Leone travel guide.

Leone is a village on the south-west coast of Tutuila Island, American Samoa. Leone was the ancient capital of Tutuila Island. Leone was also where the Samoan Islands’ first missionary, John Williams, visited on October 18, 1832. A monument in honor of Williams has been erected in front of Zion Church. Its large church was the first to be built in American Samoa. It has three towers, a carved ceiling and stained glass. Until steamships were invented, Leone was the preferred anchorage of sailing ships who didn’t risk entering Pago Pago Harbor. Much early contact between Samoans and Europeans took place in Leone. Leone Falls is 1.2 miles up the road from the church.

Besides the oldest church in American Samoa, Leone is home to a post office, high school, Pritchard’s Bakery and Kruse Supermarket. Buses from Fagatogo to Leone leave every few minutes throughout the year. It is home to two historical sites listed on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places: Fagalele Boys School, which may be the oldest building on Tutuila Island, and Tataga-Matau Fortified Quarry Complex.

Leone had the most victims in American Samoa in the 2009 tsunami. A memorial garden was created on the So Poloa family land, where most of the 11 victims were found.