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107-829: It is the fifth-largest village in land area in American Samoa and the second most populous one, after Tafuna. It straddles the line between the Eastern District and the Western District . This makes it the only village in American Samoa that occupies two districts. It has a total land area of 7.87 km, with 6.23 km being in the Eastern District and 1.64 km being in the Western District. Its total population as of

214-591: A Deed of Cession of Tutuila in 1900 and a Deed of Cession of Manuʻa in 1904 on behalf of the U.S. government. The last sovereign of Manuʻa, the Tui Manuʻa Elisala , signed a Deed of Cession of Manuʻa following a series of U.S. naval trials, known as the "Trial of the Ipu", in Pago Pago, Taʻu, and aboard a Pacific Squadron gunboat. The territory became known as the U.S. Naval Station Tutuila . On July 17, 1911,

321-687: A U.S. Department of Interior –sponsored attempt to incorporate American Samoa, was introduced in Congress. It was ultimately defeated, primarily through the efforts of Samoan chiefs, led by Tuiasosopo Mariota. The efforts of these chiefs led to the creation of a territorial legislature, the American Samoa Fono , which meets in the village of Fagatogo . In 1950 the Department of the Interior began to administer American Samoa. By 1956,

428-462: A brief but lavish greeting. On January 30, 1974, Pan Am Flight 806 from Auckland , New Zealand, crashed at Pago Pago International Airport at 10:41   pm, with 91 passengers aboard. 86 people were killed, including Captain Leroy A. Petersen and the entire flight crew. Four of the five surviving passengers were seriously injured, with the other only slightly injured. The airliner was destroyed by

535-441: A fishing ship that was damaged by Cyclone Gita in 2018. In 2011, Leone Post Office was dedicated and replaced an older one destroyed by the 2009 tsunami. In 2012, Samoa's Prime Minister Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi suggested American Samoa construct a wharf at Leone Bay in order to reduce the travel time between Samoa and Tutuila. It is approximately 40 miles (64 km) between Upolu Island and Tutuila. In December 2012,

642-469: A hundred canoes, with more than 500 people in them: but I was afraid of striking the wrong victims; the call of my conscience saved their lives." On December 19, 1912, English writer William Somerset Maugham arrived in Pago Pago, allegedly accompanied by a missionary and Miss Sadie Thompson. His visit inspired his short story " Rain " which later became plays and three major motion pictures. The building still stands where Maugham stayed and has been renamed

749-454: A janitorial service, a fast-food restaurant, a car repair, a pool hall, a laundromat, a gas station, a commercial diving contractor, a silk screen printing service, and a distributor of amusement machines. Commercial crop production and subsistence farming occur in the Leone watershed. The 50-acre (20 ha) Tatagamatau quarry above Leone is the largest in existence. It has been entered into

856-532: A listing which is disputed by the territorial government officials, who do consider themselves to be self-governing. American Samoa and Pago Pago International Airport had historic significance with the Apollo Program . The astronaut crews of Apollo 10 , 12 , 13 , 14 , and 17 were retrieved a few hundred miles from Pago Pago and transported by helicopter to the airport prior to being flown to Honolulu on C-141 Starlifter military aircraft. While

963-522: A name for their new territory. The traditional leaders chose "American Samoa", and, on July 7, 1911, the solicitor general of the Navy authorized the governor to proclaim it as the name for the new territory. In 1918, during the final stages of World War I , the Great Influenza epidemic had taken its toll, spreading rapidly from country to country. American Samoa became one of the few places in

1070-493: A piece of shrapnel , and "a member of the colorful native Fita Fita Guard" received minor injuries; they were the only casualties. This was the only time the Japanese attacked Tutuila during World War II , although "Japanese submarines had patrolled the waters around Samoa before the war, and continued to be active there throughout the war." On August 24, 1943, First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt visited American Samoa and inspected

1177-613: A pivotal role in five of the Apollo Program missions . The astronauts landed several hundred miles from Pago and were transported to the islands en route back to the mainland. President Richard Nixon gave three Moon rocks to the American Samoan government, which are currently on display in the Jean P. Haydon Museum along with a flag carried to the Moon on one of the missions. In November 1970, Pope Paul VI visited American Samoa in

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1284-507: A police substation was dedicated in Leone. The new station was constructed with federal funds. On November 1, 2014, a drive-by shooting took place in Leone. Several gunshots were fired at the front of the Leone Police Substation. No officers or other personnel were injured. Four bullets were later recovered from inside the station. Four men were charged for the shooting, which took place when two police officers were inside

1391-461: A public meeting. The Senate has 18 members, elected for four-year terms by and from the chiefs of the islands . The Fono is located in Fagatogo . Leone, American Samoa Leone is the second-largest city on Tutuila Island's west coast. The village is on the south-west coast of Tutuila Island , American Samoa . Leone was the ancient capital of Tutuila Island. Leone was also where

1498-488: A reputation for its siapo mamanu. In the book Siapo: Barkcloth Art of Samoa artist Mary J. Pritchard described her experiences learning siapo from the women of Leone at this time. One woman, Kolone Fai'ivae Leoso , emerged as an influential prolific and figure designer. Her compositions were often inspired by the stained glass windows of the Leone Congregational Church. Leoso died in 1970. Leone

