:Lahaina Historic District

{{short description|Historic district in Hawaii, United States}}

{{Use American English|date=January 2025}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=August 2023}}

{{Infobox NRHP

| name = Lahaina Historic District

| nrhp_type = nhld

| nocat = yes

| image = Maui-Lahaina-Courthouse-front.JPG

| caption = Old Lahaina Courthouse in 2010

| location = W side of Maui on HI 30, Lahaina, Hawaii

| coordinates = {{coord|20|52|24|N|156|40|41|W|display=inline,title}}

| locmapin = United States Lahaina#United States Maui#USA Hawaii

| area = {{convert|1671|acre}}

| architect =

| architecture =

| designated_nrhp_type = December 29, 1962{{cite web|url=http://tps.cr.nps.gov/nhl/detail.cfm?ResourceId=193&ResourceType=District|title=Lahaina Historic District|accessdate=2008-06-20|work=National Historic Landmark summary listing|publisher=National Park Service|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110511180448/http://tps.cr.nps.gov/nhl/detail.cfm?ResourceId=193&ResourceType=District|archive-date=2011-05-11|url-status=dead}}

| added = October 15, 1966{{NRISref|2009a}}

| refnum = 66000302

| designated_other1 = Hawaiʻi Register of Historic Places

| designated_other1_abbr = HRHP

| designated_other1_date = October 15, 1966{{cite web |title=Historic Register Counts |url=https://dlnr.hawaii.gov/shpd/ |website=Hawai'i State Historic Preservation Division |publisher=State of Hawaii |date=February 1, 2022 |access-date=February 19, 2022}}

| designated_other1_number = 50-50-03-03001

| designated_other1_num_position = bottom

}}

Lahaina Historic District is a National Historic Landmark District encompassing most of the community of Lahaina, Hawaii, on the west side of the island of Maui in the US state of Hawaii. Designated in 1962, the district recognizes Lahaina for its well-preserved character as a 19th-century port, and for its social and economic importance in the 19th century as a major whaling center in the Pacific, and as one of the capital cities of the Kingdom of Hawaii.

Lahaina was a popular residential center for the kings of Maui prior to the arrival of European explorers in the late 18th century. Kamehameha I made his landing here when he began the conquest of Maui in 1795, and Kamehameha II established a residence here in 1819. That same year, the first whaling ships arrived, beginning the community's rise in economic importance. Lahaina eclipsed Oahu as a preferred whaling port between 1840 and 1855, because of its better deep-water anchorage. When Kamehameha III ascended to the Hawaiian throne in 1825, he made Lahaina his capital, preferring it to the busier Honolulu. The town declined in economic importance in the 1860s, as the whaling industry waned.

It was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1962.{{Cite web|title=National Register of Historic Places/National Historic Landmark 1974 Update: Lahaina / Lahaina (historic district)|url={{NHLS url|id=66000302}} |format=pdf|date=December 21, 1973 |author=Russell A. Apple |publisher=National Park Service}} and {{NHLS url|id=66000302|title=Accompanying 18 photos from 1973|photos=y}} {{small|(32 KB)}} The district is bounded on the north by Pu{{okina}}uona Point, the south by Makila Point, and the east by the ridge of hills above the town. Its western bound extends all the way out to the island of Lānaʻi, encompassing the Lahaina Roads, the roadstead which enabled the town's growth in the 19th century. Donn Beach and Pete Wimberly played an important early role in establishing building ordinances to govern restoration and preservation projects in Lahaina.{{cite journal |last1=Sinesky |first1=Alice |title=INTERVIEW WITH DONN BEACH |journal=The Watumull Foundation, Oral History Project |date=September 16, 1986 |url=https://core.ac.uk/download/pdf/77119254.pdf}}{{cite book |last1=Bitner |first1=Arnold |title=Hawai'i Tropical Rum Drinks by Don the Beaschcomber |date=2001 |publisher=Mutual Publishing |location=Honolulu}}