Location

In Central Maui, located on the east flank of the West Maui Mountains and abutting the North Shore of Maui.

Information & History

 Wailuku is Maui's home to medical facilities, state and local governments and county courts. It is also one of Maui's most historically rich communities. While Wailuku fell upon some hard times starting in the 50s and 60s, it is experiencing a renaissance with redevelopment and renovation in the downtown area and new development on its peripheries. Wailuku has been one of the most populous and important communities in Maui since the pre-contact period. The cool east flank of the West Maui Mountains and abundant water made the area popular for native Hawaiians. High Chief Pi'ilani made the area a political center. Later, Kahekili, the last powerful pre-contact area chief on Maui, chose to call the Wailuku area his home.

Kahekili's reign came to an end in 1790 when Kamehamea invaded from the Big Island. The massive battle raged in Wailuku for two days with neither side gaining a decisive advantage. Kamehamea turned the tide in his favor when he brought a canon into the fray. Kahekili and the Maui warriors were forced to retreat into the narrow and steep walled confines of the Iao Valley. Maui's warriors were slaughtered and the Iao River was said to have run red. On and off skirmishes continued for the next couple of years as the people of Maui fought to retain their autonomy. In 1795, Kamehamea invaded again, subduing the island once and for all.

While Wailuku remained a population center throughout the 19th century, the community experienced an era of diminished political significance. In 1800 Kamehamea moved to Lahaina and made it the capital of Hawaii. The 19th century was also a time of increased influence from Anglos. Captain Cook arrived off of Kahului Bay in 1778, but the first missionaries did not arrive in Wailuku until 1832.

The overthrow of the Hawaiian Government in 1904 resulted in the adaptation of American Style government in the islands. Wailuku was chosen over Lahaina as the county seat of the islands of Maui, Lanai and Molokai due to its more modern water system. Wailuku's restored political prominence coincided with a surge in industry. The central valley of Maui became a focal point of sugar cane production and the Wailuku area grew to accommodate the needs of field hands, the Lunas that oversaw field operations and the Sugar Barons.

The Sugar Barons resided in an area bounded by North Main and High Street, establishing this area as one of the most prominent addresses on the island for the better part of the twentieth century. Company stores and Japanese owned markets led to the initial growth of store fronts starting in the mid to late 1800s. By the early 1900s, the intersection of main and market was the busiest on island and a reflection of Wailuku's growing prosperity. The Iao Theater was the first movie theater built in all of the Hawaiian Islands in 1927. While Maui may be next to paradise, it is not immune to some of the problems of the mainland. Suburban communities and strip malls led to the decay of many American urban centers after World War II. Wailuku faced some of these problems as well as a diminished sugar cane industry. Many of its old historic buildings began to fall into disrepair.

Fortunately, many of the beautiful structures that remain from these bygone eras have avoided the wrecking ball and restoration began to occur throughout the mid to late nineties and continues today. The most important first step was the restoration of the Historic Iao Theater in 1995. The Wailuku area redevelopment plan will ensure that older structures are preserved and restored. 

Links:

Maui Map

Central Maui Museums & Landmarks

Central Maui Beaches

Central Maui Hiking & Camping

Central Maui Snorkeling & Scuba Diving

Central Maui Watersports