Kaaawa’s post office opened in 1952, and 1 of its places is on the National Register
More historic than 24% of U.S. towns. What drives it
Most of Kaaawa was built recently: 4% of its homes predate 1940 and the median home dates from 1977. Its Register listing is the Small Heiau.
How Kaaawa began
When was Kaaawa founded?
The Kaaawa post office opened in 1952, the earliest record of the town by name.
How historic is Kaaawa?
More historic than 24% of U.S. towns, on its age, its old homes and the National Register.
What drives Kaaawa’s History grade
On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Kaaawa is more historic than 24% of U.S. towns. Its National Register listings hold the grade up; its age pulls it down.
Few Hawaii towns list much on the Register (a typical Hawaii town has 0.0 per 10,000 residents, the U.S. 2.4), so Kaaawa’s 7.5 sits above most of its state (85% of Hawaii towns have fewer) while its 1 listings outnumber those of 51% of U.S. towns.
Founding year: the first post office (other dates in Quick answers). Homes: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register: National Park Service, May 2026 list; each listing counted once (boundary changes and added documentation belong to their listing), and a historic district counts its contributing buildings. How TownRatings grades history →
1 historic place in Kaaawa
The country’s official list of buildings and places worth saving.
All 1 listings
National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places. Photos from Wikimedia Commons, credited on each place’s page.
Old corners
Kaaawa’s post office has been open since 1952.
US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock, CC0). Places and cemeteries from the USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021).
Questions about Kaaawa’s history
What year was Kaaawa founded?
The Kaaawa post office opened in 1952, the earliest record of the town by name (U.S. post office records).
How does Kaaawa rank for history?
Kaaawa is more historic than 24% of U.S. towns. The History grade combines the town’s founding era, the share of homes built before 1940 and its National Register listings. It’s a character grade, so it isn’t part of the overall grade. How it works.
What is on the National Register in Kaaawa?
One place: the Small Heiau (listed 1973).
How old are the homes in Kaaawa?
4% of Kaaawa’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±4.1 points), against a typical 1.7% for a Hawaii town; the median home was built in 1977.
Memory lane
What the archives can’t tell you, neighbors can.
Where this page comes from
Founding dates: Wikidata, Wikipedia, the U.S. post office records of Blevins & Helbock (CC0) and the Census. Homes by year built: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register of Historic Places: National Park Service (list of May 22, 2026). Old photos, postcards and papers: Wikimedia Commons, the Library of Congress and other public archives, credited on each item’s page. Maps: U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (via Esri) and Sanborn fire-insurance maps (Library of Congress). History text and census tables: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0). Places that used to be: USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021).
From the National Register of Historic Places (1), the US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock) and the USGS Geographic Names Information System. Archive images are copied here with their credits and licenses, shown on each photo’s page. Refreshed monthly.