Waimea is a great and majestic ranch town with about 9,200 residents. The original name of the town and nearby land stretching to the sea was Waimea. In Hawaiian, Waimea means "reddish water" and referring to the color of the streams that flow from the hapu' forests in the Kohala Mountains.
A problem arose with mail delivery since there are other places called Waimea in the Hawaiian Islands. The postal service demanded a new designation for the town. The name Kamuela was chosen in honor of Samuel Parker, the son of the area's most famous historical resident. "Kamuela" is the Hawaiian word for Samuel.
The town is about a 30 minute drive from the Waikoloa Resort area to the southwest, uphill to nearly 3,000 feet. Waimea is about 30 - 45 minutes from the major resorts on the Kohala Coast.
The climate changes a lot from the super sunny shoreline of Waikaloa. The temperatures are a bit cooler and there is a lot more rainfall, nourishing the vibrantly green rolling hills.
It is believed that in ancient times many thousands of Hawaiians lived in the area now known as Waimea. This was a watershed area surrounded by large forests of sandalwood trees.
By the time the first Europeans arrived in Hawaii, the population had decreased to fewer than 2,000. Within a few years as the sandalwood forests were cut down for shipment abroad, the human population was replaced by the offspring of black longhorn cattle given to Hawaiian King Kamehameha I by British Captain George Vancouver. The area's future was determined in 1809 when nineteen year old John Parker jumped ship and found himself on the Big Island of Hawaii. Over time he became a loyal friend and subject of King Kamehameha I who hired him to cull this herd of wild cattle which had grown large and out of control.
In 1815, Parker married Kipikane, the daughter of a high-ranking Hawaiian chief. The couple had a daughter and two sons and the Parker dynasty began as did the history of Parker Ranch which quickly became the largest ranch in the area. The first horses had arrived in Hawaii about 1804. Colorful and skilled Latin American vaqueros (cowboys) arrived in 1832 on invitation from Hawaii's king to teach Hawaiians and foreign cattle hunters how to ride and rope the wild cattle. By 1836, Hawaii had working cowboys. What we consider "American" cowboys date back only to the 1870s. Hawaii's unique breed of cowboy, the paniolo, derived his name from these Spaniards, or Espanoles.
As the Parker Ranch grew, so did the area of Waimea, as blacksmiths, craftsmen, missionaries, paniolo, tanners and people just seeking a more adventurous lifestyle arrived in the area. Other ranchers and ranches came and most failed. As Parker Ranch grew and the longhorns became domesticated, Waimea entered a quiet period of its existence inhabited primarily by families associated with the ranch. As time has passed, lands no longer needed for raising cattle have been sold and housing development has increased in the Waimea area. If you like country living, this is it as it?s finest. Where else can you live in such a beautiful lush place and take a short drive down the hill to play on one of the sunniest coastlines in the world??
Waimea has pretty much everything you need to get by. They are known for having some of the best restaurants on the island. There is also fast food and plenty of shopping in the open-air mall. There is not a big store like Walmart so you?ll have to stop in Hilo or Kona if you need to get major supplies. There are a lot of historical sites in Waimea and visiting the Parker Ranch is a fun and educational experience. Waimea has a some great festivals throughout the year so check with the Chamber of Commerce to see what will be happening during your stay on the big Island.
Waimea is very different from any other town in the islands and well worth the drive no matter where you are staying on the island. If you are staying on the coast below Waimea, drive up the hill for dinner. The clean air and cool temperatures are a treat after a long hot day in the sun. Waimea may be one of the Big Islands best kept secrets.