Lahaina’s historic Baldwin Home Museum is reduced to its stone walls in this photo taken days after the Aug. 8 fire that destroyed much of the town. — The Maui News / MATTHEW THAYER photo

As it eagerly awaits the opening of more fire-damaged zones in Lahaina, the Lahaina Restoration Foundation is making plans to shore up portions of the 1830s Baldwin Home — the oldest home on the island — as soon as it can.

“The Baldwin Home is the most seriously damaged of all the historic stone and coral block buildings,” said the foundation’s Executive Director Theo Morrison, who is now dealing with serious fire damages to more than a half-dozen historical properties that are owned and leased by the foundation and were affected by the Aug. 8 wildfires.

The properties and museums — including the Old Lahaina Courthouse and Old Lahaina Prison, both commissioned by the Hawaiian monarchy — reflect centuries of Lahaina town’s history, from its role as the capital of the Hawaiian Kingdom to the arrival of the whaling industry, missionaries and the plantation era.

The nonprofit foundation was chartered in 1962 and its mission is to be stewards and storytellers of Lahaina’s historic and cultural heritage, according to its website.

Morrison said in an email that the lintels, or beams above door and window openings at the Baldwin Home, were wooden and burned in the fire, “leaving no support for the stone and coral block above the openings,” which could collapse.

A bicyclist rides in front of the Old Lahaina Courthouse in 2008, more than a decade before the building was destroyed by fire. — The Maui News / MATTHEW THAYER photo

“It needs to be shored up as soon as possible,” Morrison said, adding she is not sure when they can start their work.

Overall, Morrison said it is especially important for Lahaina to keep its identity and restore these sites.

“Lahaina is a National Historic Landmark and to keep that important designation, we need to restore our historical buildings. The walls to the coral and stone buildings are still standing so bringing them back to use is a restoration, not a rebuild,” she said.

Morrison estimated that the restorations could cost around $21 million, including $7.5 million for the Old Lahaina Courthouse and $3 million for the Baldwin Home, both of which only have their exterior walls standing.

The Baldwin Home was built around 1834-1835 and was then referred to as the “missionary compound,” according to the foundation. In 1836, medical missionary the Rev. Dwight Baldwin and his family moved into the home.

Looking like a Roman ruin on Aug. 28, the old courthouse has become one of the touchstones of the iconic harbor town’s historic fire. — The Maui News / MATTHEW THAYER photo

In 1967, the Baldwin heirs deeded the home to the foundation. The home museum is recorded in the Historical American Buildings Survey located in the Library of Congress archives.

Late last month, Chelsea Klein, the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s lead environmental planning and historic preservation adviser for the Lahaina disaster, expressed optimism for the remaining buildings.

“I’m impressed by the fact that particularly the stone, masonry and concrete buildings appear to have a lot of structural integrity,” Klein said in a news release.

Klein also said that buildings such as the Baldwin Home, along with the Old Lahaina Courthouse, Master’s Reading Room and the Seamen’s House and Hospital, which were all damaged in the fire, used a level of effort not seen these days.

“The structures were built better and stronger back then. It is highly likely that these structures can be rehabilitated, as the historic fabric is still there and should continue to endure for the community,” Klein said.

All of the wooden structures of historic Hale Pa‘ahao, the Old Lahaina Prison, may be gone, but the prison’s thick stone walls remain, as well as a few relics outside, including a vintage automobile, cast iron vat and oversized anchor in this photo taken in August. — The Maui News / MATTHEW THAYER photo

Alan Downer, administrator of the state Department of Land and Natural Resources’ State Historic Preservation Division, also visited the town.

“I’m really pleased,” Downer said in a news release. “From the first photographs I saw it looked like everything was gone and that’s not the case. There are important historic buildings here that I think can be repaired.”

Morrison said that it was “fantastic news” to hear from state and federal government officials.

In addition to restoring its stone and coral block buildings, the foundation is looking to rebuild the two wooden buildings it owns — the Kindergarten Building leased to Village Gallery and the Plantation House, located next to the Seamen’s Hospital.

“It is critical for Lahaina to have all of the damaged buildings (ours and others) restored because these will be the only truly historical buildings in town,” Morrison said in an email. “Lahaina is a National Historic Landmark and we need to maintain our authenticity.”

Morrison said some Lahaina landmarks have been restored in the past. This includes the Old Lahaina Courthouse, which was restored many times, most recently during a Maui County renovation in 1998. The Baldwin Home was restored by the foundation in 1967.

Seeking funding to shore up the Baldwin Home is the priority. In addition damaging buildings, the fire destroyed books, artifacts and office equipment. The foundation’s office was on the second floor of the Baldwin Home, Morrison said.

“We lost a 50 volume reference library and would be happy to receive donations of any books related to Lahaina, Maui, or Hawaiian history,” she said.

Most historical data was at the Hale Pa’i Printing Museum on Lahainaluna Road, which did not burn.

But Hale Aloha, which was off of Luakini Street and did burn, was a place where the foundation cleaned, catalogued and stored some of its collections.

Morrison said that Hale Aloha was built by the Hawaiian congregation at Waiola Church, which was called Wainee Church in the 1800s.

“Although the data from the collections was stored online, we lost hundreds of irreplaceable items from Lahaina’s past,” Morrison said.

So far, Morrison said they have raised $535,000 “from individuals around the world.”

“We will also be seeking funding from insurance, FEMA, SBA loans, local grants, and disaster recovery grants from the National Historic Preservation Fund. No stone will be left unturned. Lahaina deserves nothing less than an all out effort to restore our historic buildings,” Morrison said.

For more information on how to help by becoming a member of the Lahaina Restoration or making a donation, visit lahainarestoration.org.

Volunteer opportunities are not currently available because the foundation’s sites are not open.

But people can email their contact information to info @lahainarestoration.org to volunteer for future opportunities.

“This is going to be a long road to recovery,” Morrison said.

* Staff Writer Melissa Tanji can be reached at mtanji@maui news.com.

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