1605-594: A roundtrip from Leone to Pago Pago, a distance of around 16 miles (26 km), took an entire day. In 1922, the Leone Rapid Transit began operations, announcing two trips per day at a round trip fare of $ 2.00. It was a result of $ 30,000 earmarked for road construction by Governor Waldo A. Evans . A June 8, 1922 report states there was a bus service from Pago Pago to Utulei and from Utulei to Leone. The Leone Rapid Transportation also operated between Fagatogo and Leone. Road conditions were such that it took

1712-519: A special management area in recognition of its size and significance to wildlife and fish habitat. It is the largest and also the most threatened wetland in American Samoa; 33 percent of the mangrove swamp has been converted to dry land since 1961. The wetland, excluding the open water of the lagoon, covers 123 acres (50 ha) of mangrove forest and swamp. The majority of the swamp is covered with red mangrove and oriental mangrove . Several areas of other freshwater marsh vegetation are interspersed with

1819-482: A star mound, similar to those found in the village of ‘Aoa . The basalt quarry in Leone can be visited. Although it is on community land, the hiking trail is owned by Tony Willis. The Historic Preservation Office (HPO) did an investigation of the Tatagamatau adze quarry site in Leone, and revealed the site to be the oldest and largest of its kind in western Polynesia . It is also the only fortified adze quarry in

1926-456: 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. On September 28, 2009, at 17:48:11 UTC, an 8.1 magnitude earthquake struck 120 miles (190 km) off the coast of American Samoa, followed by smaller aftershocks. It was the largest earthquake of 2009. The quake occurred on

2033-515: A teenager from rough seas. On November 8, 2010, United States Secretary of State and former First Lady Hillary Clinton made a refueling stopover at the Pago Pago International Airport . She was greeted by government dignitaries and presented with gifts and a traditional kava ceremony. Mike Pence was the third sitting U.S. vice president to visit American Samoa (after Dan Quayle and Joe Biden ) when he made

2140-509: Is 117,500 square miles (304,000 km ), about the size of New Zealand. American Samoa has a tropical climate, with 90 percent of its land covered by rainforests. As of 2024, the population is approximately 47,400 and concentrated on Tutuila, which hosts the capital and largest settlement, Pago Pago . The vast majority of residents are indigenous ethnic Samoans , most of whom are fluent in the official languages, English and Samoan . Inhabited by Polynesians since prehistory, American Samoa

2247-461: Is a controversial topic locally, as the government of American Samoa fears that it would lead to the erosion of traditional customs. It is the only U.S. territory with its own immigration system. Traditional oral literature of Samoa and Manuʻa talks of a widespread Polynesian network or confederacy (or "empire") that was prehistorically ruled by the successive Tui Manuʻa dynasties. Manuan genealogies and religious oral literature also suggest that

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2354-442: Is a motel in a quiet residential area of Leone near the waterfalls. Leone is one of three places in American Samoa where prehistoric petroglyphs have been discovered. The petroglyphs were the first to be discovered in the territory when they were found during Dr. Yosihiko Sinoto ’s archeological site surveys in 1961 and 1962. The petroglyphs include two representations of what is assumed to be two octopuses, fe'e. Another petroglyph

2461-573: Is a nascent but underdeveloped sector, owing in part to the territory's relative geographic isolation, which also accounts for its high rate of poverty and emigration. Residents of American Samoa are politically disenfranchised , with no voting representation in the U.S. Congress. American Samoa is the only permanently inhabited territory of the United States in which citizenship is not granted at birth, and people born there are considered " non-citizen nationals " with limited rights. Citizenship

2568-495: Is erected on Mt. Mauga O Aliʻi to honor their memory. On November 1, 1988, President Ronald Reagan signed a bill which created American Samoa National Park . On July 22, 2010, Detective Lieutenant Lusila Brown was fatally shot outside the temporary High Court building in Fagatogo. It was the first time in more than 15 years that a police officer was killed in the line of duty. The last was Sa Fuimaono, who drowned after saving

2675-464: Is home to some of the oldest buildings on Tutuila Island. Besides the oldest church in American Samoa, Leone is home to a post office, high school , Pritchard's Bakery, and Kruse Supermarket. Buses from Fagatogo to Leone leave every few minutes throughout the year. An airstrip was built at Leone during World War II. The village is home to two historical sites listed on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places : Fagalele Boys School , which may be

2782-599: Is located in Lealataua County . The village is situated on Leone Bay and the village spreads across flat land on Leone Plain. It is situated on the southwestern tip of Tutuila Island and is recognized as Fofō County due to its earlier connection to Samoan legends and historical events. It is 13 miles (21 km) west of Pago Pago . Niuavēvē Rock in Leone Bay is an islet with an old coconut tree, enduring natural disasters, generations after generations. Vailoa

2889-438: Is located south of the village at Leone Bay , however, its coast consists of a low, rugged coastline, rather than sandy beaches as in Leone. Pala Lagoon is a long stretch of swamp beginning from the main bridge on the road back to the foot of the mountains. The swamp has been a natural resource for marine life growth and is home to a number of bird species. Aualii Stream and Leafu Stream flow down from Mulimauga Ridge and through

