Lahaina ( haw, Lāhainā) is the largest
census-designated place
A census-designated place (CDP) is a concentration of population defined by the United States Census Bureau for statistical purposes only.
CDPs have been used in each decennial census since 1980 as the counterparts of incorporated places, such ...
(CDP) in West Maui,
Maui County
Maui County, officially the County of Maui, is a county in the U.S. state of Hawaii. It consists of the islands of Maui, Lānai, Molokai (except for a portion of Molokai that comprises Kalawao County), Kahoolawe, and Molokini. The latter two a ...
,
Hawaii
Hawaii ( ; haw, Hawaii or ) is a state in the Western United States, located in the Pacific Ocean about from the U.S. mainland. It is the only U.S. state outside North America, the only state that is an archipelago, and the only stat ...
, United States and includes the
Kaanapali
Kaanapali ( haw, Kāanapali) is a census-designated place (CDP) in Maui County, Hawaii, United States, on the island of Maui. The population was 1,161 at the 2020 census. The master-planned town is located in the Old Hawaii ahupuaa of Hanakaʻ ...
and
Kapalua
Kapalua is a census-designated place (CDP) in Maui County, Hawaii, United States. A resort development by the Maui Land & Pineapple Company extends inland from Kapalua Bay and Honolua Bay. The population was 495 at the 2020 census.
Geography ...
beach resorts. As of the
2020 census, the CDP had a resident population of 12,702. Lahaina encompasses the coast along
Hawaii Route 30
Hawaii Route 30, also known as the Honoapi'ilani Highway, is a road on West Maui, Hawaii. It begins in downtown Wailuku, extending south through Waikapu and Maalaea. The Olowalu Tunnel, located at mile 10.4, is long.
Following terrain of th ...
from a tunnel at the south end, through Olowalu and to the CDP of
Napili-Honokowai to the north. During the tourist season, the population can swell to nearly 40,000 people.
Lahaina's popularity as a tropical getaway has made its real estate some of the most expensive in Hawaii; many houses and condominiums sell for more than $5 million.
History
In days of native rule Lahaina was the royal capital of
Maui Loa
The island of Maui (; Hawaiian: ) is the second-largest of the islands of the state of Hawaii at 727.2 square miles (1,883 km2) and is the 17th largest island in the United States. Maui is the largest of Maui County's four islands, whic ...
, ("high chief") of the island of Maui, after he ceded the royal seat of Hana to the ruler of
Hawaii Island
Hawaii ( ; haw, Hawaii ) is the largest island in the United States, located in the state of Hawaii. It is the southeasternmost of the Hawaiian Islands, a chain of volcanic islands in the North Pacific Ocean. With an area of , it has 63% of t ...
. In Lahaina, the focus of activity is along Front Street, which dates back to the 1820s. It is lined with stores and restaurants and often packed with tourists. The
Banyan Court Park features an exceptionally large
banyan tree
A banyan, also spelled "banian", is a fig that develops accessory trunks from adventitious prop roots, allowing the tree to spread outwards indefinitely. This distinguishes banyans from other trees with a strangler habit that begin life as a ...
(''Ficus benghalensis'') planted by
William Owen Smith
William Owen Smith (August 4, 1848 – April 13, 1929) was a lawyer from a family of American missionaries who participated in the overthrow of the Kingdom of Hawaii. He was attorney general for the entire duration of the Provisional Governmen ...
on April 24, 1873, to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the arrival of Christian missionaries. It is also the site of the reconstructed ruins of
Lahaina Fort
Lahaina Banyan Court Park is a public park located at the corner of Front Street and Canal Street in the town of Lahaina, Hawaii, which was the capital of the Kingdom of Hawaii from 1820 to 1845. The park, also known as Lahaina Courthouse Squa ...
