Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
still visible today. One of the cannons from the fort is across the street at Lahaina Harbor,
facing out toward the water to serve as a reminder of the “tensions” which once gripped
this town.
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Lahaina Courthouse
The old
Lahaina Courthouse
contains the most informative museum in downtown La-
haina. During its tenure as the town's political center, it also served as governor's office,
post office, customs office, and police station, complete with a jail in the underground
basement. The jail is now home to the Lahaina Arts Society's
Old Jail Gallery,
and the
society has its main
Banyan Tree Gallery
on the first floor. Since renovation in 1998, the
Lahaina Visitor Center
(808/667-9193, 9am-5pm daily) has also occupied a room on the
main floor. Here anyone can come for gifts and tourist information and brochures about
the town, and there are also numerous coupon books that can help save you a few dol-
lars. In the old courtroom on the second floor, the
Lahaina Heritage Museum
(9am-5pm
daily, suggested $3 donation) displays historical objects and old photographs, and there is
even the original Hawaiian flag which was lowered from the courthouse on the day it was
replaced in 1898 by the American stars and stripes. On the lower level there is also a small
theater with informative documentaries about life in the islands, and this is a must-stop
venue for anyone with an interest in the history of Lahaina.
Pioneer Inn
Across the street from the courthouse is the historic
Pioneer Inn.
While today it's just a
Best Western hotel with restaurants and shops on the bottom, this site is notable as being
the island's first hotel. Established in 1901, it continued as the West Side's only accom-
modations until 1963. If you pop into the lobby, read the hilarious rules which still hang in
the rooms and govern the behavior of patrons.
Lighthouse
A tall white lighthouse stands on the northern edge of the main loading dock. During sum-
mer months you will also notice local surfers launching themselves into the water by the
breakwall here, and it's the perfect spot for soaking up some sun and people-watching.
What makes this lighthouse historic, however, is that it's the oldest one in the state of
Hawai'i, constructed in 1840 as an aid to whaling ships navigating offshore.