2996-533: Is near the seaside of the main road, and it was erected in order to commemorate the passing and to celebrate the lives of those who perished in the tsunami. The population as of the 2010 U.S. Census was 1,919, which was a significant decrease from 3,568 recorded at the 2000 U.S. Census . The reason for this population decline was residents relocating to the United States for higher education and employment. Others have returned home to Western Samoa since

3103-404: Is one of the largest and most important mangrove swamps in American Samoa and was designated as a Special Management Area in 1900. Dominant vegetation in Leone's mangrove wetland includes the swamp fern , the oriental mangrove , red mangrove , and seashore paspalum . Leone Falls is a waterfall with a freshwater pool used for swimming. The waterfall is reached by following the road up past

3210-638: Is rumored to walk about the grounds at night. On August 17, 1924, Margaret Mead arrived in American Samoa aboard the SS Sonoma to begin fieldwork for her doctoral dissertation in anthropology at Columbia University, where she was a student of Professor Franz Boas . Her work Coming of Age in Samoa was published in 1928, at the time becoming the most widely read book in the field of anthropology . The book has sparked years of ongoing and intense debate and controversy. Mead returned to American Samoa in 1971 for

3317-483: Is that of a turtle, laumei, while the fourth figure seems to represent a human figure. The petroglyphs are located in the Leone Lagoon on an intrusive shelf of ash called Papaloa. It consists of three shelves separated by two eroded channels of shallow water. The length of the shelf is around 150-200 feet. The Leone Bay petroglyphs take the form of figurative engravings or rock carvings and have been engraved into

Nuʻuuli, American Samoa - Misplaced Pages Continue

3424-579: Is the head of government and along with the Lieutenant Governor of American Samoa is elected on the same ticket by popular vote for a four-year term. The governor's office is located in Utulei . Since American Samoa is a U.S. territory, the President of the United States serves as the head of state but does not play a direct role in government. The Secretary of the Interior oversees

3531-698: Is the Mother of Love.” The village's musical emblem is a living recording of this historical representation. When missionary John Williams returned to the Samoan Islands in 1832, he dropped anchor in Leone Bay, but did not want to go directly ashore as he feared it was A'asu , site of the massacre of French sailors. Williams was surprised when a village chief paddled out to his ship to assure him that it would be safe to come ashore. In 1836, Englishman Matthew Hunkin married Fatumalala Faiivae of Leone,

3638-467: Is the only movie theater in American Samoa and has two screens. It plays major blockbuster films, children's movies, and more. Just past the theater is Laufou Shopping Center. An area in Nuʻuuli is known as Coconut Point and is home to a combination of local villagers and contract workers. Nuʻuuli village had the highest number of registered voters as of 2017 with a total of 1,717 registered voters, followed by

3745-412: The 2010 census was 3,955, with the Eastern District portion containing 2,844 persons and the Western District portion 2,310 persons. First Lady Lady Bird Johnson dedicated Manulele Tausala Elementary School in Nuʻuuli on October 10, 1966. The school is named after the first lady. Nuʻuuli has one of the highest crime rates in American Samoa. The first neighborhood watch type program in the territory

3852-588: The American Samoa Rugby Union 's champion for a number of years. Leone teams have also participated in softball championship leagues and volleyball tournaments. Several residents of Leone have become football players in the National Football League (NFL), including Joe Salave'a , Gabe Reid , Eddie Siaumau , and Samoa Samoa . Leone is the birthplace and hometown of Jaiyah Saelua , an American Samoan Soccer player who

3959-568: The Fagatogo Market . The coastline of Fagatele , an area in Leone, is made up of lava rocks, which were historically utilized to shape and grind stone tools. In 2013, American Samoa received a $ 269,000 National Coastal Wetland Conservation Grant. The grant will be used by the American Samoa Department of Commerce in order to restore 18.3 acres (7.4 ha) of coastal wetland habitat in Leone. The Leone wetland area

4066-664: The H.M.S. Bounty mutineers . Von Kotzebue visited in 1824. Mission work in the Samoas had begun in late 1830 when John Williams of the London Missionary Society arrived from the Cook Islands and Tahiti . By the late nineteenth century, French, British, German, and American vessels routinely stopped at Samoa, as they valued Pago Pago Harbor as a refueling station for coal-fired shipping and whaling. The United States Exploring Expedition visited

4173-619: The International Date Line and the Wallis and Futuna Islands, west of the Cook Islands , north of Tonga , and some 310 miles (500 km) south of Tokelau . American Samoa is the southernmost territory of the United States, situated 2,200 miles (3,500 km) southwest of the U.S. state of Hawaii , and one of two U.S. territories south of the Equator, along with the uninhabited Jarvis Island . American Samoa consists of

4280-681: The President of the United States . In 1951, with Executive Order 10264 , President Harry Truman delegated that authority to the Secretary of the Interior . On June 21, 1963 Paramount Chief Tuli Leʻiato of Fagaʻitua was sworn in and installed as the first Secretary of Samoan Affairs by Governor H. Rex Lee . On June 2, 1967, Interior Secretary Stewart Udall promulgated the Revised Constitution of American Samoa, which took effect on July 1, 1967. The Governor of American Samoa