, originally built in 1832. It is the largest Banyan Tree in the United States.
was an ancient name of Lahaina. The
Hawaiian language
Hawaiian (', ) is a Polynesian language of the Austronesian language family that takes its name from Hawaii, the largest island in the tropical North Pacific archipelago where it developed. Hawaiian, along with English, is an official language o ...
name means "cruel sun", describing the
sunny dry climate. Lahaina's historic district averages only of rain per year, much of which occurs from December to February.
![Lahaina, Maui, T](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/ea/Lahaina%2C_Maui%2C_T.H._-_Formerly_the_Capital_-_NARA_-_296063.jpg)
In 1795, before unification of the islands, the town was conquered by
Kamehameha the Great
Kamehameha I (; Kalani Paiea Wohi o Kaleikini Kealiikui Kamehameha o Iolani i Kaiwikapu kaui Ka Liholiho Kūnuiākea; – May 8 or 14, 1819), also known as Kamehameha the Great, was the conqueror and first ruler of the Kingdom of Hawaii. T ...
. Lahaina was the capital of the
Kingdom of Hawaii
The Hawaiian Kingdom, or Kingdom of Hawaiʻi ( Hawaiian: ''Ko Hawaiʻi Pae ʻĀina''), was a sovereign state located in the Hawaiian Islands. The country was formed in 1795, when the warrior chief Kamehameha the Great, of the independent island ...
from 1802 to 1845. King
Kamehameha III
Kamehameha III (born Kauikeaouli) (March 17, 1814 – December 15, 1854) was the third king of the Kingdom of Hawaii from 1825 to 1854. His full Hawaiian name is Keaweaweula Kīwalaō Kauikeaouli Kaleiopapa and then lengthened to Keaweaweula K ...
, son of Kamehameha I, preferred the town to bustling
Honolulu
Honolulu (; ) is the capital and largest city of the U.S. state of Hawaii, which is in the Pacific Ocean. It is an unincorporated county seat of the consolidated City and County of Honolulu, situated along the southeast coast of the island ...
. He built a palace complex on a island
Mokuula surrounded by a pond called Moku Hina, said to be home to Kiwahine, a spiritual protector of Maui and the Pi'ilani royal line, near the center of town.
In 1824, at the chiefs' request,
Betsey Stockton
Betsey Stockton (c. 1798–1865), sometimes spelled Betsy Stockton, was an American educator and missionary in Hawaii.
Life
Betsey was born into slavery in Princeton, New Jersey, about the year 1798. While she was a child, her owner Robert Stockt ...
started the first mission school open to the common people. It was once an important destination for the 19th-century whaling fleet, whose presence at Lahaina frequently led to conflicts with the
Christian
Christians () are people who follow or adhere to Christianity, a monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. The words ''Christ'' and ''Christian'' derive from the Koine Greek title ''Christós'' (Χρι ...
missionaries
A missionary is a member of a religious group which is sent into an area in order to promote its faith or provide services to people, such as education, literacy, social justice, health care, and economic development.Thomas Hale 'On Being a Mi ...
living there. On more than one occasion the conflict was so severe that it led to sailor riots and even the shelling of Lahaina by the British whaler in 1827.
In response, Maui Governor
Hoapili
Ulumāheihei Hoapili (c. 1775 – January 3, 1840) was a member of the nobility during the formation of the Kingdom of Hawaii. He was a trusted military and political advisor to King Kamehameha I, known as "Kamehameha the Great". Although trusted w ...
built the
Old Lahaina Fort in 1831 to protect the town from riotous sailors.
Lahaina was the capital of the
Kingdom of Hawaii
The Hawaiian Kingdom, or Kingdom of Hawaiʻi ( Hawaiian: ''Ko Hawaiʻi Pae ʻĀina''), was a sovereign state located in the Hawaiian Islands. The country was formed in 1795, when the warrior chief Kamehameha the Great, of the independent island ...
from 1820 to 1845, when the capital was moved back to
Honolulu
Honolulu (; ) is the capital and largest city of the U.S. state of Hawaii, which is in the Pacific Ocean. It is an unincorporated county seat of the consolidated City and County of Honolulu, situated along the southeast coast of the island ...
