Historic Lahaina Walking Tours and the windows were glazed glass. Kamehameha I lived here Start: Front and Dickenson streets. from 1801 to 1802, when he was building his war Begin your tour at the: canoe, Peleleu, and preparing to invade Kauai. A handmade 1. Master's Reading Room stone sea wall surrounded the palace to protect it from the This coral-and-stone building looks just as it did in 1834, surf. The building stood for 70 years. In addition to being a when Rev. William Richards and Rev. E. Spaulding convinced royal compound, it was also used as a meetinghouse, the whaling-ship captains that they needed a place for the storeroom, and warehouse. ships' masters and captains, many of whom traveled with Behind you, dockside of the loading pier of the Lahaina their families, to stay while they were ashore. The bottom Harbor, is the: floor was used as a storage area for the mission; the top 7. Former Site of the Carthaginian floor, from which you could see the ships at anchor in the This was once the site of a replica of a 19th-century brig that harbor, was for the visiting ships' officers. carried commerce back and forth to Hawaii, and, until 2004, Next door is the: served as a museum and exhibit of 19th-century boating and 2. Baldwin Home whaling. The Carthaginian, which had been plagued with Harvard-educated physician Rev. Dwight Baldwin, with his numerous maintenance problems for years, has been wife of just a few weeks, sailed to Hawaii from New England removed from the slip, and the Lahaina Restoration in 1830. Baldwin was first assigned to a church in Waimea, on Foundation is in the process of finding a replacement ship. the Big Island, and then to Lahaina's Wainee Church in 1838. Directly opposite the Carthaginian site is the: He and his family lived in this house until 1871. The Baldwin 8. Pioneer Inn Home and the Master's Reading Room are the oldest Lahaina's first hotel was the scene of some wild parties at the standing buildings in Lahaina, made from thick walls of coral start of the 20th century. George Freeland, of the Royal and hand-milled timber. Baldwin also ran his medical office Canadian Mounted Police, tracked a criminal to Lahaina and and his missionary activities out of this house. then fell in love with the town. He built the hotel in 1901 but On the other side of the Baldwin Home is the former site of soon discovered that Lahaina wasn't the tourist mecca it is 3. Richards House today. To make ends meet, Freeland built a movie theater, The open field is empty today, but it represents the former which was wildly successful. The Pioneer Inn remained the home of Lahaina's first Protestant missionary, Rev. William only hotel in all of west Maui until the 1950s. You can stay at Richards. Richards went on to become the chaplain, teacher, this restored building today. and translator to Kamehameha III. He was also instrumental From the Pioneer Inn, cross Hotel Street and walk along in drafting Hawaii's constitution and acted as the king's envoy Wharf Street, which borders the harbor. On your left is the: to the United States and England, seeking recognition of 9. Banyan Tree Hawaii as an independent nation. After his death in 1847, he This ancient tree has witnessed decades of luau, dances, was buried in the Wainee Churchyard. concerts, private chats, public rallies, and resting sojourners From here, cross Front Street and walk toward the ocean, under its mighty boughs. It's hard to believe that this huge with the Lahaina Public Library on your right and the green tree was only 8 feet tall when it was planted here. Pioneer Inn on your left, until you see the: Continue along Wharf Street. Near the edge of the park is the 4. Taro Patch 10. Courthouse The lawn in front of the Lahaina Library was once a taro patch In 1858, a violent windstorm destroyed about 20 buildings in stretching back to the Baldwin Home. The taro plant was a Lahaina, including Hale Piula, which served as the courthouse staple of the Hawaiian diet: The root was used to make poi, and palace of King Kamehameha III. It was rebuilt and the leaves were used in cooking. At one time Lahaina immediately, using the stones from the previous building. It looked like a Venice of the tropics, with streams, ponds, and served not only as courthouse, but also as custom house, waterways flooding the taro fields. As the population of the post office, tax collector's office, and government offices. town grew, the water was siphoned off for drinking use. Upstairs on the second floor is the Lahaina Heritage Museum, Walk away from the Lahaina Harbor toward the edge of the with exhibits on the history and culture of Lahaina (free lawn, where you'll see the: admission; daily 9am-5pm). 