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79-560: Tafuna is the principal area for the development of housing and industry in American Samoa. It is one of the few places in American Samoa where the most freehold land is found. Public utilities, the international airport, and light industry are based on the Tafuna Plain. Tafuna's commercial strip is lined with businesses, government offices, recreational facilities, school institutions, service industries, and shops. It encompasses

158-538: A church center in Tafuna in 1982. Near the vicinity of the church center, Kanana Fou Private School was built in the village in 1979 for the Congregational Christian Church in American Samoa . The first phase of the construction of the center, which was named Kanana Fou, was completed by 1984. In 1997 a multimillion-dollar gymnasium and athletic facility was completed. Kanama Fou had now become

237-405: A display of wood-carvings by artist Sven Ortquist . Tafuna High School is the largest, most urban, and also the most cosmopolitan high school in American Samoa. It opened in 1982 with a total of 100 enrolled students. It is the newest of the five public high schools in American Samoa and had 1,200 enrolled students as of 2018. The high school's football team practices on a rippled grass expanse in

316-436: A large religious center for seminars, conferences, athletic- and youth activities, and many more community uses. Tafuna also became the center of American Samoa's Catholic Church. Construction began on the cathedral, church hall, dormitories, and other support buildings in the 1980s and 1990s. Construction of the new complex, known as Fatu O Aiga, was completed at the cost of $ 3 million. The Holy Family Cathedral at Fatuoaiga has

395-426: A limited scale. Tāfuna remained largely uninhabited for approximately 3,000 years. The area, characterized by a dense rainforest growing over an inhospitable lava shield , served primarily as a site for pigeon hunting and occasional warfare but was never home to a permanent village. This changed with the arrival of Western settlers (referred to locally as palangi ), who used chainsaws and bulldozers to clear and level

474-578: A naval station. Meade arrived in Pago Pago on USS  Narragansett and made a treaty with the Mauga for the exclusive use of the harbor and a set of commercial regulations to govern the trading and shipping in Pago Pago. He also purchased land for a new naval station. The chief of Pago Pago signed a treaty with the U.S. in 1872, giving the American government considerable influence on the island. It

553-456: A new Tafuna government prison opened. The prison was built for male prisoners at a cost of approximately $ 4 million. The population in American Samoa doubled from 1978 to 1997. Most of this population growth took place on the Tafuna Plain and in the Pago Pago area. Nearly all of American Samoa's commercial development lies in the perimeter around Pago Pago and on the Tafuna Plain. As one of

632-495: A number of stately homes, rental apartments, modest homes, mini-marts, sewing shops, and warehouses. As of 2002, nearly all forest on the Tafuna Plain had been destroyed, with the exception of the 20-acre (8.1 ha) tract at Ottoville, which was under threat. Ottoville Lowland Forest is a 20-acre (8.1 ha) forest reserve situated in central Tafuna Plain, bordered by the Fatuaiga Catholic Compound in

711-582: A restored Tia Seu Lupe . The park and Tia Seu Lupe Historic Monument was dedicated by Governor Peter Tali Coleman in May 1990. The park sits next to a rainforest reserve. This reserve is home to the only low-land rainforest still found on Tutuila Island . After the 2009 tsunami , a temporary visitor center for the National Park Service was opened in Ottoville. As of 2021, Ottoville

790-669: A school dedication: the Manulele Tausala, Lady Bird Johnson School. The President gave a speech where he laid out the American policy for its lone South Pacific territory. The President and First Lady returned to American Samoa in December 1966, on their way to Prime Minister's Harold Holt 's funeral in Australia. Governor Owen Aspinall offered a quiet welcome as the White House asked for there to be no ceremonies during

869-468: A strong naval presence in the Samoan Islands. Twice between 1880 and 1900, the U.S. Navy came close to taking part in a shooting war while its only true interest was the establishment of a coaling station in Pago Pago. The U.S. quietly purchased land around the harbor for the construction of the naval station. It rented land on Fagatogo Beach for $ 10/month in order to store the coal. Admiral Kimberly

