Reddit reviews Ka'u District (Images of America)

There is a really fantastic historic photo based book called "Kau District", if you have kindle its included. It tells about some of the studies done down there, the 1950 Kennith Emory excavations of the area, largest finds for ancient fish hooks and the oldest ever found at Pu'iAli'I, possible first settlement area for Polynesians and perhaps even Marquesas before them. There is a Heiau dedicated to the god of fisherman, very unique petroglyphs, the original hand caved mooring holes for canoes and lots of salt drying stones/pans. 1972 excavations revealed an Ali'i complex, presumably the home of Kalaniopu'u when he was in the area. There are some of the oldest grave sites in Hawaii down there too determined through radio carbon dating. Then you just have the geological uniqueness and significance of the area too, there are only like 3 green sand beaches on earth and we have the most well known and dramatic down there.


Over all its just a great book to have for the historic pictures of the Ka'u area, so much history in this area between the culture, the ranching and the sugar cane, they have a few volumes, I know there is one for the volcano and puna area as well.