Mauka (or towards the mountains) of Joint Base Pearl Harbor Hickam, the comfortable, closely-knit community of Pearl City is conveniently located and filled with beautiful parks, splendid shopping, and all the amenities – making it a friendly destination or place to call home for families with children.
What Is The History Of Pearl City?
Before you embark on a Pearl City adventure, share with your kids (in an age-appropriate manner) a little about the history of the community
Here are some fun facts to include in your conversations:
- The shallow waters of Pearl Harbor, known as Wai Momi (“Waters of Pearl”) to the Hawaiians, once bore oysters filled with magnificent pearls along with plentiful fish. In the 1880s, the mountainous areas of Pearl City were transformed into rice paddies – with cattle and water buffalos plowing the fields.
- After the construction of the Oahu Railway by businessman Benjamin Dillingham in the late 19th century, the sugar industry reached the then-developing neighborhood of Pearl City, providing jobs for residents in the sugar plantations and factories.
- In 1899, the United States Navy established the Pearl Harbor base. Pearl Harbor is known around the world for the December 7, 1941, attack by Imperial Japanese bombers, which swept across Oahu and destroyed 21 vessels from the U.S. Pacific Fleet, propelling the U.S. to participate in World War II. In 2010, Pearl Harbor joined Hickam Air Force Base to create the now Joint Base Pearl Harbor Hickam.