4387-474: The Sadie Thompson Building . Today, it is a prominent restaurant and inn. On November 2, 1921, American Samoa's 13th naval governor , Commander Warren Jay Terhune , died by suicide with a pistol in the bathroom of the government mansion, overlooking the entrance to Pago Pago Harbor. His body was discovered by Government House's cook, SDI First Class Felisiano Debid Ahchica, USN. His ghost

Nuʻuuli, American Samoa - Misplaced Pages Continue

4494-560: The Samoan Islands ’ first missionary, John Williams , visited on October 18, 1832. A monument in honor of Williams has been erected in front of Zion Church . Its large church was the first to be built in American Samoa. It has three towers, a carved ceiling and stained glass. Until steamships were invented, Leone was the preferred anchorage of sailing ships which did not risk entering Pago Pago Harbor . Much early contact between Samoans and Europeans took place in Leone. The village

4601-409: The U.S. National Register of Historic Places . It is the most important archeological site in all of American Samoa . Various historical artifacts made of stone, some from as far away as Micronesia , have been discovered at this site. Archeologists Helen Leach and Dan Witter investigated the quarry in 1985. They discovered cutting tools, basalt adzes and pre-form tools. The quarry is also home to

4708-790: The outer rise of the Kermadec-Tonga Subduction Zone . This is part of the Pacific Ring of Fire , where tectonic plates in the Earth's lithosphere meet, and earthquakes and volcanic activity are common. The quake struck 11.2 miles (18.0 km) below the ocean floor and generated an onsetting tsunami that killed more than 170 people in the Samoa Islands and Tonga . Four waves with heights from 15 feet (4.6 m) to 20 feet (6.1 m) high were reported to have reached up to one mile (1.6   km) inland on

4815-543: The "Manulele Tausala" ("Lady Bird") Elementary School in Nuʻuuli , which was named after her. Johnson is the only US president to have visited American Samoa, while Mrs. Johnson was the second First Lady, preceded by Eleanor Roosevelt in 1943. The territory's only hospital was renamed the LBJ Tropical Medical Center in honor of President Johnson. In the late 1960s and early 1970s, American Samoa played

4922-727: The Fita Fita Guard and Band and the First Samoan Battalion of U.S. Marine Corps Reserve at the U.S. Naval Station American Samoa. The fact that First Lady reviewed the troops led to further assurance that Tutuila Island was considered safe. Her presence underscored that World War II had passed by American Samoa. While the Fita Fita band played, Eleanor Roosevelt inspected the guard. On October 18, 1966, President Lyndon Baines Johnson and First Lady Lady Bird Johnson visited American Samoa. Mrs. Johnson dedicated

5029-519: The Tui Manuʻa had long been one of the most prestigious and powerful paramounts of Samoa. Oral history suggests that the Tui Manuʻa kings governed a confederacy of far-flung islands which included Tutuila, as well as smaller western Pacific chiefdoms and Polynesian outliers such as Uvea , Futuna , Tokelau , Tuvalu and bigger islands like the Samoa in the North. Commerce and exchange routes between

5136-556: The U.S. Army's Hawaii-based Tropic Lightning Parachute Club. The aeroplane contacted the Solo Ridge-Mount Alava aerial tramway cable across Pago Pago harbor, which sheared off its vertical stabilizer. The aircraft crashed, demolishing a wing of the Rainmaker Hotel and killing all six crew members and one civilian. The six skydivers had already left the aircraft during a demonstration jump. A memorial monument

5243-399: The U.S. Naval Station Tutuila over the next 10 minutes. The first shell struck the rear of Frank Shimasaki's store, ironically owned by one of Tutuila's few Japanese residents. The store was closed, as Mr. Shimasaki had been interned as an enemy alien. The next shell caused slight damage to the naval dispensary, the third landed on the lawn behind the naval quarters known as "Centipede Row," and

5350-463: The U.S. Naval Station Tutuila, which was composed of Tutuila, Aunuʻu and Manuʻa, was officially renamed American Samoa. People of Manuʻa had been unhappy since they were left out of the name "Naval Station Tutuila". In May 1911, Governor William Michael Crose authored a letter to the Secretary of the Navy conveying the sentiments of Manuʻa. The department responded that the people should choose

5457-478: The U.S. Navy-appointed governor was replaced by Peter Tali Coleman , who was locally elected. Although technically considered "unorganized" since the U.S. Congress has not passed an Organic Act for the territory, American Samoa is self-governing under a constitution that became effective on July 1, 1967. The U.S. Territory of American Samoa is on the United Nations list of non-self-governing territories ,

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5564-485: The U.S. formally annexed its portion, a smaller group of eastern islands, one of which contains the noted harbor of Pago Pago . After the United States Navy took possession of eastern Samoa for the United States government , the existing coaling station at Pago Pago Bay was expanded into a full naval station , known as United States Naval Station Tutuila and commanded by a commandant. The Navy secured

5671-480: The U.S. military has a significant presence in American Samoa and plays a major role in its economy and society. The territory is noted for having the highest rate of military enlistment of any U.S. state or territory; as of 2021, the local U.S. Army recruiting station in Pago Pago ranked first in recruitment. Tuna products are the main exports, with the U.S. proper serving as the largest trading partner. Tourism

