There’s no denying that Lahaina Shores is the best place to stay in Lahaina Town, with beach out front and spacious condo you may be tempted to never leave the property – and we don’t blame you! But, we have to admit that the Lahaina Town has some amazing historical locations that are a must see. Just a few steps away, behind the Banyan Tree, is Lahaina Town Action Committee with an amazing walking tour. If you do the entire walk it could take you a few hours to do but its free (except to where you need to pay admission), there are many signs to let you know where you are at and what to expect. Let’s explore some of historical sites you will see along the way.
Courthouse
In 1858, a violent windstorm destroyed about 20 buildings in Lahaina, including Hale Piula, which served as the courthouse and palace of King Kamehameha III. It was rebuilt immediately, using the stones from the previous building. It served not only as courthouse, but also as custom house, post office, tax collector’s office, and government offices. Upstairs on the second floor is the Lahaina Heritage Museum, with exhibits on the history and culture of Lahaina.
Banyan Tree
This ancient tree has witnessed decades of luau, dances, concerts, private chats, public rallies, and resting sojourners under its mighty boughs. It’s hard to believe that this huge tree was only 8 feet tall when it was planted here and it the largest Banyan Tree outside of Japan.
Pioneer Inn
George Freeland, of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, tracked a criminal to Lahaina and then fell in love with the town. He built the hotel in 1901 but soon discovered that Lahaina didn’t get a lot of visitors. To make ends meet, Freeland built a movie theater, which was wildly successful. The Pioneer Inn remained the only hotel in all of west Maui until the 1950s.
Baldwin Home
The Baldwin Home was built in 1834. It was the home of Reverend Dwight Baldwin. He was a missionary and a doctor. The house was a medical office, his home and the location of missionary activity.
The Baldwin family lived here from the mid 1830′s to 1868. In the 1960′s the house was restored with original furniture and other antiques.
Master’s Reading Room
This coral-and-stone building looks just as it did in 1834, when Rev. William Richards and Rev. E. Spaulding convinced the whaling-ship captains that they needed a place for the ships’ masters and captains, many of whom traveled with their families, to stay while they were ashore. The bottom floor was used as a storage area for the mission; the top floor, from which you could see the ships at anchor in the harbor, was for the visiting ships’ officers.
Taro Patch
The lawn in front of the Lahaina Public Library was once a taro patch stretching back to the Baldwin home. The taro plant is a staple of the Hawaiian diet: the root is used to make poi, and the leaves are used in cooking. At one time Lahaina looked like a Venice of the tropics, with streams, ponds, and waterways flooding the taro fields. As the population of the town grew, the water was siphoned off for drinking.
Wo Hing Society Temple
The Chinese were here before the whalers and missionaries. They built meeting halls or temples where their societies could get together. In 1909 the Chinese living in Lahaina formed the Wo Hing Society, a branch of the Chee Kung Tong, a fraternal society with chapters throughout the world. In 1912, using private donations, the society built a two-story temple on Front Street.
Fort
This structure once covered an acre and had 20-foot-high walls. The fort was constructed from 1831 to 1832 with coral blocks taken from the ocean where the Lahaina Harbor sits today. As a further show of strength, cannons were placed along the waterfront, where they remain today. Historical accounts seem to scoff at the “fort,” saying it appeared to be more for show than for force. It was later used as a prison, until it was finally torn down in the 1850s; its stones were used for construction of the new prison, Hale Paahao.
Holy Innocents Episcopal Church
When the Episcopal missionaries first came to Lahaina in 1862, they built a church across the street from the current structure. In 1909, the church moved to its present site, which was once a thatched house built for the daughter of King Kamehameha I. The present structure, built in 1927, features unique paintings of a Hawaiian Madonna and birds and plants endemic to Hawaii, executed by DeLos Blackmar in 1940.
Hongwanji Mission
The temple was originally built in 1910 by members of Lahaina’s Buddhist sect. The current building was constructed in 1927, housing a temple and language school. The public is welcome to attend the New Year’s Eve celebration, Buddha’s birthday in April, and O Bon Memorial Services in August.
Waihee Cemetery
Established in 1823, this cemetery tells a fascinating story of old Hawaii, with graves of Hawaiian chiefs, commoners, sailors, and missionaries and their families (infant mortality was high then). Enter this ground with respect, because Hawaiians consider it sacred — many members of the royal family are buried here, including Queen Keopuolani, who was wife of King Kamehameha I, mother of kings Kamehameha II and III, and the first Hawaiian baptized as a Protestant. Among the other graves are those of Rev. William Richards (the first missionary in Lahaina) and Princess Nahienaena (sister of kings Kamehameha II and III).
After walking around Lahaina Town for a few hours you may start to realize why it was name Lahaina which means “merciless sun”. Good thing you are just steps away from Lahaina Shores – your Maui home. Head back to you fully equipped kitchen for a snack and cool beverage on the lanai. Now that’s a great day.
Some article content provided by our friends at Frommers.com.
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