Pu'u'opae Bridge
Encyclopedia
The Puuōpae Bridge is a one-lane, single-span, concrete-encased steel bridge across Kalama Stream located along Puuōpae Road between Kalama and Kīpapa Roads in the Wailua Homesteads area near Kapaa
in Kauai
, Hawaii
, United States
. Originally built in 1915, it was listed on the National Register of Historic Places
in 2005.
The design of the bridge is of little significance. Its endposts appear to have come from materials dismantled from the old Wailua River Bridge in 1919, and its original trusses
were removed during repair work in 1958. It is currently in poor condition and may have to be replaced, rather than restored, according to Kauai County Engineer Donald Fujimoto. It is listed on the Hawaii Department of Transportation
's current statewide transportation improvement schedule.
Much more significant is its role in the socioeconomic history of the island. It was built to facilitate access to the Kapaa uplands, which had been opened to homesteaders two years earlier. When Hawaii became a United States Territory
in 1900, most of its land was held in very few hands, primarily those of large-scale sugar planters and the government itself. Despite being dominated by the sugar industry, the territorial government sought to encourage the growth of family farm
s by opening up large tracts of its own land to homesteaders. The best coastal plains were already devoted to sugar plantations, so homestead lands on Kauai were located in the uplands of Kapaa on the east side of the island and Kalāheo
on the southeast side.
The Puuōpae Bridge was designed to serve tracts of land along Olohena and Waipouli Roads known as Kapaa Homesteads 2nd Series, which included 81 lots ranging from roughly 20 to 40 acres, on which 90 homesteaders harvested 31,500 tons of cane by 1917, despite poor roads, limited water, and dependence on the large plantations for milling
and marketing their sugar. Although most of the homestead plots have subsequently been rezoned as residential, the nearly 400 acres surrounding this bridge remain the only significant expanse of agricultural land in the region.
Kapa'a, Hawai'i
Kapaa is a census-designated place in Kauai County, Hawaii, United States. The population was 9,472 at the 2000 census....
in Kauai
Kauai County, Hawaii
Kauai County is a county located in the U.S. state of Hawaii. It consists of the islands of Kauai, Niihau, Lehua, and Kaula, in the state of Hawaii. As of 2000 Census the population was 58,463...
, Hawaii
Hawaii
Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. Originally built in 1915, it was listed on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
in 2005.
The design of the bridge is of little significance. Its endposts appear to have come from materials dismantled from the old Wailua River Bridge in 1919, and its original trusses
Truss bridge
A truss bridge is a bridge composed of connected elements which may be stressed from tension, compression, or sometimes both in response to dynamic loads. Truss bridges are one of the oldest types of modern bridges...
were removed during repair work in 1958. It is currently in poor condition and may have to be replaced, rather than restored, according to Kauai County Engineer Donald Fujimoto. It is listed on the Hawaii Department of Transportation
Hawaii Department of Transportation
The Hawaii Department of Transportation is a state government organization which oversees transportation in the U.S. state of Hawaii. The agency is divided into three divisions dealing with aviation, maritime, and roads.-Airports Division:...
's current statewide transportation improvement schedule.
Much more significant is its role in the socioeconomic history of the island. It was built to facilitate access to the Kapaa uplands, which had been opened to homesteaders two years earlier. When Hawaii became a United States Territory
United States territory
United States territory is any extent of region under the jurisdiction of the federal government of the United States, including all waters including all U.S. Naval carriers. The United States has traditionally proclaimed the sovereign rights for exploring, exploiting, conserving, and managing its...
in 1900, most of its land was held in very few hands, primarily those of large-scale sugar planters and the government itself. Despite being dominated by the sugar industry, the territorial government sought to encourage the growth of family farm
Family farm
A family farm is a farm owned and operated by a family, and often passed down from generation to generation. It is the basic unit of the mostly agricultural economy of much of human history and continues to be so in developing nations...
s by opening up large tracts of its own land to homesteaders. The best coastal plains were already devoted to sugar plantations, so homestead lands on Kauai were located in the uplands of Kapaa on the east side of the island and Kalāheo
Kalaheo, Hawaii
Kalāheo is a census-designated place in Kauai County, island of Kauai, Hawaii, United States...
on the southeast side.
The Puuōpae Bridge was designed to serve tracts of land along Olohena and Waipouli Roads known as Kapaa Homesteads 2nd Series, which included 81 lots ranging from roughly 20 to 40 acres, on which 90 homesteaders harvested 31,500 tons of cane by 1917, despite poor roads, limited water, and dependence on the large plantations for milling
Cane sugar mill
A cane sugar mill is a factory that processes sugar cane to produce raw or white sugar.- Processing :Traditionally, sugarcane processing requires two stages. Mills extract raw sugar from freshly harvested cane, and sometimes bleach it to make "mill white" sugar for local consumption...
and marketing their sugar. Although most of the homestead plots have subsequently been rezoned as residential, the nearly 400 acres surrounding this bridge remain the only significant expanse of agricultural land in the region.
- "The history of the Kapa'a Homesteads ... is not the product of a single Great Man who shaped the area but the collective story of a group of settlers who struggled to make a life as independent farmers for themselves and their families. The names of the 1913 Kapa'a Homesteads lottery winners hints at a predominance of the Hawaiian and Caucasian settlers who bought into the homesteading idea, but people from other backgrounds were represented as well: Lino, Contrades, Kauai, Hanohano, Kaui, Kainoa, Kelekoma, Booge, French, Miyashi, Souza, Reis, Wilson, Tracy, Johonnot, Silva, Konda, Nasahiga, Hepa, Reichelt, Soto, Cummings, Louis, Achuck, Cheatham, Livesey, Israel, Cook, Jensen, Ferreira, Victorino, Barreta, Rapoza, Aroong, Ohai, Waiwaiole, Mailehuna, Rodrigues, Amalu, Kaiu, Ventura, Kikaahu."