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948-582: A village fire destroyed the legislative chambers and adjacent facilities. It was decided that the new Legislature would be placed permanently in the center of the township of Fagatogo, the traditional Malae o le Talu, at a cost of $ 500,000. A triple celebration in October 1973 marked the dedication of the new Fono compound, its 25th anniversary, and the holding in Pago Pago of the Pacific Conference of Legislators. First Lady Lillian "Lily" Lee unveiled

1027-513: Is also the home of Equator Restaurant where shows such as fiafia performances are held Friday nights. The hotel was built in 2003. Other hotels in Tafuna are Maliu Mai Beach Resort and Pago Airport Inn, which is a motel-style inn with a restaurant and swimming pool. The Bowling Sports Club and Flames Night Club are the two main nightclubs on island. A modern prison was built near the Tafuna Airport for 28 inmates in 1970. In September 2016,

1106-525: Is headquartered in Ottoville. Tafuna Industrial Park (TIP), also known as Senator Daniel K. Inouye Industrial Park, is operated through the Department of Commerce and its Tafuna Industrial Park Panel. TIP is located on a 100-acre (40 ha) lot near Tafuna Airport . Tafuna International Airport (Pago Pago Airport) is located in Tafuna. Pago Pago International Airport has the headquarters of Inter Island Airways . The construction of an airport at

1185-685: Is home to the legislature, while the executive seat is in Utulei. Also in Fagatogo are the Fono , police department, the Port of Pago Pago, and many shops and hotels. In 2000, the Greater Pago Pago area was home to 8,000 residents; by 2010 the population had increased to 15,000. Rainmaker Mountain (Mount Pioa), located in Pago Pago, contributes to a weather pattern that results in the city having

1264-1048: Is located at the Tradewinds Hotel and is named for the ship which brought Robert Louis Stevenson to the South Pacific Ocean. The restaurant serves Southern-style shrimp sandwiches, Hawaiian saimin, hamburgers, chicken quesadillas, and more. An additional eatery in Ottoville is Jeffrey's Bar and Grill, which is located near Cost-U-Less and only a five-minute walk away from the Quality Inn Tradewinds Hotel. This restaurant specializes in steaks, but also serves all-day breakfasts, chicken, fish, salads, sandwiches, etc. 14°20′1″S 170°43′53″W  /  14.33361°S 170.73139°W  / -14.33361; -170.73139 Pago Pago Pago Pago ( / ˈ p ɑː ŋ ɡ ɔː ˈ p ɑː ŋ ɡ ɔː / PAHNG -gaw- PAHNG -gaw ; Samoan : Samoan pronunciation: [ˈpaŋo ˈpaŋo] )

1343-415: Is located in Tafuna. It offers bachelor degrees in various fields. Tafuna is home to the most accessible of American Samoa's star mounds, known as Tia Seu Lupe . This can be seen right behind the statue of St. Mary near the large Catholic cathedral. The name literally translates to "earthen mound to catch pigeons." The star mound is almost 10 feet (3.0 m) high and is one of the best-preserved mounds on

1422-649: Is notable for its diverse population, including immigrants from Western Samoa , Korea , Fiji , the Philippines , Tonga , China , Europe , and mainland United States . Unlike other villages in American Samoa, much of Tafuna's land is privately owned rather than controlled by extended family groups, or aiga . This allows for the purchase and development of individual plots, as well as the rental of homes. The shift in land ownership patterns has significantly altered Tafuna's social structure. The traditional aiga-based authority, central to Samoan culture, holds less sway in

1501-408: Is pronounced "pahngo pahngo." An early name for Pago Pago was Long Bay (Samoan: O le Fagaloa), which was a name used by the first permanent inhabitants to settle in the Pago Pago area. It was also called O le Maputasi ("The Single Chief's House") in compliment to the Mauga, who lived at Gagamoe in Pago Pago and was the senior to all the other chiefs in the area. For a brief period in