. In the 19th century, Lahaina was the center of the global
whaling
Whaling is the process of hunting of whales for their usable products such as meat and blubber, which can be turned into a type of oil that became increasingly important in the Industrial Revolution.
It was practiced as an organized industry ...
industry, with many
sailing ship
A sailing ship is a sea-going vessel that uses sails mounted on masts to harness the power of wind and propel the vessel. There is a variety of sail plans that propel sailing ships, employing square-rigged or fore-and-aft sails. Some ships c ...
s anchoring at its waterfront; today pleasure craft make their home there. Lahaina's Front Street has been ranked one of the "Top Ten Greatest Streets" by the
American Planning Association
The American Planning Association (APA) is a professional organization representing the field of urban planning in the United States. APA was formed in 1978, when two separate professional planning organizations, the American Institute of Pla ...
.
Geography
According to the
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The Census Bureau is part of the ...
, the CDP has a total area of , of which is land and , or 16.26%, is water.
Demographics
Climate
There are many different climates in the different districts of Lahaina. The historic district is the driest and calmest and hosts the small boat harbor.
Kaanapali
Kaanapali ( haw, Kāanapali) is a census-designated place (CDP) in Maui County, Hawaii, United States, on the island of Maui. The population was 1,161 at the 2020 census. The master-planned town is located in the Old Hawaii ahupuaa of Hanakaʻ ...
is north of a wind line and has double the annual rainfall and frequent breezes. The Kapalua and Napili areas have almost four times the annual rainfall compared to the historic district of Lahaina.
Lahaina has a hot
semi-arid climate
A semi-arid climate, semi-desert climate, or steppe climate is a dry climate sub-type. It is located on regions that receive precipitation below potential evapotranspiration, but not as low as a desert climate. There are different kinds of semi-ar ...
(
Köppen Köppen is a German surname. Notable people with the surname include:
* Bernd Köppen (born 1951), German pianist and composer
* Carl Köppen (1833-1907), German military advisor in Meiji era Japan
* Edlef Köppen (1893–1939), German author and ...
''BSh'') with warm temperatures year-round.
Attractions
The southern end of Front Street is home to
the largest banyan tree in the United States.
Front Street is a popular attraction with stores and restaurants, as well as many
historical sights such as the Bailey Museum, the Lahaina Courthouse, and the Prison.
The West Maui mountains have valleys visible from the
historic district of Lahaina. The valleys are the backdrop for "the 5 o'clock rainbow" that happens almost every day. The "L" in the West Maui mountains stands for Lahainaluna High School and has been there since 1904. In 1831 a fort was built for defense, and the reconstructed remains of its walls and original cannons can still be seen. Also near the small boat harbor are the historic Pioneer Inn and the Baldwin House museum in the historic district of Lahaina.
Hale Pai, located at
Lahainaluna High School
Lahainaluna High School is a public high school with the grades 9-12 located in Lahaina (on the island of Maui). Lahainaluna High School is also a public boarding school. It was founded in 1831 as a Protestant missionary school, originally name ...
, is the site of Hawaii's first printing press, including Hawaii's first paper currency, printed in 1843.
The Plantation Course at Kapalua hosts the
PGA Tour
The PGA Tour (stylized in all capital letters as PGA TOUR by its officials) is the organizer of professional golf tours in the United States and North America. It organizes most of the events on the flagship annual series of tournaments also k ...
's
Sentry Tournament of Champions
The Sentry Tournament of Champions is the calendar-year opening tournament of golf's PGA Tour season, played in Hawaii on the island of Maui. The tournament was founded in 1953; for most of its history the field was restricted to golfers who won a ...
every January.
