Makawao at a Glance
Makawao is an agricultural and ranching community located on the
slopes of Mt. Haleakala at 1,639 feet (500 m) above sea level. Considered the
hub of upcountry Maui, this 4.7-square mile (12 square kilometer) rustic town has the
charm of the Wild West. The town has ranches, cowboy-themed stores,
boutiques, cafes, restaurants, steak houses and celebrates the 4th
of July by hosting rodeos. Considered the art center of Hawaii,
Makawao abounds with galleries and art exhibitions, as well as art
classes and workshops.
Makawao has a cattle herding history that runs as far back as the
early 1800s. In 1793, the very first cattle was shipped from
California to Hawaii as Captain George Vancouver’s gift to King
Kamehameha I. In 1803, Richard Cleveland brought horses as a gift to
the Hawaiian king. Seventeen years later, the numbers of wild cattle was
excessive numbers, and they were hunted. The tallow and meat were traded
locally and internationally, and hence this was the beginning of
cattle-hunting industry.
In 1830, King Kamehameha III brought Mexican vaqueros from Vera
Cruz to Hawaii in order to rear the cattle and also to teach the
locals how to herd them. The term Spaniards or Espaniolo, as the locals
called the vaqueros, was shortened to “paniolo,” and up until today, cowboys in Makawao and elsewhere in Hawaii are called paniolo.
Based on census data from the year 2000, Makawao has 6,327 residents
comprised mostly of Caucasians (40.54%), Asians (17.04%), Hispanics
(11.93%) and Native Hawaiians (8.74%). The average
household income is $46,681, while the per capita income is $18, 776.
Makawao’s zip code is 96768.
Makawao in Bullet Points
- Agricultural and ranching community located on the
slopes of Mt. Haleakala
- Atmosphere like a town in the Wild West - cowboy-themed stores,
boutiques, cafes, restaurants and steak houses
- Considered the art center of Hawaii
Makawao Location
Located on the slopes of Mt. Haleakala
Makawao Map (top)
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Makawao Weather (top)
Now 65°F Windchill: 65°F
Mostly Cloudy
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Location: Makawao, HI, US
Wind: 14 mph N
Humidity: 93%
Visibility: 0.1 mi
Pressure: 30.09 in steady
Sunrise: 6:34 am
Sunset: 6:38 pm
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Wed
Hi: 79°F Low: 65°F
Showers Late
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Thu
Hi: 78°F Low: 65°F
Partly Cloudy
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Makawao Photos (click to enlarge) (top)
Makawao Reviews and Comments (top)
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