Līhuʻe, Hawaii, United States

🇺🇸 Lihue or Līhuʻe is an unincorporated community, place (CDP) and the county seat of Kauai County, Hawaii, United States. Lihue is the second largest town on the Hawaiian island of Kauaʻi after Kapaʻa.

History In ancient times, Lihue was a minor village. Līhuʻe means "cold chill" in the Hawaiian language. Lihue is in the ancient district of Puna, the south-eastern coast of the island, and the land division (ahupuaʻa) of Kalapaki. Royal Governor Kaikioʻewa officially made it his governing seat in 1837, moving it from Waimea; he named the town after land he owned on Oahu by the same name.

With the emergence of the sugar industry in the 1800s, Lihue became the central city of the island with the construction of a large sugar mill. Early investors were Henry A. Peirce, Charles Reed Bishop and William Little Lee. The plantation struggled until William Harrison Rice built the first irrigation system in 1856.

Subsequent plantation owner Paul Isenberg helped German people emigrate to Lihue starting in 1881, with the first Lutheran church in Hawaii founded in 1883. Services were held in German well into the 1960s. By the 1930s, George Norton Wilcox became one of the largest sugarcane plantation owners, buying Grove Farm from Hermann A. Widemann. The Wilcox family home, Kilohana, has been converted into a restaurant and gift shop. The surrounding plantation now grows crops and livestock. A narrow-gauge tourist railroad with vintage diesel locomotives from Whitworth and General Electric offers tours of the plantation; horse-drawn carriage tours are offered as well. The grounds are also the site of luaus, many of which are offshore excursions booked through NCL America. Lihue also houses the Kauai Museum, which details the history of Kauai.

Geography Lihue is on the eastern side of the island of Kauai, bordered by Hanamaulu to the north and Puhi to the west. Its shorefront on the Kauai Channel of the Pacific Ocean extends from Hanamaulu Bay in the north to the larger Nawiliwili Bay to the south. Hawaii Route 50 leads west from Lihue 12 miles (19 km) to Kalaheo and beyond to the western side of the island, while Hawaii Route 56 leads north 7 miles (11 km) to Kapaa and onwards to the northern side of the island.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the Lihue CDP has an area of 50 square km (19.3 sq mi), of which 6.7 square miles (17.3 km²) is land and 0.77 square miles (2.0 km²), or 10.42%, is water.

Transport Lihue is served by Lihue Airport, in the eastern part of the community. Kauai's main seaport is at Nāwiliwili Bay, directly south-east of town. Lihue is also served by The Kauaʻi Bus, a public bus system serving the entire island.

Facilities The town is home to the county administration building; Kauai's largest shopping centre, Kukui Grove Center, which houses the island's only big department store, Macy's; and several big-box stores, including Wal-Mart, Home Depot and Costco. There are also several car dealerships and restaurants.

Education Lihue is home to Kauai Community College, part of the University of Hawaii system.