5. Hauola Stone Continue down Wharf Street to Canal Street. On the corner Hawaiians believed that certain stones placed in sacred are the remains of the: places had the power to heal. Kahuna (priests) of medicine 11. Fort used stones like this to help cure illnesses. This structure once covered an acre and had 20-foot-high Turn around and walk back toward the Pioneer Inn; look for walls. In 1830, some whalers fired a few cannonballs into the concrete depression in the ground, which is all that's left Lahaina in protest of Rev. William Richards's meddling in their 6. Brick Palace affairs. (Richards had convinced Gov. Hoapili to create a law This structure was begun in 1798 as the first Western-style forbidding the women of Lahaina from swimming out to greet building in Hawaii. King Kamehameha I had this 20*40-foot, the whaling ships.) The fort was constructed from 1831 to two-story brick structure built for his wife, Queen 1832 with coral blocks taken from the ocean where the Kaahumanu (who is said to have preferred a grass-thatched Lahaina Harbor sits today. As a further show of strength, house nearby). Inside, the walls were constructed of wood cannons were placed along the waterfront, where they remain today. Historical accounts seem to scoff at the "fort," lizard), which the royal family honored as their personal saying it appeared to be more for show than for force. It was guardian spirit. In the middle of the pond was a small island, later used as a prison, until it was finally torn down in the Mokuula, home to Maui's top chiefs. After conquering Maui, 1850s; its stones were used for construction of the new Kamehameha I claimed this sacred spot as his own; he and his prison, Hale Paahao. two sons, Kamehameha II and III, lived here when they were Cross Canal Street to the: in Lahaina. In 1918, in the spirit of progress, the pond was 12. Canal drained and the ground leveled for a park. Unlike Honolulu with its natural deepwater harbor, Lahaina Make a left onto Shaw Street and then another left onto was merely a roadstead with no easy access to the shore. Wainee Street. On the left side, just past the cemetery, is: Whalers would anchor in deep water offshore, then board 17. Wainee Church smaller boats (which they used to chase down and harpoon This was the first stone church built in Hawaii (1828-32). At whales) to make the passage over the reef to shore. If the one time the church could seat some 3,000 people, albeit surf was up, coming ashore could be dangerous. In the 1840s, tightly packed together, complete with "calabash spittoons" the U.S. consular representative recommended digging a for the tobacco-chewing Hawaiian chiefs and the ship canal from one of the freshwater streams that ran through captains. That structure didn't last long -- the 1858 windstorm Lahaina and charging a fee to the whalers who wanted to that destroyed several buildings in Lahaina also blew the roof obtain fresh water. In 1913, the canal was filled in to off the original church, knocked over the belfry, and picked construct Canal Street. up the church's bell and deposited it 100 feet away. The Up Canal Street is the: structure was rebuilt, but that too was destroyed -- this time 13. Government Market by Hawaiians protesting the 1894 overthrow of the A few years after the canal was built, the government built a monarchy. Again the church was rebuilt, and again it was thatched marketplace with stalls for Hawaiians to sell goods destroyed -- by fire in 1947. The next incarnation of the to the sailors. Merchants quickly took advantage of this church was destroyed by yet another windstorm in 1951. The marketplace and erected drinking establishments, grog current church has been standing since 1953. Be sure to walk shops, and other pastimes of interest nearby. Within a few around to the back of the church: The row of palm trees on years, this entire area became known as "Rotten Row." the ocean side includes some of the oldest palm trees in Make a right onto Front Street and continue down the street, Lahaina. past Kamehameha III Elementary School. Across from the Wander next door to the first Christian cemetery in Hawaii: park is: 18. Waihee Cemetery 14. Holy Innocents Episcopal Church Established in 1823, this cemetery tells a fascinating story of When the Episcopal missionaries first came to Lahaina in old Hawaii, with graves of Hawaiian chiefs, commoners, 1862, they built a church across the street from the current sailors, and missionaries and their families (infant mortality structure. In 1909, the church moved to its present site, was high then). Enter this ground with respect, because which was once a thatched house built for the daughter of Hawaiians consider it sacred -- many members of the royal King Kamehameha I. The present structure, built in 1927, family were buried here, including Queen Keopuolani, who features unique paintings of a Hawaiian Madonna and birds was wife of King Kamehameha I, mother of kings and plants endemic to Hawaii, executed by DeLos Blackmar in Kamehameha II and III, and the first Hawaiian baptized as a 1940. Protestant. Among the other graves are those of Rev. William Continue down Front Street, and at the next open field, look Richards (the first missionary in Lahaina) and Princess for the white stones by the ocean, marking the former site of Nahienaena (sister of