5778-504: The United Nations' decolonization list, arguing that the territory should not be considered a colony. American Samoans have a high rate of service in the U.S. Armed Forces . Because of economic hardship, military service has been seen as an opportunity in American Samoa and other U.S. Overseas territories . The federal Fair Minimum Wage Act of 2007 started gradual adjustments to the territorial minimum wage to bring it up to

5885-555: The United States mainland, he was prevented from disembarking from the ship that brought him home to American Samoa and was not allowed to return because the American Samoa Mau movement was suppressed by the U.S. Navy. In 1930 the U.S. Congress sent a committee to investigate the status of American Samoa, led by Americans who had a part in the overthrow of the Kingdom of Hawaii . Swains Island , which had been included in

5992-699: The War in Iraq, U.S. Marine Lt. Col. Max Galeai, was killed in Karmah, Iraq on June 26, 2008. He was from Leone and is buried in the village. Leone had the most victims in American Samoa in the 2009 tsunami . A memorial garden - Leone Healing Garden - was created on the So Poloa family land, where most of the 11 victims were found. The garden commemorates the loss of the 2009 tsunami that killed 22 and injured hundreds of Leone residents. Located just offshore are remnants of

6099-626: The adoption of a constitution; its local government is republican in form, with separate executive, legislative, and judicial branches. It remains officially unorganized and is thus directly administered by the federal government. American Samoa is listed among seventeen " non-self-governing territories " but is a member of several intergovernmental organizations, including the Pacific Community , Pacific Islands Forum (PIF), Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS), and International Olympic Committee (IOC). Due to its strategic location,

6206-569: The aircraft apart. On November 24, 1939, American Samoa's last execution to date was carried out. A man named Imoa of Fagatogo was convicted of stabbing a person named Sella to death and was hanged in the Customs House . The popular Samoan song "Faʻafofoga Samoa" is based on this, said to be the final words of Imoa. On January 13, 1942, at 2:26   am, a Japanese submarine surfaced off Tutuila between Southworth Point and Fagasa Bay and fired about 15 shells from its 5.5-inch deck gun at

6313-420: The betterment of both Tutuila Island and Manu'a . The Bingham Commission's hearings resulted in two major reforms: A Bill of Rights was created, and separation was established between the positions of Judge and Secretary of Native Affairs. The Bill of Rights was drafted by Governors Henry Francis Bryan and Edward Stanley Kellogg and Judge H.P. Wood. From the 1920s until just after World War II, Leone gained

6420-508: The church for mission houses in Leone. On October 11, 1839, Commodore Charles Wilkes of the United States Exploring Expedition visited Leone. Midshipman William Reynolds was assigned surveying duty under Lieutenant Joseph Underwood. In the village, they were introduced to Chief Tuitele , who was happy to welcome them as guests for the night. In his diary, Reynolds described the gentleness and civility of

6527-410: The closing of Van Camp Tuna Industry in 1997. The population of Leone went from 1,652 as of 1980 to 3,013 residents in 1990. This increase represented an annual growth rate of around 8.2%. The proportion of residents born outside American Samoa doubled from 1980 to 1990. The village was home to 443 housing units as of 1990. Construction permits were issued for 117 new homes between 1990–95, increasing

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6634-468: The cruelty of its inhabitants than the lair of a lion or a tiger". This incident gave Samoa a reputation for savagery that kept Europeans away until the arrival of the first Christian missionaries four decades later. On December 12, at Aʻasu Bay, Lapérouse ordered his gunners to fire one cannonball amid the attackers who had killed his men the day before and were now returning to launch another attack. He later wrote in his journal "I could have destroyed or sunk

6741-575: The daughter of High Chief Faiivae of Leone. Hunkin was among the first Europeans to settle in the Samoan Islands. After building a boat for King Tuimanua in Manua , he lived with a family in Leone. The London Missionary Society granted him the status of assistant missionary, and he later made an attempt to spread the gospel to the Niue . Hunkin resigned from the church in 1849 and went on to establish one of Tutuila’s first shops in Leone. He also donated land to

6848-402: The deadly disease. The neighboring New Zealand territory at the time, Western Samoa , suffered the most of all Pacific islands , with 90% of the population infected; 30% of adult men, 22% of adult women and 10% of children died. Poyer offered assistance to help his New Zealand counterparts but was refused by the administrator of Western Samoa, Robert Logan , who became outraged after witnessing

6955-594: The dedication of the Jean P. Haydon Museum . In 1938, the noted aviator Ed Musick and his crew died on the Pan American World Airways S-42 Samoan Clipper over Pago Pago, while on a survey flight to Auckland , New Zealand . Sometime after takeoff, the aircraft experienced trouble, and Musick turned it back toward Pago Pago. While the crew dumped fuel in preparation for an emergency landing, an explosion occurred that tore

7062-495: The district Atua, has made Leone a major resting port for those traveling between Upolu, Tutuila, and the Manu'a Islands . Leone is now a lively municipal center. The origin of several of Leone's chiefly titles can be traced to Western Samoa . The name originated from a famine that devastated Tutuila Island before modern history. Oral history shared through generations of ancestry recorded that Leone did not experience starvation nor

