For many tourists, the town of Lahaina on the island of Maui, Hawaii is a getaway for a tropical beach vacation, but for Hawaii's residents, it's a treasure trove of history. Recently, a wildfire in Hawaii, USA, devastated the island of Maui, and also swept through the town of Lahaina (Lahaina), the tourist center of Maui. Most of the local historical districts, many historical and cultural relics were destroyed or turned into Ashes, including the famous Cantonese Guild Hall (Wo Hing Temple Museum), Lahaina Heritage Museum, Baldwin Home Museum, Lahaina Banyan Tree and more.

On August 8, 2023 local time, Hawaii, USA, the historic Waiola Church in Lahaina and the nearby Hongwanji Church in Lahaina were engulfed in a fire.

For many tourists, the town of Lahaina on the island of Maui, Hawaii is a getaway for a tropical beach vacation, but for Hawaii's residents, it's a treasure trove of history.

Its heritage museum, the Lahaina Heritage Museum (Lahaina Heritage Museum), is located in the local landmark old courthouse and houses cultural relics from the Native Hawaiian period. Its oldest building, the Baldwin Home, was the home of Baldwin, a 19th-century physician who saved Maui from a smallpox epidemic. Its most distinctive relic is a 150-year-old banyan tree (The Lahaina banyan tree), which was planted to commemorate the arrival of Christian missionaries in 1873.

"Wildfire" sweeps through Maui

Last Wednesday (August 8), wildfires sparked by the hurricane devastated the island of Maui and also leveled much of the historic district of Lahaina, Maui's tourist hub. The town of Lahaina, the center of the wildfire, was once the capital of the Kingdom of Hawaii. In 1962, the National Park Service of the United States designated the Lahaina Historic District as a National Historic Landmark. There are more than 30 historic sites in the town. The city still retains the unique local classical atmosphere and is a leisurely and slow-paced city. According to related media reports, properties including the Lahaina Heritage Museum, the Baldwin House, the Lahaina Banyan Tree and more were destroyed or reduced to ashes in the wildfire.

"We had no preparations, no warnings, nothing," said Theo Morrison, executive director of the Lahaina Restoration Foundation, which oversees the historic town's work. Of 14 major historic buildings, the foundation lost several sites in the fire.

Including the Hexing Guild Hall, a century-old building of Guangdong Chinese, this famous Chinese history museum was not spared in the fire. Hexing Guild Hall was built by Chinese immigrants in 1912. It records the historical contribution of Chinese to the construction of Hawaii and is also a popular social and gathering place for Chinese. According to relevant media reports, between 1852 and 1898, tens of thousands of Chinese came to Maui. They settled here and helped build tunnels, bridges and irrigation systems. The first floor of the hall is a museum and a gift shop, displaying Sun Yat-sen related cultural relics. The second floor is "Xietian Palace", which has a built-in altar and enshrines the statue of Guan Gong. In the early days, this was the Loyalty Hall where disciples of the "Hongmen" worshiped Guan Gong. There is also a kitchen in the courtyard of the guild hall, which has been used as a screening room before the fire for tourists to enjoy the stories of Chinese history.

A hundred-year-old building of Guangdong Chinese——Wo Hing Temple Museum

A huge 150-year-old banyan tree in the city center was also destroyed by the fire. The tree was planted in 1873 on the site of Kamehameha's first palace. The banyan tree, the size of a city block, sprawled along the town's Front Street, the Hawaii Tourism Authority said.

News photos of the Baldwin House, the main office of the Lahaina Restoration Foundation, showed its roof burnt to the ground after catching fire. The house preserves the wooden rocking chairs that the Reverend Dwight Baldwin's family brought all the way from their East Coast home in the 1830s, their son's collection of antique shells, and Dr. Baldwin - a A missionary and doctor—the medical device used to vaccinate much of Maui against smallpox.

The Old Lahaina Courthouse in west Maui, Hawaii, houses the Lahaina Heritage Museum, but was destroyed by a fast-spreading wildfire on August 8, 2023.

The roof of the beautiful old Lahaina Courthouse, which is also home to the Lahaina Heritage Museum, is also completely gone and only four walls remain. The museum houses Hawaiian artifacts and provides visitors with a comprehensive understanding of the town's history, including its pre-colonial Native days and evolution through missionary efforts, and the impact of whaling, plantations, and tourism on its development.

Local residents described the fire as it blew through the nearby grasslands and roared through the historic tourist town under the hurricane's blowing at the time of the incident. Local cultural heritage protection agencies and residents hope that after the fire subsides, at least some buildings on the island can be restored. "This is the most destructive thing that has happened in the history of this town."

