The Abandoned Sugar Mill In Hawaii That’s Hiding Where You’d Least Expect It

Imagine Hawaii in the mid-1800s: statehood was a century away, the islands were united under the leadership of King Kamehameha III, Christian missionaries had recently arrived on the islands, the first coffee was planted in Kona, and sugar cane was king. Sugar mills were found scattered across the Hawaiian Islands and most have since been abandoned — including this one hiding in plain sight near Kualoa Ranch.

Nestled on Oahu’s eastern coast off Kamehameha Highway and just steps from the Pacific Ocean 2.5 miles south of Kaaawa is all that remains of the once-thriving Kualoa Plantation Sugar Mill.

Founded by Charles Hastings Judd and Samuel Wilder in 1865, the Kualoa Plantation Sugar Mill was the first of its kind on Oahu, featuring a steam-powered mill, the most modern machinery from Scotland, and this modest 35-foot coral brick smokestack.

In 1866, just a year after it was founded, the mill was the site of a little-known tragedy. Willy Wilder, the nine-year-old son of owner Samuel Wilder, fell into a vat of boiling syrup during processing. He lived a few days in agony before succumbing to his severe burns and dying. No longer able to endure living at the ranch, his mother moved away.

By 1871, the mill was failing due to a lack of rainfall. Unfortunately, the land was just too dry to grow sugarcane. Wilder deeded his share back to Judd and later made a fortune in inter-island shipping and railroad on Maui and Hawaii.

And now? The mill sits abandoned, exposed to the elements, slowly crumbling to the ground, and becoming one with nature. The mill now stands as a striking reminder that everything must come to an end eventually — and that even the largest industries may eventually falter.

A familiar site to many driving along Kamehameha Highway on the eastern shore of Oahu, few know the history of this now-abandoned sugar mill nestled at the base of the Ko'olau Mountains.

Have you ever driven by this abandoned sugar mill found along Kamehameha Highway near Kualoa Ranch? Share your experience with us in the comments below. And if you'd love to visit one of Hawaii's historic mills for yourself, click here to learn all about the Haiku Mill and the magnificent botanical tours they offer.