7169-506: The eastern part of the Samoan archipelago —the inhabited volcanic islands of Tutuila , Aunuʻu , Ofu , Olosega and Taʻū and the uninhabited Rose Atoll —as well as Swains Island , a remote coral atoll in the Tokelau volcanic island group . The total land area is 77 square miles (199 km ), slightly larger than Washington, D.C. ; including its territorial waters , the total area

7276-605: The edge of Afao, in Atauloma, which was completed by the year 1900. The building was situated on a 70 feet (21 m) by 116 feet (35 m) concrete slab which faced the sea. It functioned as an educational institution until the 1960s, and in the 1970s, it was leased to the ASG Government, which converted the building into apartments. It fell back in the hands of the LMS in 1995. In 1920, the roads were in such condition that

7383-475: The egg cowry ). Contact with Europeans began in the early 18th century. Dutchman Jacob Roggeveen was the first known European to sight the Samoan Islands in 1722, calling them the "Baumann Islands" after one of his captains. The next explorer to visit the islands was Louis-Antoine de Bougainville , who named them the "Îles des Navigateurs" in 1768. British explorer James Cook recorded the island names in 1773, but never visited. The 1789 visit by Lapérouse

7490-677: The first branch of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at Leone. In the early 1900s, the Roman Catholics established the Marist Brothers School in Leone as a consequence of the unification of all Tutuila public schools. The Girls School at Leloaloa and the Boys School at Anua , Atu'u were also soon constructed. The all-girl secondary school was constructed by the London Missionary Society (LMS) on

7597-409: The fourth struck the stone seawall outside the customs house. The other rounds fell harmlessly into the harbor. As one writer described it, "The fire was not returned, notwithstanding the eagerness of the Samoan Marines to test their skill against the enemy   ... No American or Samoan Marines were wounded." Commander Edwin B. Robinson was bicycling behind Centipede Row and was wounded in the knee by

7704-425: The government, retaining the power to approve constitutional amendments, overrides the governor's vetoes , and nomination of justices. The legislative power is vested in the American Samoa Fono , which has two chambers . The House of Representatives has 21 members serving two-year terms, being 20 representatives popularly elected from various districts and one non-voting delegate from Swains Island elected in

7811-423: The grey Catholic church near the town center to the end of the pavement. Then follow the dirt path to the head of the valley, where the waterfall is located. An artificial catchment barrier is placed at the bottom, which creates a pool used for swimming. The waterfall is also enhanced by a water pipe on the side of the falls. The falls are closed on Sundays due to religious observances. Barry's Bed & Breakfast

7918-499: The impact and succeeding fire. The crash was attributed to poor visibility, pilot error, or wind shear since a violent storm was raging at the time. In January 2014, filmmaker Paul Crompton visited the territory to interview local residents for a documentary film about the 1974 crash. As part of the Flag Day celebrations on April 17, 1980, a U.S. Navy P-3 Orion patrol plane from Patrol Squadron 50 took off with six skydivers from

8025-559: The island of Tutuila. The Defense Logistics Agency worked with the Federal Emergency Management Agency to provide 16 ft × 16 ft (4.9 m × 4.9 m) humanitarian tents to the devastated areas of American Samoa. American Samoa is classified in U.S. law as an unincorporated territory ; the Ratification Act of 1929 vested all civil, judicial, and military powers in

8132-509: The islands in 1839. In March 1889, an Imperial German naval force entered a village in Samoa, and in doing so destroyed some American property. Three American warships then entered the Apia harbor and prepared to engage the three German warships found there. Before any shots were fired, a typhoon wrecked both the American and German ships. A compulsory armistice was then called because of

8239-403: The lack of any warships. At the turn of the 20th century, international rivalries in the latter half of the century were settled by the 1899 Tripartite Convention in which Germany and the United States partitioned the Samoan Islands into two: the eastern island group became a territory of the United States (Tutuila in 1900 and officially Manuʻa in 1904) and is today known as American Samoa;

8346-411: The lack of food during this famine. Instead, the village had an abundance of food and other necessities, hence the name “Leone” which derives from “Le” (No) and “One” (Famine). During this famine, the villagers in Leone provided food and commodities for nearby villages and for families from a farther distance. This has earned the village the prestigious title “Leone o le Tinā o le Alofa”, which means “Leone

8453-665: The large interest among locals for Christianity and its teachings, the Fagalele Boys School was established. The school's purpose was to train locals to become missionaries. Later, the school became a part of the Congregational Christian Church in American Samoa (CCCAS). In 1862, the Roman Catholic Church arrived in Leone under the stewardship of Father Elloy. The Catholics initially encountered strong opposition from some of

8560-601: The level for US states. On December 13, 1784, French navigator Jean-François de Galaup, comte de Lapérouse landed two exploration parties on Tutuila's north shore: one from the ship La Boussole at Fagasa, and the other from L'Astrolabe at Aʻasu . One of the cooks, David, died of "scorbutic dropsy". On December 11, twelve members of Lapérouse's crew (including First Officer Paul Antoine Fleuriot de Langle ) were killed by angry Samoans at Aʻasu Bay, Tutuila, thereafter known as "Massacre Bay", which Lapérouse described as "this den, more fearful from its treacherous situation and

