Waipahu Hawaii History & Facts

Waipahu is a former sugarcane plantation town and now census-designated place (CDP) located in the ʻEwa District on the island of Oʻahu in the City & County of Honolulu, Hawaiʻi, United States. As of the 2020 census, the CDP population was 43,485. The U.S. postal code for Waipahu is 96797.

Waipahu is the name of an artesian spring. In Hawaiian, Waipahu is derived from wai, meaning water, and pahū, meaning "burst or explode"; combined, Waipahu means "water forced up (as out of a spring)". The early Native Hawaiians took pleasure in the cool and clear water gushing from the ground and named this spring Waipahu. Before the Western civilization set foot in Hawaii, the Hawaiians considered Waipahu to be the capital of Oahu. Royalty in the Kingdom of Hawaii would often gather and enjoy the fresh water from the spring Waipahu.

In 1897, Oahu Sugar Company was incorporated, and its board of directors located the sugar mill in Waipahu. It had 943 field workers. There were 44 Hawaiians, including 10 minors; 57 Portuguese; 443 Japanese, 408 of them contract laborers; and 399 Chinese, 374 of whom were contract laborers. The company's managers from 1897 to 1940 were August Ahrens (1897–1904), E.K. Bull (1904–1919), J.B. Thomson (1919–1923), E.W. Greene (1923–1937), and Hans L'Orange (1937–1956).

Waipahu is located along the northern shore of both Middle Loch and West Loch of Pearl Harbor. Both Interstate H-1 and Farrington Highway (Hawaii Route 90) run east–west through the length of Waipahu. The town of Waipahu spans across three ahupuaʻa (historic Native Hawaiian land division): Waipiʻo, Waikele, and Hōʻaeʻae. It is common for neighborhoods to be named after the ahupuaʻa in which it's located. The neighboring areas of Waipio, Village Park, Royal Kunia and Waikele use Waipahu as their postal city, and are often considered to be part of Waipahu.

As of the census of 2000, there were 33,108 people, 7,566 households, and 6,431 families residing in the CDP. The population density was 12,882.8 inhabitants per square mile (4,974.1/km2). There were 8,033 housing units at an average density of 3,125.7 per square mile (1,206.8/km2). The racial makeup of the CDP was 4.73% White, 0.93% African American, 0.14% Native American, 67.1% Asian (55.5% Filipino), 12.31% Pacific Islander, 0.86% from other races, and 15.26% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 6.09% of the population.

The Hawaii Department of Education operates public schools.

Elementary schools in the CDP include August Ahrens, Honowai, and Waipahu. Additionally two other elementary schools are outside of the Waipahu CDP but use Waipahu postal addresses: Kale'iopu'u Elementary School is in Royal Kunia CDP (formerly in Village Park CDP), and Waikele Elementary School is in Waikele CDP.

Famous Peoples From Waipahu Hawaii

Timmy Chang

Timothy Kealii'okaaina Awa Chang (born October 9, 1981) is an American football coach and former quarterback who is currently the head coach of the Hawaii Rainbow Warriors. During his playing career at Hawaii, he set several major college football passing records, including the NCAA record for most all-time passing yards; this record was later eclipsed by Case Keenum in 2011.

Chang has also played for the Arizona Cardinals, Detroit Lions, Philadelphia Eagles, Rhein Fire, Hamilton Tiger-Cats and Winnipeg Blue Bombers.

Born in Waipahu, Hawaii, Chang attended St. Louis School in Honolulu and was an honors student and a three-year letterman in football and basketball. Chang was selected a prep All-American by eight major organizations and publications. As a member of the St. Louis School football team, Chang completed 464 passes for 8,001 yards and 113 touchdowns in his three-year career. Chang graduated from Saint Louis High School in 2000.

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