Statehood The 50th state Aug. 21, 1959 Captial Honolulu State Motto The life of the land is perpetuated in righteousness. Origin of State Name The name is taken from the island of Hawaii and is a Polynesian word of uncertain origin. State Nickname The Aloha State Aloha is a common Hawaiian greeting and means both hello and goodbye, a reference to the large numbers tourists who visit the state. Interesting Facts The Hawaiian Islands were originally settled by Polynesian immigrants more than 1000 years ago but remained unknown to Europeans until Captain James Cook landed there in 1778. During the late 1800s, Hawaii developed an export economy based on sugar and pineapple cultivation, drawing thousands of Asian immigrant workers to the farms. In 1893, Hawaiian Queen Liliuokalani attempted to impose a new constitution claiming more authority for native Hawaiians, but white leaders occupied the government office in Honolulu and overthrew the monarchy.