Lahaina Banyan Court Park - Lahaina, Maui, HI
Posted by: 
denben
N 20° 52.312 W 156° 40.657
4Q E 741617 N 2309712
The star attraction of Lahaina Banyan Court Park is a banyan tree planted in 1873, the largest in Hawaii. The park also houses the old courthouse and the remnants of the historic Lahaina fort.
Waymark Code: WMR6X2
Location: Hawaii, United States
Date Posted: 05/18/2016
Views: 2
Lahaina Banyan Court is a public park bounded by Front Street, Canal Street, Wharf Steet and Hotel Street. It is administered by the Maui Parks and Recreation department and maintained by the nonprofit Lahaina Restoration Foundation.
Probably the most famous landmark in Lahaina – the 16-trunked banyan tree was planted in 1873 by Sheriff William Owen Smith to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the first American Protestant mission in Lahaina. The tree was brought from India, and was only 8 feet high at the time of planting. It now has a dozen main trunks, and spreads over two-thirds of an acre. The Banyan Tree is noteworthy for its size. It has grown by dropping roots from its branches that then become additional trunks. Celebrated each year the third weekend in April the festivities include a birthday cake, live music, silent auction, Maui artists, and more. It is currently the largest banyan tree in Hawaii and one of the largest banyan trees in the United States.
After a violent Hurricane in 1858, the old courthouse was rebuilt on the site of Lahaina Fort using stones from Hale Piula. The new courthouse housed offices for customs, the postal service, the tax collector, the governor of Maui, a magistrates' court, a courtroom, and a jury room. They remained in use until the 1970s when the Lahaina Civic Center was constructed. Restored in 1990, the courthouse now houses a museum, art galleries, a visitor center, a community meeting room, and public restrooms.
On the southwestern edge of the park are the restored coral remnants of the historic Lahaina fort constructed in 1832.
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