1580-749: Is the Cathedral of the Holy Family . It contains a picture of the Holy Family on a Samoan beach painted in 1991 by artist Duffy Sheridan . It also includes a 14 deep-relief Stations of the Cross and other woodcarvings made by artist Sven Ortquist , who also designed the cathedral's stained glass windows. Near the Cathedral of the Holy Family and next to the Fatuoaiga Catholic Church is a historical and archeological park which houses

1659-746: Is the capital of American Samoa . It is in Maoputasi County on Tutuila , the main island of American Samoa. Pago Pago is home to one of the deepest natural deepwater harbors in the South Pacific Ocean , sheltered from wind and rough seas, and strategically located. The harbor is also one of the best protected in the South Pacific, which gives American Samoa a natural advantage because it makes landing fish for processing easier. Tourism , entertainment, food, and tuna canning are its main industries. As of 1993, Pago Pago

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1738-565: Is thought to be an old hill-slope below a living area where people threw away their waste. Numerous large ceramic pieces have been retrieved here. The layer with the ceramics dates back to the time between 350 BCE and 10 CE. Another site, Fo’isia, is located approximately 100 meters from Vaipito, at the same elevation inland in Pago Pago. During sewer line construction, the American Samoa Power Authority noticed many broken pieces of clay pottery. Five dates associated with

1817-513: The Fala o Futa , the first important fine mat of Samoa, donated by Senate President HC Salanoa S.P. Aumoeualogo. The other major contribution was a cannon which came off Kamiloa , a 171-ton steamer and the only warship in the fleet of King Kalakaua of Hawai'i. The Hawaiian king sent the ship to the Samoan Islands in an effort at creating a Polynesian kingdom. In 1965, the Tramway at Mount ʻAlava

1896-771: The National Register of Historic Places of the United States, including Navy Building 38 , Jean P. Haydon Museum , and the Government House . In 1985, the decision was made to privatize Ronald Reagan Shipyard . Southwest Marine , a company from San Diego, California , was selected to operate the shipyard under lease from the American Samoa Government. In 1986, the First Invitational Canoe Race

1975-460: The Pala Lagoon in Tafuna and is a public park under the jurisdiction of American Samoa Government Parks and Recreation . Recreational use of Pala Lagoon is centered around Lions Park. The park is home to picnic tables, tennis courts, and a children's playground. Canoes, rafts, and kayaks are launched from the park. The Pala Lagoon Swimming Center is a community swimming pool at Lions Park which

2054-539: The administrative capital of American Samoa in 1899. At the beginning of the 20th century, Pago Pago became American Samoa's port of entry . On April 11, 1904, the first public school in American Samoa, called Fagatogo , was established in the naval station area. The school had two teachers and forty students at the time of its opening. English author W. Somerset Maugham and his secretary Gerald Haxton visited Pago Pago from December 16, 1916, to January 30, 1917 on their way from Hawaii to Tahiti . Also on board

2133-487: The 1830s, Pago Pago was also known as Cuthbert’s Harbor, named after British Captain Cuthbert, who was the first European to enter Pago Pago Harbor. Pago Pago was first settled 4,000 years ago. The area was initially settled by Polynesian navigators, who established a vibrant community rooted in agriculture, fishing, and the distinct cultural practices of Samoan society. There is archeological evidence of people living in

2212-631: The East & West High School All-Star Football Game. It has been held at the field in Gagamoe in Pago Pago. In 2008, the tenth Festival of Pacific Arts was held in Pago Pago, drawing 2,500 participants from 27 countries. Also in 2008, Asuega Fa’amamata , one of the few female chiefs in the territory, was elected by Pago Pago as its new senator, becoming the sole female legislator in the American Samoa Fono . In 2010, Tri Marine Group ,

2291-541: The Marine Corps' 7th Defense Battalion arrived in Pago Pago and was the first Fleet Marine Force unit to serve in the South Pacific Ocean . It was also the first such unit to be deployed in defense of an American island. Guns were emplaced at Blunts and Breakers Points , covering Pago Pago Harbor. It trained the only Marine reserve unit to serve on active duty during World War II, namely the 1st Samoan Battalion, U.S. Marine Corps Reserve. The battalion mobilized after