''
Carthaginian II
''Carthaginian II'' was a steel-hulled brig outfitted as a whaler, which served as a symbol of that industry in the harbor of the former whaling town Lāhainā on the Hawaiian island of Maui. Built in 1920 and brought to Maui in 1973, the square ...
'' was a
museum ship
A museum ship, also called a memorial ship, is a ship that has been preserved and converted into a museum open to the public for educational or memorial purposes. Some are also used for training and recruitment purposes, mostly for the small numb ...
moored in the harbor of this former
whaling
Whaling is the process of hunting of whales for their usable products such as meat and blubber, which can be turned into a type of oil that became increasingly important in the Industrial Revolution.
It was practiced as an organized industry ...
port-of-call. Built in 1920 and brought to Maui in 1973, it served as a whaling museum until 2005, and after being sunk in of water about offshore to create an
artificial reef
An artificial reef is a human-created underwater structure, typically built to promote marine life in areas with a generally featureless bottom, to control erosion, block ship passage, block the use of trawling nets, or improve surfing.
Many re ...
, now serves as a diving destination. It replaced an earlier replica of a
whaler
A whaler or whaling ship is a specialized vessel, designed or adapted for whaling: the catching or processing of whales.
Terminology
The term ''whaler'' is mostly historic. A handful of nations continue with industrial whaling, and one, Japa ...
,
''Carthaginian'', which had been converted to film scenes for the 1966 movie
''Hawaii''.
Halloween
Halloween or Hallowe'en (less commonly known as Allhalloween, All Hallows' Eve, or All Saints' Eve) is a celebration observed in many countries on 31 October, the eve of the Western Christian feast of All Saints' Day. It begins the observanc ...
is a major celebration in Lahaina, with crowds averaging between twenty and thirty thousand people.
["In Lahaina, a monumental Maui Halloween"](_blank)
from ''Island Life'' October 29, 2004 The evening starts off by closing Front Street to vehicles so the "Keiki Parade" of children in costumes can begin. Eventually, adults in costumes join in. Some refer to Halloween night in Lahaina as the "Mardi Gras of the Pacific". In 2008 the celebration was curtailed due to the objections of a group of cultural advisers who felt Halloween was an affront to Hawaiian culture. In the following years the event was poorly attended, as the street was not closed and no costume contest took place. In 2011, citing economic concerns, the County permitted the event to fully resume.
From November to May, whale-watching excursions are popular with tourists. The peak season for whale watching in Lahaina is January to March.
The humpback whale is by far the most common baleen species found in Hawaiian waters, although there have been rare sightings of fin, minke, Bryde’s, blue, and North Pacific right whales as well.
Each November, Lahaina hosts the
Maui Invitational, one of the top early-season tournaments in
college basketball
In United States colleges, top-tier basketball is governed by collegiate athletic bodies including National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA), the United States Collegiate Athleti ...
. The event is sponsored by
Maui Jim
Maui Jim is an American sunglasses manufacturer based in Peoria, Illinois.
Founded in Lahaina, Hawaii, in 1980, the company designs, develops, and manufactures a wide variety of sunglasses marketed under the eponymous brand name. As of 2015, it ...
and is held in the
Lahaina Civic Center
The Lahaina Civic Center is a sports, convention and entertainment complex located at Ka'a'ahi Street and Honoapi'ilani Highway in Lahaina, Hawaii, on the island of Maui. It is the site of the annual Maui Invitational Basketball Tournament, ...
.
The
Lahaina Aquatic Center hosts swim meets and water polo.
Lahaina also hosts the finish of the
Vic-Maui Yacht Race
The Victoria to Maui International Yacht Race (Vic-Maui), the longest offshore sailing race off the west coast of North America, is the pinnacle of Pacific Northwest ocean racing. First contested in 1965, since 1968 the Vic-Maui has run in even-n ...
, which starts in
Victoria, British Columbia
Victoria is the capital city of the Canadian province of British Columbia, on the southern tip of Vancouver Island off Canada's Pacific coast. The city has a population of 91,867, and the Greater Victoria area has a population of 397,237. Th ...
