Lahaina Banyan Court Park facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Lahaina Banyan Court Park |
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Lahaina Banyan Court Park facing east from the corner of Hotel and Wharf Street
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| Type | Natural Area |
| Location | Lahaina, Maui |
| Area | 1.94 acres (0.79 ha) |
| Created | 1873 |
| Operated by | County of Maui |
| Open | All year |
| Parking | Limited public parking |
Lahaina Banyan Court Park is a cool public park in Lahaina, Hawaii. This town was once the capital of the Kingdom of Hawaii. The park is about 1.94 acres big. People also call it Lahaina Courthouse Square or Banyan Tree Park.
This park is home to many important historical sites. You can even take a self-guided tour here. It's a great place to learn about Hawaii's past.
The park sits where the Old Lahaina Fort once stood. This fort was built in 1831. It helped protect the town from rowdy sailors. Lahaina was a busy port for whaling ships back then.
After the fort was taken down in 1854, a courthouse was built there. A small part of the old fort was rebuilt in 1964. Today, the old Lahaina Courthouse is a historic landmark. It houses art groups and foundations.
In 1873, Sheriff William Owen Smith planted a special tree. It was an Indian banyan tree. He planted it to celebrate 50 years since the first American missionaries arrived in Lahaina. This banyan tree is now the biggest in Hawaii. It's also one of the largest in the United States. Its huge trunk and roots cover about 0.66 acres. The park is looked after by the County of Maui and the Lahaina Restoration Foundation.
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Exploring Lahaina Banyan Court Park
Lahaina Banyan Court Park is located in the port of Lahaina town. This town is on the west side of the Hawaiian island of Maui. The park is about 1.94 acres. It sits where the old Lahaina Fort used to be. It is right across from the Lahaina small boat harbor.
The park is surrounded by streets. Hotel Street is to the north, Canal Street to the south. Wharf Street is to the west, and Front Street to the east. Nearby historic spots include the Pioneer Inn. There is also the King Kamehameha III Elementary School campus. This school site has ancient Hawaiian history.
The Historic Lahaina Fort
The historic Fort at Lahaina once faced Lahaina Harbor. Today, you can see a rebuilt part of its wall. This is at the southern corner of the park. The original Lahaina Fort was torn down in 1854. But in 1964, the State Parks Department rebuilt a section of the old fort wall. This spot was even used in a 1961 movie called The Devil at 4 O'Clock.
Lahaina was once the capital of Hawaii. It was also where the royal family lived.
Why the Fort Was Built
In the early 1800s, many whaling ships came to Hawaii. They often stopped in Lahaina for supplies. In 1820, the first Christian missionaries arrived. They wanted to share their beliefs.
The missionaries worked with Hoapili, the Governor of Maui. They made rules to control the sailors' behavior. For example, they tried to stop sailors from causing trouble. These rules made some sailors very angry. In 1825, a ship called the Daniel caused a riot. Sailors even threatened Reverend William Richards.
Queen Kaʻahumanu was a strong supporter of the missionaries. She told Governor Hoapili to build a fort. This fort would protect the town from the whalers. Hoapili built the fort in just one month. It was made of coral blocks. The walls were about 15–20 feet high. It had 47 cannons on top. Sailors who broke the rules were put in the fort's prison.
More riots happened. In 1827, a ship even fired cannonballs at a missionary's house. To stop this, Hoapili built a stronger fort. It replaced an older one made of mud and sand.
Between 1830 and 1860, Lahaina became very busy. The whaling industry brought money and changes to the island. But it also brought problems. Sailors often caused trouble. This led to more clashes with the missionaries.
In 1841, an American naval officer named Charles Wilkes visited the fort. He said it was mostly used to hold unruly sailors. He noted the walls were twenty feet high. The area inside was about one acre.
As whaling declined, the fort was used more as a prison. The cannons became rusty. Few soldiers were there. In 1848, an inventory listed many cannons. But many of them did not work. The fort also stored gunpowder and weapons.
Sailors had a curfew. If they were not back on their ships by sunset, they would be arrested. They would be put in the fort's prison. They often had to pay a fine.
