to
Update
is a former sugar plantation town and now census-designated place (CDP) located in the Ewa District on the island of Oahu in the City & County of Honolulu, Hawaii. As of the 2000 Census, the CDP population was 33,108. The U.S. postal code for Waipahu is
Waipahu is a name of an artesian spring. In Hawaiian, Waipahu is derived from
, meaning "burst or gush forth". 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 named the sugar mill site to be at a place called Waipahu. The Company's managers from 1897-1940 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). Oahu Sugar Company shut down plantation operations after the 1995 harvest.
In 1923, the athletic field now known as Hans L'Orange Park was built. and is located in Waipahu. Today, the park is home of the West Oahu CaneFires minor leage baseball team in the Hawaii Winter Baseball league.
In 1973, the City and County of Honolulu and the State of Hawai'i purchased opposite the Waipahu sugar mill to establish the Waipahu Cultural and Garden Park. The park matured and is known today as the Hawai'i Plantation Village. Hawai'i Plantation Village is a living history museum located in Waipahu.
In 1997, the Governor of Hawaii, Benjamin J. Cayetano, proclaimed the months of June 1997 through November 1997, to be Waipahu Centennial Celebration Months. Many activities and events were held to celebrate Waipahu Centennial.
Waipahu is the home to the 2008 Little League World Series Champions from Waipi'o Little League. They defeated Matamoros, Mexico 12-3 in the final game on August 24, 2008.
of Pearl Harbor. Waipahu contains two (high) school districts with some students attending Waipahu High School with others attending Pearl City High School.
Waipahu is located at (21.392500, -158.010710). Both Interstate H-1 and Farrington Highway (Hawaii Route 90) run east-west through the length of Waipahu. Waikele is located across the freeway north of Waipahu. Waikele consists of newer subdivisions and a world famous outlet shopping center and golf course. To the west via either roadway can be reached Makakilo and Kapolei, with the Leeward coast beyond. To the east, lies Pearl City and the H-2 interchange to Waipio. At the western end of Waipahu is Kunia Road (State Rte. 750) which leads to the Waipahu newer growth areas of Royal Kunia and Village Park north of H-1, and eventuually on up across the central plain to
and Schofield Barracks, Wheeler Army Airfield, and Wahiawa. Kunia Road becomes Fort Weaver Road (State Rte. 76) south of Farrington Highway, and goes south through Honouliuli and Ewa Villages to Ewa Beach.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of 2.6 square miles (6.8 km²), of which, 2.6 square miles (6.7 km²) of it is land and 0.1 square miles (0.2 km²) of it (2.28%) is water.