kings Kamehameha II and III). the "iron-roofed house" called: Continue down Waihee Street to the corner of Luakini Street 15. Hale Piula and In the 1830s, the two-story stone building with a large 19. Hongwanji Mission surrounding courtyard was built for King Kamehameha III. The temple was originally built in 1910 by members of However, the king preferred sleeping in a small thatched hut Lahaina's Buddhist sect. The current building was constructed nearby, so the structure was never really completed. In the in 1927, housing a temple and language school. The public is 1840s, Kamehameha moved his capital to Honolulu and welcome to attend the New Year's Eve celebration, Buddha's wasn't using Hale Piula, so it became the local courthouse. birthday in April, and O Bon Memorial Services in August. The windstorm of 1858, which destroyed the courthouse on Continue down Wainee Street. Just before the intersection Wharf Street, also destroyed the iron-roofed house. The with Prison Street, look for the historical marker for: stones from Hale Piula were used to rebuild the courthouse 20. David Malo's Home on Wharf Street. Although no longer standing, the house that once stood here Continue down Front Street; across from the 505 Front Street was the home of Hawaii's first scholar, philosopher, and well- complex is: known author. Educated at Lahainaluna School, his book on 16. Maluuluolele Park ancient Hawaiian culture, Hawaiian Antiquities, is This sacred spot to Hawaiians is now the site of a park and considered the source on Hawaiiana today. His alma mater ball field. This used to be a village, Mokuhinia, with a sacred celebrates David Malo Day every year in April in recognition pond that was the home of a moo (a spirit in the form of a of his contributions to Hawaii. Cross Prison Street. On the corner of Prison and Waihee is disrepair. the: Turn left onto Hale Street and then right onto Luakini Street 21. Old Prison to the: The Hawaiians called the prison Hale Paahao ("stuck in irons 24. Buddhist Church house"). Sailors who refused to return to their boats at sunset This green wooden Shingon Buddhist temple is very typical of used to be arrested and taken to the old fort. In 1851, myriad Buddhist churches that sprang up all over the island however, the fort physician told the government that when the Japanese laborers were brought to work in the sleeping on the ground at night made the prisoners ill, costing sugar-cane fields. Some of the churches were little more than the government quite a bit of money to treat them -- so the elaborate false "temple" fronts on existing buildings. Kingdom of Hawaii used the prisoners to build a prison from On the side of Village Galleries, on the corner of Luakini and the coral block of the old fort. Most prisoners here had terms Dickenson streets, is the historical marker for: of a year or less (those with longer terms were shipped off to 25. Luakini Street Honolulu) and were convicted of crimes like desertion, "Luakini" translates as a heiau (temple) where the ruling drunkenness, or working on Sunday. Today, the grounds of chiefs prayed and where human sacrifices were made. This the prison have a much more congenial atmosphere, and are street received its unforgettable name after serving as the rented out to community groups for parties. route for the funeral procession of Princess Harriet Continue down Waihee Street, just past Waianae Place, to Nahienaena, sister of kings Kamehameha II and III. The the small: princess was a victim of the rapid changes in Hawaiian 22. Episcopal Cemetery culture. A convert to Protestantism, she had fallen in love This burial ground tells another story in Hawaii's history. with her brother at an early age. Just 20 years earlier, their During the reign of King Kamehameha IV, his wife, Queen relationship would have been nurtured in order to preserve Emma, formed close ties with British royalty. She encouraged the purity of the royal bloodlines. The missionaries, however, Hawaiians to join the Anglican Church after asking the frowned on brother and sister marrying. In August 1836, the Archbishop of Canterbury to form a church in Hawaii. This couple had a son, who lived only a few short hours. cemetery contains the burial sites of many of those early Nahienaena never recovered, and died in December of that Anglicans. same year (the king was said to mourn her death for years, Next door is: frequently visiting her grave at the Waihee Cemetery). The 23. Hale Aloha route of her funeral procession through the breadfruit and This "house of love" was built in 1858 by Hawaiians in koa trees to the cemetery became known as "Luakini," in "commemoration of God's causing Lahaina to escape the reference to the gods "sacrificing" the beloved princess. smallpox," while it decimated Oahu in 1853, carrying off Turn left on Dickenson and walk down to Front Street, where 5,000 to 6,000 souls. The building served as a church and you'll be back at the starting point. school until the turn of the 20th century, when it fell into