• View of the Kalaupapa Peninsula

    Kalaupapa

    National Historical Park Hawai'i

Places

View of Kalaupapa Settlement from top of cliffs.
View of Kalaupapa Settlement from top of cliffs.
NPS photo.

Kalaupapa National Historical Park was established in 1980. Within its boundaries are the historic Hansen's disease settlements of Kalaupapa and Kalawao. The community of Kalaupapa, on the leeward side of Kalaupapa Peninsula, is still home for many surviving Hansen's disease patients, whose memories and experiences are cherished values. In Kalawao on the windward side of the peninsula are the churches of Siloama, established in 1866, and Saint Philomena, associated with the work of Father Damien (Joseph De Veuster).

Did You Know?

Kauhako Crater

About 230,000 years ago a small shield volcano named Pu'u 'Uao formed the flat Kalaupapa peninsula.  The rim of the volcano remnant rises 450 feet forming Kauhako Crater with a crater lake at the bottom more than 800 feet deep.