, Canada. This race started in the 1960s and is held every two years.
The historic district has preserved 60 historic sites within a small area and they are managed by the Lahaina Restoration.
Crime rate
The chances of becoming a victim of crime in Lahaina is 1 in 385, compared to a higher rate of 1 in 323 in the State of Hawaii as a whole.
Media references
There have been many movies that were filmed in Lahaina such as
Clint Eastwood
Clinton Eastwood Jr. (born May 31, 1930) is an American actor and film director. After achieving success in the Western TV series '' Rawhide'', he rose to international fame with his role as the "Man with No Name" in Sergio Leone's "''Doll ...
's
''Hereafter'', in which a monster tsunami ravages Front Street.
* 1961 – ''
The Devil at 4 O'Clock
''The Devil at 4 O'Clock'' is a 1961 American adventure film directed by Mervyn LeRoy and starring Spencer Tracy and Frank Sinatra. Based on a 1958 novel with the same title by British writer Max Catto, the film was a precursor to ''Krakatoa, Eas ...
'' starring
Spencer Tracy
Spencer Bonaventure Tracy (April 5, 1900 – June 10, 1967) was an American actor. He was known for his natural performing style and versatility. One of the major stars of Hollywood's Golden Age, Tracy was the first actor to win two cons ...
and
Frank Sinatra
Francis Albert Sinatra (; December 12, 1915 – May 14, 1998) was an American singer and actor. Nicknamed the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, Chairman of the Board" and later called "Ol' Blue Eyes", Sinatra was one of the most popular ...
* 1970 – ''
The Hawaiians (film)
''The Hawaiians'', released in the UK as ''Master of the Islands'', is a 1970 United States historical film based on the 1959 novel ''Hawaii'' by James A. Michener. It was directed by Tom Gries with a screenplay by James R. Webb. The cast inclu ...
'' starring
Charlton Heston
Charlton Heston (born John Charles Carter; October 4, 1923April 5, 2008) was an American actor and political activist.
As a Hollywood star, he appeared in almost 100 films over the course of 60 years. He played Moses in the epic film ''The Ten C ...
* 1973 – ''
Papillon'' starring
Steve McQueen
Terrence Stephen McQueen (March 24, 1930November 7, 1980) was an American actor. His antihero persona, emphasized during the height of the counterculture of the 1960s, made him a top box-office draw for his films of the late 1950s, 1960s, and 1 ...
and
Dustin Hoffman
Dustin Lee Hoffman (born August 8, 1937) is an American actor and filmmaker. As one of the key actors in the formation of New Hollywood, Hoffman is known for his versatile portrayals of antiheroes and emotionally vulnerable characters. He is th ...
, filmed in
Hana
Hana or HANA may refer to:
Places Europe
* Haná, an ethnic region in Moravia, Czech Republic
* Traianoupoli, Greece, called Hana during the Ottoman period
* Hana, Norway, a borough in the city of Sandnes, Norway
West Asia
* Hana, Iran, a ci ...
.
* 1992 – ''
Baraka
Baraka or Barakah may refer to:
* Berakhah or Baraka, in Judaism, a blessing usually recited during a ceremony
* Barakah or Baraka, in Islam, the beneficent force from God that flows through the physical and spiritual spheres
* Baraka, full ''ḥ ...
'', filmed at
Haleakala National Park
* 1993 – ''
Jurassic Park
''Jurassic Park'', later also referred to as ''Jurassic World'', is an American science fiction media franchise created by Michael Crichton and centered on a disastrous attempt to create a theme park of cloned dinosaurs. It began in 1990 when ...
''
* 1997 – ''
Turbo: A Power Rangers Movie'', filmed at
Iao Valley
Iao Valley ( Hawaiian: ''Īao'': "cloud supreme", pronounced similar to "EE-yow") is a lush, stream-cut valley in West Maui, Hawaii, located west of Wailuku. Because of its natural environment and history, it has become a tourist location. It w ...