2370-508: The Mauga was the leading matai (chief) of Pago Pago. In 1836, the English whaler Elizabeth , captained by Cuthbert, became the first European vessel to enter Pago Pago Harbor. Captain Cuthbert is credited with ‘discovering’ Pago Pago and naming it Cuthbert Harbor. Two missionaries were assigned to Tutuila Island in the 1830s: Reverend Murray and his wife to Pago Pago and Reverend Barnden to Leone . They landed at Fagasa Bay and hiked over

2449-568: The Moon in 1969 by Apollo 11, as well as moonstones, all given as a gift to American Samoa by President Richard Nixon following the return of the Apollo Moon missions. The museum was officially opened in October 1971 with an opening featuring Margaret Mead as a guest speaker. The National Endowment for the Arts provided a start-up grant. The most valuable asset was an exquisite mat reputed to be

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2528-763: The Pago Pago Valley at least 1500-1300 years ago. The ancient people of Tutuila produced clay pottery known as Samoan Plainware. The majority of these open bowls had plain designs and featured rounded bases. Such pottery has been retrieved from sites in Pago Pago, including at Vaipito . The production of such pottery ceased approximately 1500 years ago. A site in the Vaipito Valley has also revealed more substantial elements, such as constructions made from rocks, like house foundations and terraces (lau mafola). Ceramic findings have been retrieved at Vaipito, an inland area within Pago Pago village. A deposit here

2607-619: The Roman Catholic Mission offered prayers. Students from the LMS school in Fagalele sang the national anthem. The two ships, Comoran and Abarenda , fired the national salutes. The Deed of Cession of Tutuila and Aunu'u Islands was signed on Gagamoe , and formalized the relationship between the U.S. and American Samoa. Gagamoe is an area in Pago Pago which is the Mauga family's communal and sacred land. Pago Pago became

2686-439: The Tafuna Plain has been almost entirely cleared. The red-vented bulbul is believed to have been introduced to Tutuila in 1957, with the first recorded sighting in Pago Pago in 1961. The species is thought to have arrived via aircraft and initially established itself on the Tafuna Plain. Ottoville, American Samoa Ottoville is a subdivision or district within the village of Tafuna, American Samoa . At Ottoville

2765-489: The Tafuna Plain was one of the major consequences of the military buildup in the early 1940s. Bulldozers were used to scrape away and clear a thick jungle, and explosives were later utilized to blast away obstructions and fill underwater areas. In March 1942, the main runway at Tafuna was constructed. It was 200 feet (61 m) wide and 3,600 feet (1,100 m) long and available to use for the first Marine Air Group's arrival. The first airplanes of Marine Air Group 13 landed at

2844-407: The attack on Pearl Harbor and remained active until January 1944. In January 1942 Pago Pago Harbor was shelled by a Japanese submarine , but this was the only battle action on the islands during World War II. On January 20, 1942, the 2nd Marine Brigade arrived in Pago Pago with about 5,000 men and various supplies of weaponry, including cannons and tanks. Pago Pago and the U.S. Naval Station

2923-532: The center of the high school campus. The Tafuna Warriors football team experienced a championship streak from 2011 to 2013 in the American Samoa High School Athletics Association (ASHSAA) football. The team also claimed both the 2018 Varsity and Junior Varsity championship titles, with undefeated records in both divisions. Currently, the only university with a campus in American Samoa, Wayland Baptist University,

3002-596: The ceramics indicate a time range between 370 BCE and 130 CE. The island of Tutuila was part of the Tuʻi Tonga Empire from the invasion around 950 CE to when Tongans were expelled in 1250 . According to Samoan folklore, a warrior from Pago Pago, Fua’au, is associated with driving the Tongans out of Tutuila. According to the legend, Fua’au’s fiancé, Tauoloasi’i, was kidnapped and taken to Tonga while sleeping on an exquisite mat known as Moeilefuefue. Filled with anger at

3081-542: The common Red-vented Bulbul and the Jungle Myna , which are likely to breed in the forest. Common Myna is abundant in surrounding areas. It is home to the only roost of the White-necked Fruit Bat on the Tafuna Plain. Tradewinds Hotel has a day spa , resort pool, ATM, car rental, and tour desk. Traditional dancing performances known as fiafia are held here on Friday nights. Equator Restaurant

