SBCT Final EIS - Govsupport.us

Chapter 3 ⎯ Affected Environmentmissile site on DMR was that the KTA Nike site be preserved as an intact example of a Cold WarNike missile site.Areas of Traditional InterestSeveral ATIs have been identified on KTA including three heiau consisting primarily of rock platforms.One of these is believed to have been destroyed, but a recently identified cluster of featuresmay be remnants of the site. Formal TCP and ATI surveys have been undertaken for KTA andKLOA. The survey report is in a draft phase undergoing internal review, and is expected to be releasedin mid-2008.3.1.4.4 Pohakuloa Training AreaPrehistoric ContextThe area encompassing the lands on and between the mountains of Mauna Kea and Mauna Loa is oneof the most sacred areas to Native Hawaiians. Evidence of occupation in the upland areas of PTAspans a period from the 10 th through the 18 th centuries. The heiau on the slopes of Hualalai south ofPTA is said to have been built by a legendary chief in the early 17 th century. This chief and his fatherare credited with unifying the island and creating the traditional system of land division. The chillyheights of the Saddle and the peaks are not thought to have been the locations of permanent residences,but many groups routinely exploited the natural resources of the area and also used the regionfor religious and spiritual reasons. Natural resources included high-quality basalt, high-quality wood,forest plants, and birds. USAG-HI (2004) should be consulted for a complete summary of the prehistoryof this area.Historic ContextIn the late 1800s in the PTA area, the owners of two large ranches competed over the rights to raisecattle and sheep and to hunt in the Saddle Region. John Parker II held a lease to the Kaohe lands ofPTA from before 1876 through 1891. The Waimea Grazing and Agricultural Company leased Humuulaeast of PTA around 1860 to raise sheep and hunt wild cattle. The company built a wagon roadthrough PTA from its sheep station along the current Saddle Road in Humuula to the harbor atKawaihae. A portion of this road is still in PTA and to the east (USAG-HI 2004). By 1891, the Humuulalease was held by the Hackfield’s Humuula Sheep Station Company, which also obtained thelease for the east side of Kaohe. The company built a number of stonewalls. Standing stonewalls inthe northeast part of PTA may be the ones referred to in the oral history documents. After 1900,Parker obtained control of the Humuula Sheep Company and controlled most of the saddle. Militaryuse of PTA began in 1942 with the construction of the Kaumana Road (now the Saddle Road, SH200)for access between Hilo and Waimea. The Saddle Training Area, which included BAAF and the PTAcantonment area, was developed later. Most of the cantonment area consists of Quonset huts built between1955 and 1958 (USAG-HI 2004).ArchaeologyThe most common archaeological resources at PTA consist of modified natural features such as lavatubes, lava shelters, and lava blisters. Other archaeological resources include cairn sites, trails, volcanicglass quarries, excavated pits, and lithic workshops. Most of the known archaeological sites atPTA are Native Hawaiian sites reflecting traditional activities. A few sites may have ritual aspects.Seven known stone shrines attest to ritual activity in the area. Surveys at PTA and the Keamuku Parcelhave located 383 known prehistoric and historic archaeological sites at PTA. Twenty-two of thosesites are located in SBCT areas at PTA and include habitation complexes, rock shelters, pahoehoe pitFebruary 2008 3–39 2/25th SBCT Final EIS