern coast of the island of Hawaiʻi . The modern town of Hilo, Hawaii overlooks Hilo Bay, located at 19°44′10″N 155°4′37″W  /  19.73611°N 155.07694°W  / 19.73611; -155.07694 . North of the bay runs the Hamakua Coast on the slopes of Mauna Kea , and south of

612-513: The acquisition of land and relocation of residents by 1965. Approximately 300 acres (120 ha) of oceanfront land would be set aside as a green belt and buffer zone to absorb future tsunamis, including the Wailoa River State Recreation Area. At the edge of the high water mark from the 1960 tsunami, 40 acres (16 ha) of land were filled to an average elevation of 26 ft (7.9 m) above sea level, creating

648-585: The annual rainfall is above 200 inches (5,100 mm). Monthly mean temperatures range from 71.2 °F (21.8 °C) in February to 76.4 °F (24.7 °C) in August. The highest recorded temperature was 94 °F (34 °C) on May 20, 1996, and the lowest 53 °F (12 °C) on February 21, 1962. The wettest year was 1994 with 182.81 inches (4,643.4 mm), and the driest was 1983, with 68.09 inches (1,729.5 mm). The most rainfall in one month

684-401: The area Shinmachi ("New Town"). Shinmachi was wiped out by the tsunami waves resulting from the 1946 Aleutian Islands earthquake on April 1, 1946; wave heights were estimated at 35 to 50 ft (11 to 15 m). Residents returned and rebuilt, only to have Shinmachi destroyed again by another tsunami on May 23, 1960, following the 1960 Valdivia earthquake . A documentary film about Shinmachi

720-487: The bay is the Puna district on the slopes of Mauna Loa . The area just inland from the bay is the Hilo district , divided into north and south Hilo within the County of Hawaii . Banyan Drive runs through Liliʻuokalani Gardens near downtown Hilo at the edge of the bay. The ancient Hawaiian name for the village on the bay was Waiākea . After being surveyed in 1825 by Charles Robert Malden of HMS  Blonde , it

756-581: The flanks of the volcanoes. Hilo is home to the University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo , ʻImiloa Astronomy Center , as well as the Merrie Monarch Festival , a week-long celebration, including three nights of competition, of ancient and modern hula that takes place annually after Easter . Hilo is also home to the Mauna Loa Macadamia Nut Corporation , one of the world's leading producers of macadamia nuts. Hilo

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792-639: The following unincorporated towns and localities: There are locations inland along State Highway 200 including Mauna Kea mountain road, Puu Huluhulu , and others. In the District of South Hilo, along State Highway 19, are the following unincorporated towns and localities: Along State Highway 11 are: There are other locations. Along State Highway 200 and its extension are: There are other locations. Jasmin Iolani Hakes' 2023 book Hula: A Novel , which won Honolulu magazine's award for Book of

828-428: The name "Hilo" applied to a district encompassing much of the east coast of the island of Hawaiʻi , now divided into the District of South Hilo and the District of North Hilo. When William Ellis visited in 1823, the main settlement there was Waiākea on the south shore of Hilo Bay . Missionaries came to the district in the early-to-middle 19th century, founding Haili Church . Hilo expanded as sugar plantations in

864-564: The new commercial center plateau, and the project received a strong endorsement in 1963 when the County decided to build its new center on the elevated site. Hilo, Hawaii Hilo is in the District of South Hilo. The city overlooks Hilo Bay and has views of two shield volcanoes , Mauna Loa , an active volcano , and Mauna Kea , a dormant volcano . The Hilo bay-front has been destroyed by tsunamis twice. The majority of human settlement in Hilo stretches from Hilo Bay to Waiākea-Uka , on

900-540: The park to the Pacific Ocean . The park lies between downtown Hilo, Hawaii and Hilo Bay . The Hawaii Belt Road (Route 19, known as Kamehameha Avenue at this point) forms the northern boundary of the park; the land north of Route 19 is the public Hawaiʻi County -run Hilo Bayfront Beach Park. East of the Wailoa River bridge is another county park, Liliʻuokalani Gardens . The 131.9-acre (53 ha) park

936-416: The population. 21.1% of the households had children under the age of 18 living with them. The average household size was 2.71. The age distribution was 21.1% under age 18, 4.5% under age 5, and 21.10% 65 or older. The percent of females are 51.1%. The median household income on the 2020 census was $ 70,356, and the per capita income was $ 34,678. 16.1% of the population is under the poverty line. Hilo

