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Maui History & Cultural Activities
Museums & Historical Landmarks
West Maui
Lahaina Lighthouse |
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History &
Information
The Lahaina Lighthouse stands at the edge of the harbor in
Lahaina’s Historic District. King Kamehameha in 1840 ordered
a wooden tower built as an aid to navigation for the whaling
ships. It was built on a section of waterfront known as
Keawaiki which means literally, “the small passage,”
referring to a narrow break through a coral reef leading to
protected anchorage. On November 4th, 1840, it was first
lighted. It was a tall box-like structure, nine feet high
built in a suitable position facing the landing. This
structure was the first lighted navigational aid in the
Hawaiian Islands.
Because of missing Department of Interior public works
records before 1860, it is difficult to know just when a
second lighthouse was built to replace the original tower.
However, it was described as being 19 feet by 25 feet. But
as Lahaina grew, the navigational light became almost
indistinguishable from other lights showing at night from
the buildings on land. Mr. Edward Duvauchelle installed a
light on his Union Hotel, which helped the mariners until
1856 when the government installed two powerful locomotive
lamps by the Custom House. Repairs and improvements
continued to be made to the lighthouse with a new one being
built and put in operation on November 8, 1866. The new
design was a store-house building with a light tower built
on top, which contained the light room and a sleeping room
for the keeper. The new lamps burned kerosene oil, instead
of whale oil. The owners of a sugar plantation, Mr. James
Campbell and Mr. Harry Turton, leased the storehouse each
year until 1871 when the lease was secured by Colonel L.S.
Spalding and the West Maui Sugar Association.
Through the 1870’s and 1880’s repairs and maintenance were
made almost on an annual basis. In 1893 the Hawaiian
monarchy was overthrown. During the next 10 years the Harbor
Master, Captain David Taylor, assumed responsibility for the
light. He was succeeded by George H. Dunne who remained
keeper of the Lahaina Light during the political transitions
from provisional government to a republic. Dunne remained
keeper when the U.S. Lighthouse Board assumed responsibility
for the Hawaiian navigational aids.
The Lahaina Roadstead continued to be the most important
shipping destination on Maui. The Lighthouse Board erected a
completely new lighthouse in 1905. The new lighthouse was a
wooden pyramidal tower fifty-five feet tall which raised the
focal plane of light to sixty feet above high water. The new
light served the Roadstead well for the next decade during
which plans were made to automate many of the lighthouses in
the islands. Consequently, by 1917 a new reinforced concrete
tower housing an automatic light was completed. In 1937,
electricity was brought in to turn the light on and off. A
photoelectric cell was placed in the north window in the
base of the concrete tower. A two-lamp changer was installed
so that if one lamp burned out the other automatically
revolved into place. There was also a battery-operated
backup system that switched on in case of an electrical
outage. The characteristic signal was a red flashing three
second light visible twelve miles at sea.
The Lahaina Light, which today flashes red every 7.5
seconds, is a shining example of the importance of historic
preservation. In 1996 the LRF signed a 30 year lease
agreement with the Coast Guard and assumed responsibility
for maintenance of the site.
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