Built in 1943, Pine Garden was formerly inside of a pine forest and used as the military department's office of Hualien Port. Now, it shares the area with Broadcasting Cooperation Hualien, Chunghwa Telecom,and Meilun waterworks facility. Pine Garden offers a wonderful view overlooking the mouth of Meilun River, Hualien Port, and the Pacific Ocean. Its vantage point makes it the best location to control both air and sea traffic in the area, while still camouflages well in the forest. This is why it was selected as the Japanese military control center.After the second World War, the government resumed control of the building and made it a leisure center for American MilitaryAssistance Advisory Groups. It was then passed on to the Department of Veteran Affairs. In 2000, the Hualien County government designated Pine Garden as a "Historic Building". The next year, the Council for Cultural Affairs reopened it as a tourist attraction and it has become one of the "100 Historic Sites in Taiwan".