Volcano, Hawaii County, Hawaii
The prime tourist destination, Hawaii, is known to the world as a paradise nestled on the vast azure of the Pacific Ocean. The word Hawaii itself is synonymous to hula dancers, spectacular sunrise and sunsets, heart-warming aloha hospitality, tropical rainforests, and volcanoes. Generally, volcanoes pose as threat to communities flourishing around it, but Hawaii residents have long learned to live in harmony with nature's fiery medium.
Volcano Village is a census-designated place of Hawaii County, just located in the outskirts of the famous Hawaii Volcano National Park. With the volcanoes Mauna Loa and Kilauea for neighbors, it's quite an amazement why a population of 2,231 (as of the year 2000 census) would want to live there. In fact, the population of the village continues to grow at the rate of 9.61%. Accommodating all those people is fairly easy. With a land area of 56.7 square miles (or 146.8 square kilometers), Volcano is no little town. The town's population is a mishmash of various ethnicities and races. Many Caucasians have made Volcano their home, along with a good number of Asians, and Hispanics. The cost of living in Volcano is also 38% higher than the US average.
Because it is in the Big Island's east coast, residents of Volcano are already used to rainshowers and constantly changing weather. But the frequent rainfall in the town is heaven-sent; the lush fields and rich flora are attributed to Volcano's often wet climate. The town itself is known for its exotic flowers and Ohia trees. Living in Volcano is like living in paradise.
Volcano's History
The area in which the Volcano village stands today and its neighboring natural structures have an interesting geological history. Science explains that volcanoes were made by the so-called Hawaiian hotspot millions of years ago. Hotspots emit lava from earth's core that turns to land after it has cooled. In fact, Hawaii's string of islands was also the result of the repetitive process of island creation by the Hawaiian hotspot.
Volcano Village's gargantuan neighbors, Kilauea and Mauna Loa, is a big part of its history. The first settlers of the town, the Polynesians, revere these natural structures. Kilauea is believed to be the dwelling place of Pele, a volcano goddess. Early residents of the town come to the volcano to present their gifts and offerings to Pele. They do this to pay tribute to the goddess, and at the same time appease her fury whenever the volcano spews hot, molten lava.
When the Westerners first learned of the beauty of the volcanoes and the area around it, they were amazed. So amazed that two of them, Lorrin Thurston and Thomas A. Jaggar, campaigned to turn the inviolable area to a national park. When President Woodrow Wilson approved the turning of the nearby area of Volcano Village into a national park on August 1, 1916, it has also marked the start of developments and improvements in the town. Business establishments and residential homes were erected around the park's vicinity. People also saw the national park as a portal to many job opportunities. When tourism flourished in the area, Volcano and other towns in close vicinity with the park also boomed.
Volcano's Attractions
Volcano sets itself apart from other Hawaiian towns -- it does not look much like what one would normally see in Hawaiian-themed postcards. Volcano Village in Hawaii may not have lava shorelines to boast of, or picture-perfect seascapes to brag about, but this picturesque town of hospitable people with aloha spirit has the most remarkable and exceptional attraction in all of Hawaii: volcanoes.
Since the town sits just outside Hawaii Volcano National Park, it is its biggest tourist destination. Many people flock over the town to visit the heritage site. The 333,000-acre park is home to two of earth's most active volcanoes. The national park has a million years of volcanism on display for anyone who wants to get a closer look. The site is also home to a vast wilderness where visitors can revel in nature's exquisite beauty. There are many historic museums and other destinations located within and around Volcano that are solely dedicated to informing people about volcanoes. The Thomas A. Jagger Museum, for instance, has lava samples on display. Similar volcano-related sites are the Kilauea Caldera and the Thurston Lava Tube.
Volcano offers plenty of activities to its visitors. Aside from volcano sightseeing, people can also do hiking and camping in designated sites around the state park. Downtown Volcano has lots of shops for buying souvenirs, restaurants for sampling Hawaiian delicacies, and art galleries for appreciating nature's beauty in frames. Surely, anyone will not be able to fully take in the town's beauty in one day; it will take several days to have the best Volcano experience. For overnight or week-long stays, many bed and breakfast inns, lodges, and cottages offer affordable accommodations.
Volcano's Economy
Tourism, obviously, is Volcano's strongest source of income for its residents. Since one of Hawaii's most famous attraction is only a mile away from Volcano, the town has become one of Hawaii's tourist meccas. Many new hotels, bed and breakfast inns, restaurants, stores, and unique shops open yearly to accommodate the increasing numbers of visitors that flock over the town each year. These business establishments provide plenty of job opportunities for the locals, thus, job growth in the area continue to increase, while the number of unemployed has gradually diminished.
As of the year 2000, job growth in Volcano has reached 4.47%. Expected job growth in the future is 17.90%; relatively higher than the US average of 9.06%. A large percentage of Volcano's working population (42.4%) is employed in management occupations. Some 19.7% are involved with sales and other related occupations, while 18.5% are engaged in personal services. Those people employed in construction and production make up 9% and 7.7% of Volcano's work force respectively. Meanwhile, only a few residents of Volcano (2.7%) have jobs in agriculture and forestry.
Sales taxes for the town is 4%, considerably lower compared to the 6% US average, while income taxes are almost twice as high as the US average of 5.02%, being at 10%. Household income for Volcano residents according to the 2000 census is $38,673, a little lower than the average $44,684 of the whole country. Income per capita is also comparatively lower at $20,331, as opposed to the US average income per capita of $24,020.
Volcano Quick Stats:
Population: 2,231Households: 896
Median resident age: 41.3 years
Median household income: $35,977
Median house value: $118,600
Land area: 56.7 square miles
Elevation: 3723 feet
Latitude: 19°26'N
Longitude: 155°14'W
Zip code: 96785
County: Hawaii
