Foundation of Human Activity

Polynesians, Tahiti, and Marquesas were the first people that settled in Maui. Creating the fist writing and reading system, the native Hawaiians made Lahaina the fist capital of Maui. In addition, the first European to visit Maui was a French admiral in 1786. After him, more Europeans came to Maui for trade, whaling and other missions. Gradually Europeans from New England and other European countries settled in Maui. They brought new inventions with them and changed the way of life in Maui. Europeans opened the first schools and started a printing press.   At the height of the whaling era from 1840 to 1865, Lahaina was a major whaling center with anchorage in Lahaina Roads; in one season over 400 ships visited Lahaina 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 petroleum replaced whale oil.