Puʻunene, Hawaii

Puʻunēnē sugar mill, built in 1901

Puʻunēnē is an unincorporated town in the central part of Maui, Hawaii, near Kahului. Although the land in that area is fairly level, the words Puʻu nēnē mean "nene goose hill" in Hawaiian. With a population of around 50, Puʻunēnē's primary industry is growing, harvesting and processing sugar cane.

The nonprofit Alexander & Baldwin Sugar Museum is housed in the former residence of the superintendent of Puʻunēnē Sugar Mill, which the Hawaiian Commercial & Sugar Company (a division of Alexander & Baldwin) has operated across the street since 1901. Its mission is "to preserve and present the history and heritage of Hawaii's sugar industry, and the multi-ethnic plantation life which it engendered."^[1] Also located in Puʻunēnē is the Puʻunēnē School, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.^[2]

Puʻunēnē's Zip code is 96784. The mill is located at 20°52′3″N 156°27′16″W / 20.8675°N 156.45444°W / 20.8675; -156.45444Coordinates: 20°52′3″N 156°27′16″W / 20.8675°N 156.45444°W / 20.8675; -156.45444, just east of Mokulele Highway, Hawaii Route 311.

About three miles to the south of Puʻunēnē is the site of a former Naval Air Station (1940-1947),20°48′59″N 156°27′38″W / 20.81639°N 156.46056°W / 20.81639; -156.46056.^[3] An old runway is now used as a drag strip for Maui Raceway Park.^[4]

Gallery

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  Alexander & Balwin Sugar Museum, former Puʻunēnē Mill manager's house

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  Hawaiian Commercial & Sugar Company Mill, view from Old Puʻunēnē Road coming from former Puʻunēnē Camp^[5]

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  Puʻunēnē Congregational Church (1910), the first Japanese Christian church in Maui, now to be demolished or moved^[6]

References

1. ^ "Alexander & Baldwin Sugar Museum". web site. http://www.sugarmuseum.com/. Retrieved 2010-01-18. 
2. ^ "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. 2009-03-13. http://nrhp.focus.nps.gov/natreg/docs/All_Data.html. 
3. ^ "Puunene Naval Air Station / Maui Airport, Puunene, HI". Abandoned & Little-Known Airfields web site. http://www.airfields-freeman.com/HI/Airfields_HI_Maui.htm#puunene. Retrieved 2010-01-18. 
4. ^ "Maui Raceway Park". web site. September 20, 2009. http://www.mrp.org/info/history.html. Retrieved 2010-01-18. 
5. ^ Gary T. Kubota (2007-06-22). "Sugar, memories planted at Puunene: A planned reunion recalls special memories for a plantation townn". Honolulu Star-Bulletin. http://archives.starbulletin.com/2007/06/22/news/story03.html. Retrieved 2010-03-24. 
6. ^ Gary T. Kubota (2006-12-25). "Historic church faces possible demolition". Honolulu Star-Bulletin. http://archives.starbulletin.com/2006/12/25/news/story06.html. Retrieved 2010-03-24. 

External links

• Maui Humane Society (based in Pu'unene)