8667-806: The list of guano islands appertaining to the United States and bonded under the Guano Islands Act , was annexed in 1925 by Pub. Res. 68–75, following the dissolution of the Gilbert and Ellice Islands Colony by the United Kingdom. During World War II , U.S. Marines stationed in Samoa outnumbered the local population and had a huge cultural influence. Young Samoan men from age 14 and above were combat-trained by U.S. military personnel . Samoans served in various capacities during World War II, including as combatants, medical personnel, code personnel, and ship repairmen. In 1949, Organic Act 4500,

8774-494: The mangroves. A small area of saltwater marsh borders the end of Coconut Point . The wetland is an important wildlife and fish habitat, and also provides recreational opportunities as canoeing and fishing. Nuʻuuli Pala has been designated a Special Management Area under the American Samoa Coastal Management Act of 1990. Rare species found here include Xylocarpus moluccensis (leʻileʻi) and

8881-541: The number of quarantine ships surrounding American Samoa. Angered by this, Logan cut off communications with his American counterparts. After World War I, during the time of the Mau movement in Western Samoa (then a League of Nations mandate governed by New Zealand), there was a corresponding American Samoa Mau movement led by Samuelu Ripley, a World War I veteran who was from Leone village, Tutuila. After meetings on

8988-412: The number of total housing units to 560. Leone is a village situated southwest on Tutuila Island in American Samoa, reached by Route 1 from Pago Pago. It borders the villages of Puapua and Vailoatai to the south, Malaeloa Aitulagi to the east, and Amaluia to the west. It lies at the foothills of Malaloto Ridge by Leone Bay. Leone Falls and Leone Quarry are inland following Leafu Stream from the coast. It

9095-405: The oldest building on Tutuila Island, and Tataga-Matau Fortified Quarry Complex . Until the invention of the motorboat, Pago Pago Harbor was of little value as the ships were unable to turn around in such a confined area. The most common anchorage was therefore in Leone, where the first missionaries also arrived. Its strategic location, directly over the southern horizon from Upolu Island , and

9202-607: The pig farm. Enter the trailhead and follow the hiking trail for about 15 minutes. Veer left at the first trail juncture, and follow until the trail reaches the stream. Nuʻuuli Falls is made up of seven individual waterfalls. Nuʻuuli is the commercial center of Tutuila Island. There is a large number of mini-marts, sewing shops, and clothing stores along Main Road. Nuʻuuli is also home to several hardware and home-improvement shops, along with salons and souvenir stores. Nuʻuuli Twin Cinemas

9309-468: The southern foot of Mount Matafao , and is adjacent to the villages of Itulagi in the west. The best surfing conditions in American Samoa can be found in Faganeanea and neighboring Nuʻuuli, however, great surfing can also be found in the ʻAmanave - Poloa area. Nuʻuuli Pala is Tutuila Island's largest mangrove swamp . It borders nearly all of Pala Lagoon 's shoreline. The pala has been designated

9416-433: The station. Leone was devastated by a tsunami on September 29, 2009. The tsunami was generated by a magnitude 8.0 undersea earthquake . Eleven people in Leone were killed by the tsunami. The victims were two children and nine adults, including elderly parents. The day of the tsunami is called the “Black Tuesday” and the village has erected a special monument known as Leone Healing Garden (Garden of Healing). The monument

9523-416: The stone surface by pecking (hammering the stone with a sharp instrument), bruising (rubbing the surface with another stone), and abrading (a combination of bruising and pecking). In 1966, rock previously covered with algae was exposed and more petroglyphs were discovered. These took the shape of what appeared to be an octopus, a jellyfish, a turtle, and an incomplete human figure. Leone has been described as

9630-494: The strip was declared unsafe due to the turbulent air currents. In October 1982, residents in Leone celebrated the 150th anniversary of the first missionary, John Williams . The Catholic Church in town celebrated the 100th anniversary of the Sisters School, which was established in Leone in 1883 by Sisters Mary St. Vincent, St. Claire, and St. Thérese. The highest-ranking Samoan military serviceman to lose his life in

9737-402: The two Samoas share language and ethnicity, their cultures have recently followed different paths, with American Samoans often emigrating to Hawaiʻi and the U.S. mainland, and adopting many U.S. customs, such as the playing of American football and baseball . Samoans have tended to emigrate instead to New Zealand , whose influence has made the sports of rugby and cricket more popular in

9844-458: The uncommon shrub Sophora tomentosa , which is also reported on Aunuʻu . Nuʻuuli Pala is a common feeding site for the Reef Heron ( matuʻu ), a bird species which usually feeds on the coral reefs. Nuʻuuli Falls is a 65 feet (20 m) secluded cascade with a swimming hole beneath. To get here, turn left at Nuʻuuli Family Mart when coming from the west. Follow this road veering left at

9951-457: The village before discharging into Pala Lagoon. Leone has a large number of mangrove trees which have come back to normal after the destruction caused by the 2009 tsunami . The village is home to large parcels of fertile land used for farming and livestock. The soil is excellent for planting and growing yams of all kinds, bananas, talo, papayas, coconut trees for copra products, vegetables, and many other crops that are sold in grocery stores and at

