Kauaʻi, often called the "Garden Isle," is the fourth-largest of the main Hawaiian Islands, spanning 562.3 square miles and home to roughly 73,298 residents (2020 census), located 73 miles northwest of Oʻahu. The island is famous for its dramatic landscapes, including Waimea Canyon State Park and Nā Pali Coast State Park, and its name comes from a legend about the Polynesian navigator Hawaiʻiloa, who named it after a favorite son. Notably, Kauaʻi once had a distinct Hawaiian dialect that preserved the old Polynesian [t] sound, so locals pronounced the island "Tauaʻi" instead of the standard "Kauaʻi." In January 1778, British explorer James Cook made the first recorded European contact with the Hawaiian Islands when he accidentally arrived at Kauaʻi, anchoring in Waimea Bay and trading iron nails for fresh food. Following Cook's visit, the island remained independent for decades; King Kamehameha I failed to conquer it in 1796 and 1803 due to storms and epidemics, but in 1810, King Kaumualiʻi agreed to become a vassal and cede the island to the Kingdom of Hawaii upon his death. This diplomatic arrangement eventually brought Kauaʻi under unified Hawaiian rule, ending its independent status.