3160-633: The community. Consequently, the village council has a diminished role, and many residents live outside the matai (chiefly) system. This lack of adherence to traditional social frameworks has led to reduced social oversight compared to other areas, such as the Eastern District . The Cathedral of the Holy Family (1986) located in the village is the episcopal see of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Samoa–Pago Pago . The Christian Church of American Samoa (CCCAS) made plans to construct

3239-516: The constituent villages of Petesa, Faga'ima, Kokoland, and Ottoville . The name Tāfuna connotes "rubbish dump" or "wasteland" in the Samoan language . Evidence from archaeological studies indicates that the Tāfuna Plain experienced volcanic activity as recently as 1,500 years ago. Chronological analyses suggest that human settlement on the plain had already begun between 245 and 745 BCE, albeit on

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3318-487: The early 1970s, with the Office of Tourism reporting 40,000 visitors and calling for the construction of additional hotels. Service to American Samoa by air was offered by Pan American (four weekly flights), Air New Zealand (four weekly flights), and UTA (four weekly flights). From 1974 to 1975, records show that 78,000 passengers moved by air between the two Samoas and that Polynesian Airlines collected $ 1.8 million from

3397-436: The few places in American Samoa that allow for the private purchase of land, Tafuna has become the largest village in American Samoa and a melting pot of residents with different nationalities. A substantial number of residents who live in Tafuna have immigrated from near and distant villages and districts. As of the 2020 U.S. Census , Tafuna has more housing units than any other village in American Samoa, at 1,914 units. Tafuna

3476-641: The first jet-plane, Pan Am Boeing 707 , arrived at Tafuna International Airport, carrying Stewart Udall , the Secretary of the Interior. Tafuna International Airport was once a major stop for many airlines traveling the trans-pacific route until the extension of Faleolo International Airport. Tradewinds Hotel on Main Ottoville Road in Ottoville has a day spa, resort pool, tour desk, and ATM. It

3555-502: The fourteen deep-relief Stations of the Cross and other woodcarvings and also designed the stained glass windows. Adjacent to the Fatuoaiga Catholic Church Center is a historic park with restored tia seu lupe (a pigeon-catching mound) that resembles the later marae of Eastern Polynesia . The park is located next to the only part of low-land rainforest still found on Tutuila Island. Lions Park sits along

3634-520: The highest annual rainfall of any harbor in the world. It stands protectively over the eastern side of Pago Pago, making the harbor one of the most sheltered deepwater anchorages in the Pacific Ocean. Historically, the strategic location of Pago Pago Bay played a direct role in the political separation of Western and Eastern Samoa. The initial reason that the U.S. was interested in Tutuila

3713-545: The hill to the High Chief Mauga in Pago Pago. Mauga welcomed the missionaries and gave them support. RMS Dunottar Castle later moved to Pago Pago, becoming the second ship to enter Pago Pago Harbor . The missionaries later chose to establish their headquarters at Leone. On May 9, 1838, the London Missionary Society established a church in Pago Pago. As early as 1839, American interest

3792-426: The industry, and most of the commerce in American Samoa. The Greater Pago Pago Metropolitan Area encompasses several villages strung together along Pago Pago Harbor . One of the villages is itself named Pago Pago, and in 2010, that village had a population of 3,656. The constituent villages are: Utulei , Fagatogo , Malaloa , Pago Pago, Satala and Atu'u . Fagatogo is the downtown area, referred to as "town", and

3871-419: The island. It is believed to have been used in rituals by tribal chiefs to capture pigeons for an unknown rite. Similar step-stone mounds can be found throughout Polynesia . The Holy Family Catholic Cathedral , built in 1994, is situated at the Ottoville district on the Tafuna Plain. It contains a picture of the Holy Family on a Samoan beach painted by Duffy Sheridan in 1991. Samoan artist Sven Ortquist did