10058-471: The village chiefs. On April 17, 1900, four of its traditional chiefs (PCs Tuitele Penikila and Faiivae Pauga Leta, and HTCs Olo Malaki and Le´oso Fiavivini (Tama Matua) ), signed the Deed of Cession . This officially formed the current relationship with American Samoa and the United States . Leone is the only village to have had this unique recognition and honor. On June 18, 1888, Elder Joseph Henry Dean founded

10165-597: The villagers. He wrote: “I noticed in the men, a fondness & care displayed towards their children,” and went on to write: “While on the beach many huge fellows had infants & babbling youngsters in their arms.” He later questioned whether “these people have more claim to be good than we.” Reynolds promised Chief Tuetila that he would clothe “him as a Papalangi” (white person) if he would show up to their ship on their return. The chief came, but Captain Charles Wilkes refused to see Chief Tuetila. In 1857, due to

10272-532: The villages of Leone , Tafuna , and Pago Pago . American Samoa American Samoa is an unincorporated territory of the United States located in the Polynesia region of the South Pacific Ocean . Centered on 14°18′S 170°42′W  /  14.3°S 170.7°W  / -14.3; -170.7 , it is 40 miles (64 km) southeast of the island country of Samoa , east of

10379-461: The western Polynesian societies are well documented and it is speculated that the Tui Manuʻa dynasty grew through its success in obtaining control and manufacturing goods such as finely woven ceremonial mats "('Ie Konga)" for the Tu'i Tonga, whale ivory " tabua " for their Fijian masters, obsidian and basalt tools, chiefly red feathers, and seashells reserved for royalty (such as polished nautilus and

10486-496: The western Samoan islands. Travel writer Paul Theroux noted that there were marked differences between the societies in Samoa and American Samoa. On August 13, 1999, the United Nations granted American Samoa "observer seat" status. Six days later, American Samoa officially recognized both Samoan and English as its official languages. In 2001 and 2003, the United States unsuccessfully sought to have American Samoa removed from

10593-832: The western islands, by far the greater landmass, became known as German Samoa , after Britain gave up all claims to Samoa and in return accepted the termination of German rights in Tonga and certain areas in the Solomon Islands and West Africa . Forerunners to the Tripartite Convention of 1899 were the Washington Conference of 1887, the Treaty of Berlin of 1889 and the Anglo-German Agreement on Samoa of 1899. The following year,

10700-624: The whole day to cover the distance of 16 miles (26 km) between Leone and Fagatogo. Leone was selected in 1932 as one of four meeting places for the Bingham Commission of the U.S. Congress , which was sent to Pago Pago to study and report on complaints by Samoans against the Naval Administration . As a result of the commission's review, major changes were implemented by the Naval Administration for

10807-660: The world (the others being New Caledonia and Marajó island in Brazil) to have proactively prevented any deaths during the pandemic through the quick response from Governor John Martin Poyer after hearing news reports of the outbreak on the radio and requesting quarantine ships from the U.S. mainland. The result of Poyer's quick actions earned him the Navy Cross from the U.S. Navy . With this distinction, American Samoans regarded Poyer as their hero for what he had done to prevent

10914-512: The world. Historical sites in Leone include the two listings on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places: Leone Quarry and Fagalele Boys School as well as Siona Church. Other sites include: A memorial woman sculpture is located by the sea and was placed there in order to signify the site where the first missionaries arrived in Leone. Leone's Moso’oi women's cricket team was the American Samoa national women's cricket champion for several years. The Leone Whites village rugby team has been

11021-414: The “capital” of the Western District . The village council banned the establishment of foreign-owned and operated businesses in 2002. As of 2000, there were 47 registered commercial enterprises in the village of Leone. They included 8 grocery stores, 7 bus- and taxi services, 7 retail stores, 5 wholesale operations, 3 professional services, 2 landscaping businesses, 2 bakeries, a cable service business,

11128-411: Was ended by an attack , on Tutuila island where Lapérouse's men were trying to obtain water. His second in command Capt. de Langle and several of his crew were killed. La Pérouse named the island "Massacre Island", and the bay near Aasu is still called "Massacre Bay". HMS Pandora , under the command of Admiral Edward Edwards (Royal Navy officer), visited the island in 1791 during its search for

11235-633: Was established here by the Department of Public Safety in 2014. Nuʻuuli was historically notable as the home of the cannibalistic and cruel orator chief Mageafaigā (Lagafuaina), who is mentioned in the legends of Tutuila and the Manuʻa Islands . In the summer of 2024, two fires destroyed two buildings in Nuʻuuli: the chapel of the Church of Latter Day Saints and the Nu'uuli Shopping Center. Nuʻuuli lies at

11342-515: Was first contacted by Europeans in the 18th century. The islands attracted missionaries, explorers, and mariners, particularly to the highly protected natural harbor of Pago Pago. The United States took possession of American Samoa in the late 19th century, developing it into a major naval outpost; the territory's strategic value was reinforced by the Second World War and subsequent Cold War. In 1967, American Samoa became self-governing with

11449-417: Was home to a bomber airstrip, known as Leone Airfield , which was completed on September 30, 1943. Leone High School and Midkiff Elementary School are situated today where the airfield once was located. It was abandoned in early 1945 due to turbulent air currents and lack of use. The airstrip was meant to be a Marine Corps fighter strip, but only a total of two airplanes were able to land and take off before

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