About Maui

The Valley Isle

Location in the state of Hawaii

Location

20°48?N, 156°20?W

Area

727.2 sq mi (1883.5 km?)

Rank

2nd largest Hawaiian Island

Highest point

Haleakala

  10,023 ft (3,055 m)

Demographics

Population

117,644 (as of 2000)

Density

162/sq mi (62/km?)

Official Insignia

Flower

Lokelani

Color

Akala (Pink)

The island of Maui is the second-largest of the Hawaiian Islands at 727.2 square miles (1883.5 km)

and is the17th largest island in the United States.

Maui is part of the State of Hawaii and is the largest island in Maui County. Three other islands, Lanai, Kahoolawe,

and Molokai belong to Maui County. Together, the four islands are known as Maui Nui. As of 2000, Maui has a

resident population of 117,644, which is ranked third within the state behind the islands of Oahu and Hawaii.

Kahului is the largest town on the island with a population of 20,146 persons. Wailuku is the Maui county seat.

Native Hawaiian tradition gives the origin of the island's name in the legend of Hawai'iloa, the Polynesian

navigator attributed with discovery of the Hawaiian Islands. The story relates how he named the island of Maui

after his son who in turn was named for the demigod Mui. According to legend, the demigod Maui raised all the

Hawaiian Islands from the sea. The Island of Maui is also called the "Valley Isle" for the large fertile isthmus

between its two volcanoes.

History

Polynesians, from Tahiti and the Marquesas, were the original peoples to populate Maui. The Tahitians introduced

the kapu system, a strict social order that affected all aspects of life and became the core of Hawaiian culture.

Modern Hawaiian history began in the mid-1700s. King Kamehameha I took up residence (and later made his capital)

in Lahaina after conquering Maui in 1790, during the bloody Battle of Kepaniwai.

On November 26, 1778, Captain James Cook became the first European explorer to see Maui. Cook never set foot

on the island because he was unable to find a suitable landing. The first European to visit Maui was the

French admiral Jean François de Galaup de La Pérouse, who landed on the shores of what is now known as La Perouse

Bay on May 29, 1786. More Europeans followed: traders, whalers, loggers and missionaries.

The missionaries began to arrive from New England in 1823, choosing Lahaina because it was the capital.

They clothed the natives, banned them from dancing hula, and greatly altered the culture. They tried to keep

whalers and sailors out of the bawdy houses. The missionaries taught reading and writing, created the 12-letter

Hawaiian alphabet, started a printing press in Lahaina, and began writing the islands' history, which until then existed

only as oral accounts. Ironically, the work of the missionaries both altered and preserved the native culture.

The religious work altered the culture while the literacy efforts preserved native history and language for posterity.

They started the first school in Lahaina, which still exists today: Lahain luna Mission School. The Mission school

opened in 1831 and was the first secondary school to open west of the Rocky Mountains.

At the height of the whaling era (1840-1865), Lahaina was a major whaling center with anchorage in Lahaina Roads; in

one season over 400 ships visited L?hain? and the greatest number of ships berthed at one time was about 100. A given

ship tended to stay months rather than days which explains the drinking and prostitution in the town at that time.

Whaling declined steeply at the end of the 19th century as crude oil (petroleum) replaced whale oil.

Kamehameha's descendants reigned in the islands until 1872. They were followed by rulers from another ancient family

of chiefs, including Queen Liliuokalani who ruled in 1893 when the monarchy was overthrown. One year later, the

Republic of Hawaii was founded. The island was annexed by the United States in 1898 and made a territory in 1900.

Hawaii became the 50th U.S. state in 1959.

Maui was centrally involved in the Pacific Theatre of World War II as a staging center, training base, and for rest

and relaxation. At the peak in 1943-44, the number of troops stationed on Maui exceeded 100,000.

The main base of the 4th Marines was in Haiku.

Beaches were used for practice landings and training in marine demolition and sabotage