TL;DR Travels

A look into Lahaina before the August 2023 fires

In the second half of July 2023, I was in Lahaina on a brief trip – the sun was fierce and the water beautiful. As with most of my other travels, I had plenty of time to wander around and capture a few photos of different buildings, landmarks, and scenery.

Shortly after that in August, Maui was hit with an incredibly tragic wildfire that has since drastically affected the community. The western side of Maui was deeply impacted, with much of the damage centered on the Lahaina community.

The community and people of Maui are incredibly resilient and are in the process of rebuilding following the disaster. If you’d like to support them or learn more about their efforts, you can head over to the Maui Strong Fund by the Hawai‘i Community Foundation

West Maui and the Lahaina

Lahaina is a deeply significant place in Hawaii’s history. In 1802, Lahaina became the capital of the Hawaiin Kingdom, and the center of its government, at King Kamehameha’s declaration.

A few years later, this community also became a bustling and prosperous whaling village. Soon, Lahaina was filled with sailors, government officials, and missionaries. And while those groups may not have too much in common, each has left a lasting legacy on the community. Front Street became a lively hub for sailors and traders, with shops and businesses lining the streets. The missionaries pushed for the development of schools and the written hawaiin language.

Today, it maintains its rich legacy as a historic place, with memories intertwined throughout the various landmarks and houses. Up until the fires, it was a popular tourist destination for those seeking a fun night out, shopping, nature exploration, or a little bit of education.

The Lahainaluna “L”

In 1904, the famous Lahinaluna L was added to the hillside. While walking on Front Street, the Lahainaluna “L” (pictured here) continues to shine brilliant along the hill, facing out to the sea. Aside from a maintained visible landmark highlighting the school community, the L also plays a significant role in graduation customs and celebrations.

The Historic Buildings of Front Street

As the sun began to set on our walk, we headed over to the famous Banyan tree (which I unbelievably didn’t get any photos of!), the public library and the Royal Taro Patch (which once belonged to King Kamehameha III). I was fascinated – there was something incredibly charming about the Library, with the taro patch out front.

The Library was first established in the 1920s. It started off in the Baldwin house before it was moved to its own building in 1956. Interestingly, the actual walls of the library were incredibly strong, with bits of coral and lava rock incorporated into the wall material. Consequently, while the library was destroyed by the fires, the walls themselves are still standing. As of February 2024, the library had yet to be rebuilt, but the community is pushing to see it and the Royal Taro Patch restored for the people of Lahaina.

Prior to the wildfires, people would be greeted by crowded streets and rows of shops lining Front Street. Many of the buildings were carefully preserved to retain its historic significance. Among those buildings include the ABC Building (1965), Queen Theatre (1933), and the Lahaina Store.

Built in 1933, the Queen Theatre represents the golden age of American cinema. After it closed, it became a commercial space for small businesses. However, from my research it appears this building was permanently damaged in 2023. And it was difficult to find more information about the ABC building or the Lahaina store’s past or present.

The Old Poi Factory is a fairly newer building that opened in the 70s. On my last visit, the front yard appeared to be filled with various other businesses in this once social gathering hub.

The Maui Pineapple Store was also a newer Front Street shop where tourists could get their fill of delicious Maui Gold Pineapples. While they had a store front on Front Street, the actual pineapple farm (which holds tours!) is located on Hali’imaile, another part of the Island. For over 50 years, Maui Gold has continued to produce amazing (they are the BEST pineapples I’ve ever tasted) pineapples for the community and beyond.

This was a fairly brief overview of places I saw (and still had photos of) – if you’re interested in learning more, you can visit:

• CBC News: Lahaina historical landmarks before and after they were devastated by deadly Maui wildfires
• National Park’s Services: Lahaina Historic District
• Maui Gold: Pineapple Challenge

Maui, Lahaina, and the community have continued to weather through and thrive in the various challenges that have been thrown at them. And while it is sad to see so many historic landmarks disappear and lives lost or affected by what happened in August 2023, we have also seen the people band together to rebuild. Please feel free to share your stories of Lahaina or add anything you think I missed!