3950-459: The land, transforming it for modern development. The village of Tafuna compromises the eastern bulk of Tuālāuta County. Its defining geographical feature, the Tafuna Plain, is a Holocene era, 8.9 square miles (23 km) volcanic plain on Tutuila Island. Besides the plateau at A’oloaufou , the Leone -Tafuna Plain is the only major flat land on Tutuila Island. Late-stage volcanic eruptions formed

4029-555: The large flat plain. Near the Catholic church at Ottoville is an archeological park containing a well-preserved ancient Polynesian mound as well as a rainforest reserve. Tafuna holds a large concentration of businesses on the island. Popular American fast-food franchises such as McDonald's opened in Tafuna in the year 2000. The American Samoa Power Authority (ASPA) is headquartered in Tafuna. Island's Choice Dairy Factory, which produces dairy products ranging from ice cream to juices,

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4108-417: The local steamer business of W. H. Webb required coal and he sent Captain E. Wakeman to Samoa in order to evaluate the suitability of Pago Pago as a coaling station. Wakeman approved the harbor and alerted the U.S. Navy about Germany 's intent to take over the area. The U.S. Navy responded a few months later by dispatching Commander Richard Meade from Honolulu , Hawaii to assess Pago Pago's suitability as

4187-692: The loss of his fiancé and the renowned mat, Fua’au rallied the Tutuilans, encouraging them to revolt against the Tongan rule imposed by Lautivunia . During the period of Tongan rule, political opponents and defeated Samoan warriors were exiled to Pago Pago. The surrounding settlements effectively functioned as a Samoan penal colony. In response to the oppression, the Samoans, under the leadership of paramount chief Malietoa , eventually revolted against their Tongan rulers. When Westerners first visited Tutuila,

4266-551: The nearly finished Tafuna Air Base on April 2, 1942. The area surrounding the airstrip was primitive and difficult, mostly consisting of dense jungle. Four days after the air group's arrival, the first runway at Tafuna was constructed by the Utah Construction Company with assistance from the Marine Corps . The Tafuna Airstrip was 2,500 feet (760 m) long and 250 feet (76 m) wide. On July 18, 1962,

4345-515: The official seal of American Samoa carved on ifelele by master wood-carver Sven Ortquist , which was mounted in front of the new Fono. The Arts Council Choir sang the territorial anthem, "Amerika Samoa", as composer HC Tuiteleleapaga Napoleone conducted. The territorial bird, lupe, and flower, mosooi, were officially announced during the same ceremony. Shipping in and out of Pago Pago experienced an economic boom from 1970 to 1974. Flights into Pago Pago International Airport continued to increase in

4424-461: The only U.S. President to have visited American Samoa. Lyndon B. Johnson Tropical Medical Center was named in honor of the president. Landing ahead of the Air Force One was the press plane that carried seventy news reporters. The two-hour visit was televised throughout the country and the world. Governor H. Rex Lee and traditional leaders crammed ceremonies, entertainment, a brief tour, and

4503-597: The project. Some parts were previously owned by the Polynesian Land Company, while other tracts were still owned by Samoan families. For the defense of the harbor in event of a naval war, the U.S. Navy wanted to purchase headlands and mountainsides above the Lepua Catholic Church which directly faced the harbor's entrance. In 1889, Robert Louis Stevenson paid a visit to Pago Pago. A California -based construction and engineering firm

4582-631: The route. Pago Pago Harbor became a popular stop for yachts in the early 1970s. In 1972, Army Sp. 4 Fiatele Taulago Teʻo was killed in Vietnam and his body was flown home to Pago Pago where his many awards were presented to his parents. The first Army Reserve Center was named after him. Two additional American Samoans were killed in the Vietnam War, Cpl. Lane Fatutoa Levi and LCpl. Fagatoele Lokeni in 1970 and 1968, respectively. In 1972, seven historical buildings in American Samoa were entered in

