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Waimea and Parker Ranch

Among the USA's largest and oldest cattle ranches

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Parker Ranch is a working cattle ranch located near the town of Waimea. It is now a charitable trust. The ranch was founded in 1847 and is one of the oldest ranches in the United States, pre-dating many mainland ranches in Texas and other southwestern states by more than 30 years. Spreading approximately 135,000 acres (550 km2) of the island, Parker Ranch is also among the country’s largest cattle ranches.

A cowboy on the ranch is called a paniolo (Hawaiian pronunciation of Spanish: Espanol), since the first cowboys were Spanish-speaking and came from California. The Hawaiian language does not have the sound and the letter "s".

During World War II, it was used as a United States Marine Corps training base. The Third Marine Division conducted maneuvers there in preparation for the assault of Iwo Jima. The ranch continues to be used by the Marine Corps for exercises today.

The founder of the Ranch was John Palmer Parker who assisted Kamehameha I in ridding the island of wild bulls and was granted land which he later established the ranch with. The last owner of the Ranch, the actor Richard Smart, died in 1992, after which the Ranch is governed by the Parker Ranch Foundation Trust.

Two of the ranch's historic homes, Puuopelu and Mana Hale, are open for tours.


Hamakua Macadamia Nut Co.

At Hamakua Macadamia Nut Company we pride ourselves on offering a 100% Hawaii produced product. That's because our Nuts and Kona Coffee are grown, processed and packed in Hawaii. Even our cans are manufactured here. So your customers are assured a pure Hawaii product, grown by American farmers!

We guarantee that our macadamia nut products are made with 100% Hawaiian macadamia nuts, the worlds best. We harvest our macadamia nuts fresh and keep them fresh in the very best vacuum sealed containers. No insecticides or fungicides are used in the cultivation of our macadamia nuts.

(808) 882-1690 (888) 643-6688 hawnnut@hialoha.net


Visitors and residents- Help us edit this Waimea page. You can be the travel writer and photographer. Submit your comments and pictures to help keep this site updated and current. We need your pictures of schools, churches, the hospital shops and other places of interest not yet pictured here. See Home page for details.


Kahua Ranch

Na`alapa Horseback on a free run range. Wagon rides on the ranch.

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Waimea Outdoor Circle

Ulu La`au is a 10-acre park in the heart of Waimea. It is a beautiful place for peaceful public recreation and a natural preserve for Hawaii's unique native plant species. It is open to visitors and residents from dawn to dusk, every day of the year. Admission is free.

(808) 443-4482

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