Lihu'e: Root and Branch of a Hawai'I Town

L?hu'e is uniquely different from other communities in Hawai'i. Its origins are rooted in the early days of the sugar industry. Over time, this once obscure hamlet branched out to become the island’s county seat, commercial core, and transport hub-the Heart of Kaua'i. L?hu'e: Root and Branch of a Hawai'i Town traces that history from its beginnings to the present day. Through the lens of a building-by-building tour of L?hu'e’s urban center and the once predominant mill, a vivid picture emerges about the place and the people who shaped it: kings and men who traveled with kings; adventurers who made fortunes as they transformed the land around them; a political boss who upended the town’s structure as an act of revenge. L?hu'e spotlights visionaries and scoundrels, leaders and laborers, and entrepreneurs from East and West.