Heritage Museum inside the Old Lahaina Courthouse

The Lahaina Heritage Museum offers visitors a comprehensive, interactive way to learn about Lahaina's rich and varied history, from the Native Hawaiian period to the monarchy, including the missionary and whaling periods, and from the plantation days to the early tourism. Not only has Lahaina seen it all, but this picturesque village played an important role in the development of the Kingdom of Hawaii, the Republic, and the State of Hawaii. The "Lahaina Forever" exhibit at the Heritage Museum is the first to tell the entire story of Lahaina in one place.

Lahaina Heritage Museum

Artifacts on display at the Lahaina Heritage Museum

On the second-floor platform of the museum is a large topographic map of Maui that glows when touched, as well as a chronology of Hawaiian history and the 1898 flag of the Kingdom of Hawaii that once flew over the courthouse. Poignant black and white photographs of Lahaina sites and scenes from the early 20th century are displayed along the corridors of the first floor. Also included in the exhibit is a touchscreen and a video about the Hawaiian Islands' Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary. Because the calm waters of Lahaina are the birthplace and breeding grounds of North Pacific humpback whales.

The Baldwin House: Missionary Life in a Hawaiian Village

The Baldwin House is the oldest house on Maui and is a landmark in the heart of historic Lahaina. The original four-room, single-storey structure was built by the Reverend Ephraim Spaulding in 1834-1835 when it was known as the "Preacher's Court". From this area there is a direct view of the Lahaina Pier and the anchorage where the whalers are moored.

The Baldwin House before the fire destroyed it

When Rev. Ephraim Spaulding fell ill and returned to Massachusetts in 1836, the Reverend Dwight Baldwin, a medical missionary, and his family moved into the house, and the Maui pioneer saga began.

Newlyweds Baldwin and wife Charlotte Fowler sailed from New England around Cape Horn in South America on a six-month voyage to Oahu. They were first sent to the island of Hawaii, arriving in Maui in 1835. The couple had eight children, all born in Hawaii, though two died of dysentery before they were three.

As their family expanded, so did the house. In 1840, a bedroom and a medical study were added, and in 1849, the entire second floor was completed, which is the structure seen today. Facing the prevailing winds from the ocean, the house has larger windows at the front and consists of 24-inch thick walls and high ceilings to keep the interior cool.

Historical photos of Baldwin House, the picture above is from 1908 and the picture below is from 1920

The Baldwins lived a busy and dynamic life in Lahaina, opening their home to weary travelers and ship captains for overnight stays. They often host Hawaiian royals and visiting consuls at their home, which has been a bustling hub of activity.

Reverend and Mrs. Baldwin lived in Lahaina until 1868, then moved to Oahu to retire near their daughter. Charlotte Baldwin died at 67 and Dwight Baldwin lived to be 88.

In 1967, the heirs of the Baldwin family transferred the Baldwin House to the Lahaina Restoration Foundation. On the basis of careful documentary and archaeological research, it was restored to its mid-19th-century design. Inside are original photographs and artifacts, as well as donated furniture representing the 1850s. The Baldwin House Museum is documented in the Library of Congress's Survey of Historic American Buildings. It will forever remain in the public domain as a sincere tribute to Dr. Baldwin and his outstanding contributions to the Maui community.

Lahaina Banyan Tree: How It Formed

Dominating the courthouse square in downtown Lahaina is the most striking giant banyan tree. A quarter of a mile in circumference, its octopus-like limbs spread outward, spreading a vast network of branches, leaves, and aerial roots toward the surrounding streets and buildings. It's so extraordinary, almost surreal, that it looks more like a magical prop from a Tim Burton movie than a real-life organism. How did this "giant" take root in the small port of Lahaina? The story goes like this:

The huge 150-year-old banyan tree in the center of the town before the fire destroyed it

The tree was planted in 1873 on the site of Kamehameha's first palace. It is now more than 60 feet tall, with 46 main trunks in addition to the massive original trunk, and shades nearly two-thirds of an acre. The Maui County Board of Arborists meticulously maintains the health and shape of this majestic tree. It is the largest banyan tree in the entire United States. In recent years, the court square has been renamed "Banyan Tree Park" to commemorate it. The Lahaina Restoration Foundation manages the park's grounds.

Historical photos of the Lahaina banyan tree Top: 1908, Bottom: A recent photo before it was destroyed by the fire

Over the years, the Lahaina banyan has served many purposes. First of all, it's a great place to relax. Several benches are scattered under the large canopy to rest weary feet after a long day of sightseeing and shopping. It is also a favorite of photographers. Long, undulating branches and slender roots make for an interesting backdrop. It also celebrated its 150th birthday in April this year and is popular with tourists and honeymooners.

[This article is compiled and reported according to Lahaina Restoration Foundation official website, ART news, Southern Metropolis Daily, etc.]