Windward Oahu - Kaneohe 280 CROPS TO CATTLE TO COZY COMMUNITY Kaneohe means “bamboo man” in Hawaiian, accredited to the legend of a wife who compared her cruel husband to the sharp edge of a bamboo knife. The Kaneohe ahupua‘a, or district, produced an abundance of agriculture for early inhabitants. Taro, bananas, breadfruit and more were farmed in the rich soils, and Hawaiians built innovative fishponds along Kaneohe Bay. After the unification of the islands and the release of the lands from Hawaiian ali‘i (royalty) control, the Castle family acquired the rich soil. Harold Castle started Kaneohe Ranch in 1917, with cattle roaming the beautiful lands. Small plantations were established, growing pineapples and bananas and bringing workers from around the world. With the boom of commercial farming came houses, stores, and small community centers. In 1918, the U.S. Army began to develop a base on the eastern side of Mōkapu Peninsula, Fort Kuwaaohe. In 1938, the western side of the peninsula was utilized by the Navy. On December 7, 1941, seven minutes before the attack on Pearl Harbor, the Naval Air Station in Kaneohe was attacked. In 1951, the Marines assumed control of the peninsula, renaming the base Marine Corps Base Hawaii in 1994. After the end of World War II, with the surge in demand for housing and the decline of the Castle family’s economic stability, the rich lands of Kaneohe began to transform into residential properties. When the Pali Highway opened in 1962, more people moved to the windward side, creating the cozy community of Kaneohe of today. A non-practicing Buddhist temple, Byodo-In Temple welcomes people of all faiths to worship, meditate or simply appreciate its beauty. Credit: Hawaii Tourism Authority/Chuck Painter
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