972-662: The statue, pointing out that the shorefront has a history of being devastated by tsunamis . Memorials within the park include monuments to Shinmachi, the Vietnam War, and the Korean War (dedicated in 2019). The Shinmachi Tsunami Memorial also incorporates a floor mural entitled "Submerged Rocks and Water Reflections" by Hawaiian artist Tadashi Sato . The central bayfront area was settled in 1913 by first-generation immigrants from Japan, who started businesses in Waiākea and named

1008-547: The surrounding area created jobs and drew in many workers from Asia . For example, by 1887, 26,000 Chinese workers worked in Hawai'i's sugar cane plantations, one of which was the Hilo Sugar Mill. At that time, the Hilo Sugar Mill produced 3,500 tons of sugar annually. A breakwater across Hilo Bay was begun in the first decade of the 20th century and completed in 1929. On April 1, 1946, an 8.6-magnitude earthquake near

1044-535: The year. Its location on the windward coast (relative to the trade winds ), makes it the fourth-wettest city in the United States, behind the southeast Alaskan cities of Whittier , Ketchikan and Yakutat , and one of the wettest in the world. An average of around 126.72 inches (3,220 mm) of rain fell at Hilo International Airport annually between 1981 and 2010, with 272 days of the year receiving some rain. Rainfall in Hilo varies with altitude, with more at higher elevations. At some weather stations in upper Hilo

1080-460: Was 50.82 inches (1,290.8 mm) in December 1954. The most rainfall in 24 hours was 27.24 inches (691.9 mm) on November 2, 2000. Hilo's location on the shore of the funnel-shaped Hilo Bay also makes it vulnerable to tsunamis . See or edit raw graph data . As of the census of 2020, 44,186 people lived in 16,225 households in the census-designated place. The population density

1116-511: Was 796.7 inhabitants per square mile (307.6/km ). The 16,905 housing units reflected an average density of 311.3 per square mile (120.2/km ) in 2010 (No update on the Census for 2020). The racial makeup was 32% Asian , 18.4% White , 10% Native Hawaiian & Pacific Islander , 0.8% African American , 0.1% American Indian & Alaska Native , 0.6% from other races , and 38.1% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 13% of

Wailoa River State Recreation Area - Misplaced Pages Continue

1152-585: Was broadcast on local PBS stations in April 2021. The Hawaiʻi County Board of Supervisors formed the Hawaii Redevelopment Agency (HRA) on May 31, and passed an ordinance banning further reconstruction in the flooded area. A 5-person Board of Commissioners was appointed on July 14, with Ralph Kiyosaki as the first chairman. HRA decided to permanently relocate Shinmachi rather than rebuild and initiated Project Kaikoʻo ("rough seas"), completing

1188-426: Was built north of Hilo using some of the old railbed. On May 22, 1960, another tsunami, caused by a 9.5-magnitude earthquake off the coast of Chile that day, claimed 61 lives, allegedly due to the failure of people to heed warning sirens. Low-lying bayfront areas of the city on Waiākea peninsula and along Hilo Bay, previously populated, were rededicated as parks and memorials. Hilo expanded inland beginning in

1224-493: Was called Byron's Bay for captain George Byron, 7th Baron Byron . The coral reef on the eastern side of the bay is called Blonde Reef for the ship. The first breakwater across the bay was first started in 1908 under contract to Engineer Delbert Metzger. It was extended in 1911, and completed in 1929. The small island Moku Ola (now called Coconut Island) was the site of an ancient temple dedicated to healing. Hilo Bay

1260-487: Was developed at the invitation of the Hawaii Chamber of Commerce following the collapse of the sugar cane industry. Hilo is served by KWXX (94.7FM Hilo/101.5FM Kona), B93/B97 (93.1FM Kona/97.1FM Hilo), The Wave (KHBC 92.7FM Hilo), and KPUA (970AM Hilo) radio stations. Public Access television is provided through Nā Leo TV . The Hawaii Tribune-Herald , of Oahu Publications Inc., a subsidiary of Black Press ,

1296-466: Was originally commissioned by the Princeville resort on the island of Kauaʻi . However, it was put into storage when the local population pointed out that Kauaʻi was the one major island never conquered by Kamehameha in war. An alumni group from Kamehameha Schools raised funds to transport the statue, and put on display in 1997. The Royal Order of Kamehameha I objected to the first placement of

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