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Charles Lindbergh's Grave
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PHOTOS |
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Click on a thumbnail to
see a larger version of the photo |
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OVERVIEW |
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Charles Lindbergh, the first man to cross
the Atlantic solo in an airplane, traveled
around the world and visited many beautiful
places. Yet when it was time for him to
depart on his final journey, he chose to
leave from Kipahulu, Maui,
not far from Hana.
Built in 1857, there's a peacefulness surrounding the
Palapala Ho'omau Church and the adjacent cemetery. A huge
banyan tree spreads its branches protectively over the
entrance to the church's enclosed yard. Simple concrete
stepping stones lead into the limestone coral church . At
first, the church is deceptively simple. A plain, dark brown
cross seems to be the only ornament, but as you walk further
into it, there is a painted glass window of Jesus Christ
displayed in a niche on the side of the church. Samuel F.
Pryor, who was Charles Lindbergh's close friend and
neighbor, commissioned a New Zealand artist to do the window
for the church when Pryor restored it many years ago.
Outside, you can see Lindbergh's grave under the shade of a
Java plum tree.
Lindbergh himself sketched out the simple design for his
grave and coffin. He asked his Hawaiian neighbors to dig his
grave and to build his coffin. The grave is 12 feet deep,
approximately 10 feet wide and lined with lava rock. The
coffin is a plain, eucalyptus wood box.
Lindbergh died on the quiet morning of August 26, 1974. His
body was clothed in his favorite working clothes, a long
sleeved shirt and worn pants, and placed into his coffin.
Around noontime, a pick-up truck transported it to the
church without fanfare. A scant 14 people witnessed its
arrival and attended the short ceremony inside the church.
There were no elaborate funeral wreathes and messages of
condolences from around the world. His wife, Anne Morrow
Lindbergh, sat alone in the first pew, her neighbors
gathered behind her protectively. A lone reporter was
reluctantly admitted to the gathering, a silent witness to
record the occasion for the public. Freshly picked flowers,
entwined into a lei, were placed on the coffin. Bouquets of
yellow ginger arranged simply in tall vases decorated the
pulpit. After the ceremony, the men carried his coffin to
his grave and lowered it into the ground. A dump truck stood
by on the side to pour its load of smooth beach pebbles over
the grave. It was pau; Charles A. Lindbergh was home.
The peace that Lindbergh sought in his life is still felt at
Kipahulu. On his grave is inscribed, "If I take the wings of
the morning and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea..."
from Psalms 139. The next line reads, "even there shall thy
hand lead me."
At Samuel Pryor's home, located just a short half-mile away
from the church, there was a sign posted on a pine tree, "If
there is a heaven on earth, it is here, it is here, it is
here." |
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DIRECTIONS |
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The Palapala
Ho'omau Church is located 8 miles south of
Hana on the ocean side of the highway. A
small road just past Mile Marker #41 leads
to the church. |
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