For statistical purposes, the United States Census Bureau has defined that community as a census-designated place (CDP).

[5] It is believed that the watershed area of the Kohala mountains once supported several thousand native Hawaiians, who practiced subsistence agriculture, made kapa, and thatched dwellings.

As the Europeans arrived in the area, most of the sandalwood (Santalum ellipticum) forests were harvested and the land became ideal for grazing animals.

California longhorn cattle were given as a gift to Hawaiian King Kamehameha I by British Captain George Vancouver in 1793.

[6] In 1809, John Palmer Parker arrived to the area after jumping ship and over time became employed by the king to hunt and tame the population of cattle, which at this point had grown out of control.

[7] The early 19th century also saw the arrival from the Viceroyalties of New Spain and Río de la Plata of the horse and Spanish vaqueros ("cowboys"), bringing the traditional Euro-Latin culture of riding and roping skills.

The king hired these vaqueros to teach Hawaiians herding and ranching skills, and by 1836 the island had working cowboys.

When the war was over and the military had left, Waimea had an entertainment center, the Kahilu Theatre, and an airstrip, Waimea-Kohala Airport.

The town sits at the transition between the wet and dry sides of the Big Island, and its weather therefore often changes dramatically over less than a mile.

The relatively quiet town becomes animated when the Waimea Cherry Blossom Heritage Festival is held on the first weekend of February.