4661-480: The ship was a passenger named Miss Sadie Thompson, who had been evicted from Hawaii for prostitution. She was later the main character in the popular short story, Rain (1921), a story of a prostitute arriving in Pago Pago. Delayed because of a quarantine inspection, they checked into what is now known as Sadie Thompson Inn . Maugham also met an American sailor here, who later appeared as the title character in another short story, Red (1921). The Sadie Thompson Inn

4740-462: The south, and the Ottoville Road and Kanana Fou Theological Seminary in the east. It borders the Kokoland area of Tafuna in the north. The rainforest is dominated by vegetation such as mamalava , tava (Pometia pinnata), and maota trees (Dysoxylum maota). It is the only area remaining of native forest vegetation on the Tafuna Plain. Fourteen bird species have been recorded in the forest, including

4819-698: The visit. Around 3,000 spectators went to the Pago Pago International Airport to see the President. In May 1967, Governor H. Rex Lee signed a law making Pago Pago a duty-free port. Excise taxes, however, were imposed on automobiles, firearms, luxury goods, and auto parts. The excise tax was heaviest on secondhand motor vehicles and machinery. It was nicknamed the "Junk Bill" as it intended to keep out old used merchandise. In November 1970, Pope Paul VI visited Pago Pago on his way to Australia. Shortly after Christmas in 1970,

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4898-491: The world's largest supplier of fish, purchased the plant assets of Samoa Packing and committed $ 34 million for a state-of-the-art tuna packing facility. Mike Pence was the third sitting U.S. vice president to visit American Samoa when he made a stopover in Pago Pago in April 2017. He addressed 200 soldiers here during his refueling stop. U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson visited town on June 3, 2017. In August 2017,

4977-476: Was acquired by the United States through a treaty in 1877. One year after the naval base was built at Pearl Harbor in 1887, the U.S. government established a naval station in Pago Pago. It was primarily used as a fueling station for both naval- and commercial ships. The U.S. Navy first established a coaling station in 1878, right outside Fagatogo . The United States Navy later bought land east of Fagatogo and on Goat Island, an adjacent peninsula. Sufficient land

5056-402: Was added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places in 2003. When the U.S. joined World War I in May 1917, two German ships anchoring in Pago Pago were seized. The 10,000-ton Elsass was towed to Honolulu and turned over to the U.S. Navy, while its smaller gunboat , Solf , was refitted in Pago Pago and given the name USS  Samoa . Wireless messaging between Pago Pago and Hawaii

5135-415: Was built in 2017. Pala Lagoon Swim Center has three swimming pools, water slides, and a splash pad. Next to the swim center is Lion's Park, which consists of tennis courts, a playground, a basketball court, and volleyball nets. There are also several fales with grills and picnic tables. Due to population pressures, including the demands for housing and agriculture, the native coastal and lowland rainforest of

5214-577: Was constructed as access to the TV transmission equipment on the mountain. It ran from atop Solo Hill at the end of the Togotogo Ridge above Utulei . It ascended 1.1 miles (1.8 kilometers) across Pago Pago Harbor and landed at the 1,598 ft (487 m) Mount ʻAlava. It was one of the world's longest single-span cablecar routes. President Lyndon B. Johnson and First Lady Lady Bird Johnson visited Pago Pago on October 18, 1966. Johnson remains

5293-480: Was contracted to build the coal depot in 1898. The naval engineer in charge was W. I. Chambers. On April 30, 1899, Commander Benjamin Franklin Tilley sailed from Norfolk, Virginia on USS  Abarenda with a cargo of coal and steel for the project. The U.S. Navy was the only American agency present in the area, and it was made responsible for administering the new territory. The first American flag

5372-540: Was generated for the Pago Pago area when Commander Charles Wilkes , head of the United States Exploring Expedition , surveyed Pago Pago Harbor and the island. Wilkes' favorable report attracted so much interest that the U.S. Navy began planning a move to the Pago Pago area. During his time in Pago Pago, Wilkes negotiated a set of “Commercial Regulations” with the matais of Pago Pago under the leadership of Paramount Ali'i Mauga. Wilkes' treaty

