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The oldest house in Lāhainā, construction on the
Baldwin House began on this coral-and-rock structure in 1834 and was completed
in 1835.
The thick walls were made of coral and stone. The structure was sturdy consisting of hand-hewn
timbers. In 1840, a bedroom and study
was added, and in 1849, an entire second story was completed.
The home itself, the household furniture, the aged
photographs and artifacts, the displays and library present a picture of the missionary
who was both a physician and a constructive community force.
The faithful restoration of the Baldwin Home by the
Lāhainā Restoration Foundation is based on careful documentary and
archeological research.
It is part of the Lāhainā National Historical
American Buildings Survey. It was deeded
to the Lāhainā Restoration Foundation by the HP Baldwin Estate in 1967. It can never be sold and will remain in the
Public Domain in perpetuity.
The owner, the Reverend Dwight Baldwin had his
medical training at Harvard College prior to his theological studies. He was one of the early missionaries to
Hawai‘i.
On December 3, 1830, he married Charlotte Fowler
(1805–1873), the daughter of Deacon Solomon Fowler of North Branford,
Connecticut.
Shortly thereafter, on December 28, 1830, they
sailed on the ship New England from New Bedford, Massachusetts with the Fourth
Company of American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions; they arrived
in Hawai‘i on June 21, 1831.
His educational background coupled with many
natural abilities guided him to be helpful in the establishment of a system of
just and democratic laws and most importantly the education of the Hawaiian
people who learned much besides religion.
They were taught reading and writing in Hawaiian
and English trained in agriculture and mechanics, studied the practical arts in
the high school above Lāhainā; and finally learned to understand
constitutional government, diplomacy and finance.
As a practicing physician, Rev. Baldwin treated and
helped save the people of Maui, Moloka‘i and Lāna‘i.
A series of epidemics swept through the Hawaiian Islands,
whooping cough and measles, soon after followed by waves of dysentery and
influenza; then, in 1853, a terrible smallpox epidemic.
Although precise counts are not known, there were
thousands of smallpox deaths on O‘ahu; Baldwin is credited with keeping the
toll to only a few hundred on Maui.
Dwight Baldwin was patriarch of a family that
founded some of the largest businesses in the islands. His son, Henry Perrine Baldwin (1842–1911)
and Samuel Thomas Alexander (1836–1904; also son of a missionary) met in Lāhainā,
Maui.
They grew up together, became close friends and
went on to develop a sugar-growing partnership that spanned generations and
left an indelible mark on Hawai‘i – Alexander & Baldwin (one of Hawai‘i’s
Big Five companies.)
In addition, sons Henry Perrine Baldwin and David
Dwight Baldwin laid the foundation for what is now known as Maui Land &
Pineapple Company, Inc in the late 1800s through the acquisition of land and formation
of associated companies.
In 1870 Dwight and Charlotte moved to Honolulu as
their health deteriorated and lived with their daughter Harriet (called
"Hattie"). Charlotte died
October 2, 1873, and Dwight died on January 3, 1886; they are buried at the
Kawaiahaʻo Church cemetery.
Lāhainā Restoration Foundation oversees and
maintains 11 major historic structures in Lāhainā and provides tours of the
Baldwin House. Hours of Operation: Open
Daily from 10 am – 4 pm ($5 Kama‘āina
admission); Candlelit Tours Fridays 6 pm - 8:30 pm ($6 Kama‘āina admission)
Image shows the Baldwin House. In addition, more images of the Baldwin House
are in a folder of like name in the Photos section on my Facebook page.
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