Kula roughly extends from Haleakala Highway (
Hawaii Route 37) in the north to
Keokea in the south—a distance of about around 20°47'32" N, 156°19'37" W. The largely rural area known as Upper Kula includes the region up-slope (southeast) from Lower Kula, the more densely populated area spread along the Kula Highway. The word
Kula means "dry, open country" in the
Hawaiian language. On Maui, Kula is one of the island's 12 "foundation" districts of
ancient Hawaii called
moku. The Kula district is the island's largest, extending from dry coastal areas to the wetter high pasture lands of three major ranches (Haleakala, Erewhon, and Ulupalakua) that cap the region about halfway up the slopes of Haleakala. It laterally extends from Keokea to near
Makawao where the
rainforest of East Maui once began. In
leeward areas, away from the prevailing moist tradewinds—called the rain shadow of Haleakala—the lower portion of Maui consists of a broad, arid expanse where little cultivation of the earth is possible. This zone consists of dry, desert-like open range just inland from the sea in artificially irrigated
Kihei, and is covered with
kiawe trees to an elevation of about on the volcano's slopes. Between this zone and the upper reaches of the hillsides, especially up steep Waipoli and Poli Poli Roads, are broad, open areas for vegetable and fruit crops. The moderate climate often yields as many as three or four harvests per year. When the territorial legislature first set up the political design in 1906, they decreed only two levels of government: state and county. Consequently, Hawaii's towns do not have specific boundaries or "city limits". There are also no official district boundaries for
Maui County elections.
Upper Kula The twisty Haleakala Highway, from its junction with Kula Highway in
Pukalani, loosely defines the northern edge of Upper Kula. The upper road (Kekaulike Avenue), also known as State Highway 377, leads up through usually green pastures, silver eucalyptus tree groves (and
blue jacaranda trees in late spring), contrasting to the sugarcane below. Where the road beyond Kula Lodge makes an abrupt upward tack to
Haleakala National Park, the area known as Upper Kula surrounds Kekaulike Avenue. In less than five miles it descends the slope to rejoin the Kula Highway near Rice Park and heads south to Keokea. There is little commercial development along Kekaulike except
Kula Botanical Garden and Alii Kula Lavender Farm. Vegetable and flower gardens surround the meandering highway as farmers take advantage of the area's unique combination of open space, good soil, moisture-laden clouds and filtered tropical sun. New homes dot the area, taking advantage of the moderate weather and bi-coastal views of the isthmus below. In Keokea, the Kula Hospital sits on the hillside above the road. Originally a
tuberculosis treatment
sanatorium built in 1909, Kula Hospital now serves the community as a critical access hospital. The southern edge of Kula had a once-flourishing
Chinese community that numbered over 700 immigrant workers and farmers. While the area is now more mixed, Keokea is still home to a pair of Chinese family-owned stores and a service station as well as a boutique coffee-shop. At , a mile or so beyond Keokea, between mile markers 18 and 19 on the Kula highway (aka Highway 37), is the county park dedicated to Maui's former resident,
Sun Yat-sen, called the "father of modern China". He grew up in the area in the late 19th century living with his brother
Sun Mei (). He led the revolution that ended China's last
dynasty and established the
Republic of China in 1912. Just as upcountry residents visit the seashore, residents near the shore sometimes visit Upper Kula to enjoy cooler temperatures that may require a fireplace in winter. A popular saying is "It's cooler in Kula."
Lower Kula Lower Kula lies between about of elevation along the western flank of
Haleakalā, the dormant volcano that dominates the island's landscape and is the foundation of Kula’s backdrop. Communities along the old Lower Kula Road with names like Pulehu, Waiakoa,
Omaopio and Keokea each have unique history of ethnic settlement. In the late 19th century,
Portuguese and
Chinese immigrants, who fulfilled labor contracts with the
sugarcane plantations, moved to this area. Later,
Japanese farmers moved into the area for its fertile earth. These farmers have been producing vegetables ever since. In fact, during the
California gold rush the farmers in Kula shipped so many potatoes that it was nicknamed "Nu Kaleponi," a Hawaiian pronunciation of "New California." That farming tradition continues today, even among the gentlemen farmers and their farms that have sprung up in the past two decades. Kula grows its well-known onions, lettuce, potatoes, jicama, tomatoes, carrots, cauliflower and cabbage. It is also a major source of
cut flowers for the state. Most of Hawaii's
proteas, as well as nearly all the
carnations used in
leis, come from Kula. Lower Kula encompasses the areas around Lower Kula Road, the old county road that once spanned the region before Kula Highway was finished in 1964. The old meandering road crosses the straight modern highway several times between Pukalani and Keokea. Even after nearly 50 years, there are few businesses along the highway, while the old road has the usual establishments that serve rural communities, including historic churches.
Holy Ghost Catholic Church has a unique octagonal shape and hand-carved altar. Its turret is a landmark on the slopes of Haleakala, visible from much of Central Maui below. It was constructed in 1894 by Portuguese immigrants. In the past decade, the lush views and cooler climate of Lower Kula have drawn a new type of resident. Agricultural lands are carved up for "gentleman estates" with large homes. Clusters of homes around old Lower Kula Road are becoming denser. The major limit on the further development in the whole Kula area is the significant lack of water. This basic resource is key to the sustainability of the area. The Upcountry Community Plan gives highest priority to the water supply of agriculture and the
Hawaiian Homelands project. ==Demographics==