The cannons were rarely used for defense. But they did fire a salute every year. This was for the birthday of Kamehameha III. Guards also beat drums at dusk. This was the signal for sailors to return to their ships.
By the 1850s, whaling was ending. Many forts in Hawaii were in bad shape. The Lahaina Fort was torn down in 1854. Its coral stones were used to build a new prison. In 1964, a part of the old fort wall was rebuilt in the park.
What the Fort Looked Like
The fort was built in 1832. It was shaped like a square. It covered about 1 acre. The walls were made of coral stones. These stones came from the nearby ocean reef. The walls were about 20 feet high.
Cannons were placed on top for defense. There were 47 cannons of different sizes. They came from shipwrecks around Hawaii. The fort's location helped control the many whaling ships.
In 1948, Henry Wise visited the fort. He said it was a large square. It was made of red coral rocks. It had about thirty cannons. He wondered if they would fall apart after firing twice. He also noted that Hawaiian troops guarded the fortress.
The fort was repaired in 1947. A place to store gunpowder was added. Old parts were removed. A wooden building was added for the governor's office. The governor's home on the fort walls was also fixed up. A prison with four rooms was built inside. The fort became more of a prison than a defense.
The Lahaina Courthouse
In 1858, a strong hurricane hit Lahaina. It destroyed many buildings. This included the original courthouse. A new courthouse was built in 1859. It used stones from the old palace. This new courthouse was built on the site of the Lahaina Fort.
The new courthouse held many offices. There were offices for customs and the postal service. It also had a tax collector's office. The governor of Maui had an office there. There was a court and a jury room.
When the Hawaiian Kingdom was overthrown in 1898, the Hawaiian flag was lowered. The flag of the United States was raised instead. Today, the last Hawaiian flag to fly over the courthouse is on display. This started in 2002.
The courthouse was repaired in 1925. A new roof was added. The entrance and balcony were redesigned. The building housed the US Post Office and a tax office. The courtroom was upstairs. The Lahaina jail was in the basement.
In 1965, the building became a National Historic Landmark. It was repaired again in 1990. Now, the courthouse has a museum and art galleries. It also has a visitor center and public restrooms. The Lahaina Heritage Museum opened upstairs in 2004. It has videos, photos, and historical items.
The Amazing Banyan Tree
On April 24, 1873, a special tree was planted. It was a banyan tree seedling. Sheriff William Owen Smith planted it in the courthouse square. This was to celebrate 50 years since the first American Protestant mission came to Lahaina. He received the seedling as a gift from missionaries in India.
The banyan tree is from India. It is one of 60 types of fig trees in Hawaii. The seedling was about 8 feet tall when planted. By 2005, it had grown to 49.2 feet high. It had 16 main trunks. It covered an area of 0.66 acres in the park. Its branches spread out about 0.25 miles around.
This banyan tree is now the largest in Hawaii. It is also one of the largest in the United States. The tree faces some challenges. Too many people walking and cars driving around it can compact the soil. Droughts can also harm it.
You might hear many birds in the tree at sunset. common myna birds roost in its branches. They make a lot of noise as evening comes.
Park Management and Activities
The Maui Parks and Recreation department manages the park. The Lahaina Restoration Foundation helps maintain it. You can find limited public parking on Front, Hotel, and Canal Streets. Parking on Wharf Street is mostly for tour buses.
The Lahaina Town Action Committee hosts all events at Banyan Tree Park. They run the Visitor Center. They also organize craft fairs and festivals throughout the year.
Images for kids
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Lahaina Banyan Court Park facing east from the corner of Hotel and Wharf Street
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Park location within the Lahaina Historic District
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Exterior of Lahaina Fort (center) and Hale Piula (right) as viewed from ships anchored in Lahaina Roads in the 1840s
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Interior of the Honolulu Fort in 1853. The layout of Lahaina Fort was similar but smaller.
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1964 reconstruction of the old fort
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Old Lahaina Court House
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The last Flag of Hawaii to fly over the courthouse is on permanent display
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Central trunk of the banyan tree beneath the canopy
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Tree bark damage left by visitors
