| The Polynesians arrived in the Hilo area about 1100 A.C. They eventually inhabited the shores of Hilo Bay, farmed their crops, fished and traded their goods along the Wailuku River.
In the late 1700’s, the days of King Kamehameha’s rule, Hilo was the center of political activity and social growth. It was the prime place for the King to build his army of ships designed for conquering the Hawaiian Islands. By 1791 native Hawaiians had traveled as far as the United States and China. The King befriended many of the foreigners who traveled to the islands. With such considerable traveling, the Hawaiian way of life soon became influenced by products ranging from iron to livestock to non-native seeds.
Hilo became a stopping place for explorers, whaling ships, traders and those curious about active volcanoes. By the 1900’s, Hilo had grown into a commercial center. The sugar industry was booming, a number of wharves had been constructed, the breakwater was begun and a new railroad connected Hilo with other parts of the island. Then in 1946 – and again in 1960 – two destructive tsunamis swept Hilo’s Bayfront causing the relocation of Hilo’s government and commercial life. When the town was rebuilt, a large park and roadway were situated between the buildings and the shoreline to absorb future tidal waves.
Besides being a rare surviving example of an Hawaiian plantation town, cultural diversity is one of Hilo’s special charms. The local term, “mixed plate”, describes well the impact made by Polynesians, Chinese, Japanese, Portuguese, Koreans, other Pacific Islanders and Europeans on Hilo’s mixed-race culture of today. All these ethnic groups blend in the faces of the people who give Hilo its charm. Its diverse shopping opportunities, its small scale and its friendliness makes Hilo the perfect town in which to linger just a little longer.
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