5451-401: Was held in Pago Pago. On September 25, 1991, downtown Fagatogo received a new landmark: the Samoa News Building. The Executive Office Building in Utulei was dedicated on October 11, 1991. In 1999, the first international conference on the Samoan language was held in Pago Pago. Since 2000, American Samoa Department of Education through its school athletic program is the host of

5530-422: Was its desire to use Pago Pago Harbor as a coaling station. The town has the distinction of being the southernmost U.S. capital, and the only one located in the Southern Hemisphere . The origin of the name Pago Pago is uncertain. One hypothesis suggests that it is derived from the Samoan language , where it is interpreted to mean "place of prayer." The letter "g" in Samoan sounds like "ng"; thus Pago Pago

5609-439: Was never ratified, but captains and Samoan leaders operated by it. Rumors of possible annexation by Britain or Germany were taken seriously by the U.S., and the U.S. Secretary of State Hamilton Fish sent Colonel Albert Steinberger to negotiate with Samoan chiefs on behalf of American interests. American interest in Pago Pago was also a result of Tutuila's central position in one of the world's richest whaling grounds. In 1871,

5688-488: Was obtained in 1898 and the construction of United States Naval Station Tutuila was completed in 1902. The station commander doubled as American Samoa's Governor from 1899 to 1905, when the station commandant was designated Naval Governor of American Samoa. The Fono (legislature) served as an advisory council to the governor. Despite being a part of the United States, the United Kingdom and Germany maintained

5767-408: Was one of few areas on Tutuila Island where there were street signs (Ottoville Road). In Ottoville is also Tradewinds Hotel and connecting Equator Restaurant. The hotel has the highest standards on the island, and is also home to a swimming pool and several luxury suites. The hotel offers organized tours of the island the frequently hosts cultural performances on its pavilion. Ottoville is also home to

5846-574: Was ordered to Pago Pago while in Apia waiting for transportation home after the hurricane of 1889. In Pago Pago, he selected a site for the new coaling station and naval base. In June 1890, the U.S. Congress passed an appropriation of $ 100,000 for the purpose of permanently establishing a station for the naval and commercial marine. With the appropriation, the State Department sent Consul Sewall from Apia to Pago Pago to buy six tracts of land for

5925-454: Was raised on April 17, 1900, at Sogelau Hill above the site of the new wharf and coaling facilities in Fagatogo. For the ceremony, a group of invitees from Apia arrived with German Governor Heinrich Solf onboard SMS  Cormoran . USS Abarenda , home of B. F. Tilley and his new government, was in the harbor. American consul Luther W. Osborn arrived from Apia, and many spectators arrived from American Samoa villages and other countries. Tilley

6004-580: Was routed through Fiji . As the British censored all messages through Fiji, the Navy quickly upgraded the facilities to go directly between Pago Pago and Honolulu. Pago Pago was a vital naval base for the U.S. during World War II . Limited improvements at the naval station took place in the summer of 1940, which included a Marine Corps airfield at Tafuna . The new airfield was partly operational by April 1942, and fully operational by June. On March 15, 1941,

6083-606: Was the master of ceremonies and began the program by reading the Proclamation of the President of the United States, which asserted American sovereignty over the islands. Next was the reading of the Order of the Secretary of the Navy, followed by chiefs who read the Deed of Cession , which they had written and signed. Before raising the flag, reverend E. V. Cooper of the London Missionary Society (LMS) and reverend Father Meinaidier of

6162-411: Was the world's fourth-largest tuna processor. In 2009, the total value of fish landed in Pago Pago — about $ 200,000,000 annually — is higher than in any other port in any U.S. state or territory. It is home to the largest tuna cannery in the world. Pago Pago is the only modern urban center in American Samoa and the main port of American Samoa. It is also home to the territorial government, all

6241-421: Was visited by First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt on August 24, 1943. Pago Pago was an important location for NASA 's Apollo program from 1961 to 1972. Apollo 10 , Apollo 11 , Apollo 12 , Apollo 13 , Apollo 14 and Apollo 17 landed by Tutuila Island, and the crew flew from Pago Pago to Honolulu on their way back to the mainland. At Jean P. Haydon Museum are displays of an American Samoa-flag brought to

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