The last time we visited Maui was in 2015. At the time, Lāhainā (and its very old banyan tree) was one of Maui’s most popular tourist destinations. Its historic charm, art galleries, and more made it a must-visit spot for us and millions of others.
That visit to Maui was part of the inspiration for Maui Magic, my 4th McKenna Trouble in Paradise Mystery. We had a very chatty bus driver on our trip to Kahului Airport. On the trip, he explained many of the problems plaguing the island. One thing he didn’t mention was the potential of a wildfire like the one that destroyed Lāhainā.
Photo credit: civil beat. original from a photograph in a report on the Wo Hing Society in 2008.
Lāhainā — a story of resilience
Lāhainā is no stranger to rebuilding. The Great Lāhainā Fire of 1919 swept through the downtown core and wiped out about 30 businesses—a huge chunk of the heart of Lāhainā at the time. The scars from that fire lingered for years. Afterwards, the community pulled together, rebuilt, and returned with its signature aloha spirit.
One major difference between the two fires is that in 1919, a policeman on horseback rode through the streets sounding the alarm. As a result, no lives were lost. While many lives were lost in 2023, the town has once again begun the process of rebuilding.
FREE TODAY!
Maui Magic
McKenna wanted a romantic Maui getaway with his girlfriend. Instead, his elderly schoolteacher tenant is giving him 4th-grade flashbacks, he’s caught in a Maui water war, and is up to his board shorts in a murder investigation. Sometimes, paradise sucks.
Once, Gateway to the Pacific
Rewind to the early 19th century and Lāhainā Harbor was a thriving hub of maritime activity. Beneath a sky filled with the flutter of white sails and the proud calls of ship bells, the town played host to whaling ships from America, Europe, and beyond. Whale oil fueled lamps across the globe, and Lāhainā became a vital stop for sailors. It was a place to replenish provisions or seek respite from a long voyage.
Step onto the streets of Lāhainā during its heyday, and you’d hear the cacophony of sailors shouting orders, crates of goods being unloaded, and markets alive with chatter in many languages. Tall ships bobbed in the harbor. And the salty air was thick with the smell of whale oil and the sweetness of ripe tropical fruit.
But all that began to change in the latter half of the 19th Century. By then, whales had been overhunted, whale oil was being replaced by a new product called kerosene, and sugar was a rising star in Hawaii’s economy. Sugar held that position for about a century. It wasn’t until 2016 that the last sugar plantation in Hawaii closed. That plantation was located on Maui, and its closure marked the end of the sugar industry in the islands.
Lāhainā Banyan Tree and Resilience
From a bustling 19th-century port to a town tested by fire and rallying for renewal, Lāhainā stands as proof that true strength means growing back—no matter how fierce the storm. And through it all, it’s impossible to miss the symbolism standing tall in the center of town—the famed Lāhainā banyan tree.
Planted in 1873, the Lāhainā banyan tree has seen the town weather every imaginable high and low. After the fires, its scorched branches and blackened bark looked like a lost cause. But then, almost miraculously, new green shoots began to push through the charred wood. The tree’s slow but steady recovery has become more than just a bit of local lore. It’s a living, growing reminder of what resilience really looks like in Lāhainā. People look to the banyan’s survival—still battered, still beautiful—as a kind of call to arms: if the tree can keep reaching for the sun, so can they.
If you enjoyed this week’s Friday Morning Post, please leave a comment with your time on the puzzle. I’d also love to hear your thoughts on the post! Thanks for being here!
See all my Friday Morning Posts here. If you missed last week’s post, you can use this link to view Santa Monica Pier – end of the road.
.jpg){kind=link}
16.21 puzzle pieces seemed smaller. Oh well, these old eyes were more tired, too! Lol.
5:43. Honeymooned in Hawaii many decades ago/ I like Maui the best of the 3 islands that we visited.
Beautiful picture. My time was 9:51.
5:35 We visited Maui years ago. It was a beautiful place. Thanks for sharing as it brought back memories.
5:23, visited Lāhainā many years ago. Fascinating village and the banyon tree was amazing.
My time was 7:02. Lāhainā was my favorite place on Maui. Thanks for exploring the history and reminding us of the resilience of the Banyan Tree and Maui.
8:32 Happy August everyone
11:49 I’m a slowpoke today. 🙂
5:56 for me this morning, thank you for the puzzles, look forward to them every week
7:34
My time today was 4:58. I’ve been to Maui but did not explore Lāhainā. I didn’t realize that the recent fire wasn’t the first one! Thanks for this interesting history.
You’re welcome, Susan. Lāhainā has actually seen a number of significant events that I didn’t go into, including hurricanes, etc.