Puʻuʻōpae Bridge facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Pu'u'opae Bridge
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The bridge in 2009
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 Location in Kauai
Location in Hawaii
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| Location | Kapaʻa, Hawaiʻi |
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| Area | less than one acre |
| Built | 1915 |
| Architect | Joseph H. Moragne |
| NRHP reference No. | 05000536 |
| Added to NRHP | May 25, 2005 |
The Puʻuʻōpae Bridge is a historic bridge in Hawaiʻi. It is also known as the Kalama Stream Bridge. This bridge crosses Kalama Stream in the Wailua Homesteads area. It is near Kapaʻa on Kauaʻi island. Built in 1915, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2005. This means it is an important part of American history.
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Pu'u'opae Bridge: A Historic Link
What is the Pu'u'opae Bridge?
The Puʻuʻōpae Bridge is a single-lane bridge. It is made of steel covered in concrete. The bridge connects Puʻuʻōpae Road with Kalama and Kīpapa Roads. It was built in 1915 by Joseph H. Moragne.
The bridge is quite old now. Some parts of it were even reused from another bridge built in 1919. The original support beams were removed in 1958 during repairs. Today, the bridge is not in great shape. It might need to be replaced instead of just fixed.
Why is This Bridge Special?
The Puʻuʻōpae Bridge is important for its role in the island's history. It helped people get to the Kapaʻa uplands. This area was opened for new settlers, called homesteaders, two years before the bridge was built.
When Hawaiʻi became a U.S. Territory in 1900, most of the land was owned by a few large sugar farms or the government. The government wanted to help regular families. So, it offered land to people who wanted to start their own farms. These lands were called homesteads.
The best flat lands were already used for growing sugarcane. So, the homestead lands on Kauaʻi were in the higher areas. These were in Kapaʻa and Kalāheo.
Life as a Homesteader
The Puʻuʻōpae Bridge was built for the Kapaʻa Homesteads. This area had 81 plots of land, each about 20 to 40 acres. By 1917, about 90 homesteaders were growing sugarcane there.
It was not easy for these farmers. The roads were bad, and water was limited. They also depended on the big sugar farms to process and sell their sugar. Even with these challenges, they managed to grow a lot of sugarcane.
Today, most of these homestead plots have become residential areas. But the land around this bridge, nearly 400 acres, is still used for farming. It is the only large farming area left in the region.
A Community's Story
The history of the Kapaʻa Homesteads is about many people working together. It is not about one famous person. It is the story of settlers who worked hard to create a life as independent farmers. They wanted to provide for their families.
Many different people became homesteaders. They came from Hawaiian and Caucasian backgrounds. But people from other places were also part of this community. Their names include 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, and Kikaahu.
 | William L. Dawson |
 | W. E. B. Du Bois |
 | Harry Belafonte |