* 2002 – ''
Die Another Day
''Die Another Day'' is a 2002 spy film and the twentieth film in the ''James Bond'' series produced by Eon Productions. It was produced by Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli, and directed by Lee Tamahori. The fourth and final film starrin ...
'', a 007 film, filmed at
Peahi (Jaws). Features clips of famous surfers,
Laird Hamilton
Laird John Hamilton (born March 2, 1964) is an American big-wave surfer, co-inventor of tow-in surfing, and an occasional fashion and action-sports model and actor. He is married to Gabrielle Reece, a professional volleyball player, television ...
, Dave Kalama, and Darrick Doerner.
* 2003 – ''
The Hulk
The Hulk is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Stan Lee and artist Jack Kirby, the character first appeared in the debut issue of ''The Incredible Hulk'' (May 1962). In his comic book ...
'', filmed on
Kahakaloa
* 2004 – ''
Riding Giants'', filmed at
Peahi (Jaws)
* 2007 – ''
Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End'', filmed in Pukalani.
* It is also mentioned in the song
"The Last Resort" by The
Eagles
Eagle is the common name for many large birds of prey of the family Accipitridae. Eagles belong to several groups of genera, some of which are closely related. Most of the 68 species of eagle are from Eurasia and Africa. Outside this area, just ...
from their 1976 album, ''
Hotel California
"Hotel California" is the title track from the Eagles' album of the same name and was released as a single in February 1977. Writing credits for the song are shared by Don Felder (music), Don Henley, and Glenn Frey (lyrics). Joe Walsh came ...
''.
Gallery
Image:Banyan-tree-Lahaina-Hawaii.jpg, The banyan tree in Courthouse Square is the largest banyan tree in the United States.
File:Photo May 07, 5 43 14 PM .png, Rainbow over the West Maui Mountains
The West Maui Mountains, West Maui Volcano, or Mauna Kahālāwai which means "holding house of water," is approximately 1.7 million years old and forms a much eroded shield volcano that constitutes the western quarter of Maui. Since its last erup ...
Image:BanyanatLāhainā.jpg, The banyan tree
Image:Baldwin House.JPG, The Baldwin House, a historical landmark built in the 1800s
File:MauiActivities&Tours.jpg , Breaching humpback whale
The humpback whale (''Megaptera novaeangliae'') is a species of baleen whale. It is a rorqual (a member of the family Balaenopteridae) and is the only species in the genus ''Megaptera''. Adults range in length from and weigh up to . The hump ...
off beach of Lahaina
File:Lahaina town at night Maui (45690017512).jpg, Lahaina town at night, Maui
File:Mala Ramp.jpg, Mala Ramp
File:Lahaina Aquatic Center.jpg, Lahaina Aquatic Center
File:TOWN OF LAHINA, SITE OF SUGAR MILL AND A FAST GROWING TOURIST AREA. THE LAND USE COMMISSION HAS NOT MADE A DEFINITIVE... - NARA - 554058.jpg, Lahina in 1973
See also
*
Lahaina Historic District
Lahaina Historic District is a National Historic Landmark District encompassing most of the community of Lahaina, Hawaii, on the west side of the island of Maui in the US state of Hawaii. Designated in 1962, the district recognizes Lahaina for ...
*
Lahaina Noon
Lāhainā Noon is a semi-annual tropical solar phenomenon when the Sun culminates at the zenith at solar noon, passing directly overhead (above the subsolar point). The term ''Lāhainā Noon'' was coined by the Bishop Museum in Hawai'i.
Detai ...
*
Living Lahaina
References
External links
Community website Maui Guidebook article*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Lahaina
Census-designated places in Maui County, Hawaii
Capitals of former nations
Beaches of Maui
Populated places on Maui
Whaling in the Hawaiian Kingdom
Populated coastal places in Hawaii