Global InformationLahaina Banyan Court Park information
| Lahaina Banyan Court Park | |
|---|---|
 Lahaina Banyan Court Park facing east from the corner of Hotel and Wharf Street, in 2007 | |
  Location within Hawaii  Lahaina Banyan Court Park (Maui)  Lahaina Banyan Court Park (Hawaii) | |
| Type | Natural Area |
| Location | Lahaina, Maui |
| Coordinates | 20°52′18″N 156°40′39″W / 20.87167°N 156.67750°W |
| 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 public park in the town of Lahaina, Hawaii, The 1.94 acres (0.79 ha) park, also known as Lahaina Courthouse Square and commonly called Banyan Tree Park, contains multiple heritage sites. Located at the corner of Front Street and Canal Street, it is part of the Lahaina Historic Districts.[1]
The park occupies the site of the Old Lahaina Fort, originally built in 1831. Hoapili, the Royal Governor of Maui, built the fort to protect the town from riotous sailors when Lahaina was used as an anchorage for the North Pacific whaling fleet.[2] After the fort was demolished in 1854, a courthouse was built on the site. A portion of the old Lahaina Fort was reconstructed in 1964. The old Lahaina Courthouse was recognized as a contributing property of the Lahaina Historic District in 1965, and was used by the Lahaina Arts Society, Lahaina Restoration Foundation and the Lahaina Town Action Committee.[3]
Sheriff William Owen Smith planted an Indian banyan tree in the courtyard square in 1873 to memorialize the 50th anniversary of the first American Protestant mission in Lahaina. The banyan tree was the largest banyan tree in Hawaii, and one of the largest banyan trees in the United States. Its extensive trunk and aerial root system now covers 0.66 acres (0.27 ha). The park is managed by the County of Maui and the Lahaina Restoration Foundation.
The property, including the courthouse and the tree, were engulfed by the 2023 Hawaii wildfires from August 8–9, which burned the historic town of Lahaina. The banyan tree was damaged and the Old Lahaina Court House was destroyed.[4][5][6] Disaster recovery efforts are underway to determine the scope of the damage.[7]
- ^ Kupau 2001; What's New on Maui 2004, SS4
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
JuddNickersonwas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ Arango, Tim (October 20, 2023). "A Plea From Native Hawaiians: The Future of Maui Rests on Honoring Its Past". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved October 22, 2023.
- ^ "This combination of satellite images provided by Maxar Technologies shows an overview of Banyan Court in Lahaina on Maui, Hawaii, on June 25, 2023, top, and an overview of the same area on Wednesday, Aug. 9, following a wildfire that tore through the heart of the Hawaiian island". Maxar Technologies. August 9, 2023. Archived from the original on August 10, 2023. Retrieved August 10, 2023 – via Associated Press.
- ^ Parker, Jordan (August 9, 2023). "Maui's famous banyan tree scorched in fire. Will it survive?". San Francisco Chronicle. Archived from the original on August 10, 2023. Retrieved August 10, 2023.
- ^ Flores, Jessica (August 9, 2023). "Lahaina fire map: Here's exactly where the Maui blazes are burning". San Francisco Chronicle. Archived from the original on August 10, 2023. Retrieved August 10, 2023. See picture #3.
- ^ "Lahaina's Historic Banyan Tree Burned In Wildfire - Videos from The Weather Channel". The Weather Channel. Retrieved August 10, 2023.