Wai'oli Hui'ia Church

A popular site for quaint church weddings, Wai'oli Hui'ia Church was built by Hanalei's first missionaries, Reverend and Mrs William Alexander, who arrived in 1834 in a double-hulled canoe. Their church, hall and mission house remain in the middle of town, set on a huge manicured lawn with a beautiful mountain backdrop.

The pretty green wooden church retains an airy Pacific feel, with large, outward-opening windows and high ceilings. The doors remain open during the day and visitors are welcome. A Bible printed in Hawaiian and dating from 1868 is displayed on top of the old organ. The Wai'oli Church Choir, the island's best, sings hymns in Hawaiian at the 10:00 Sunday service.

The hall, which originally served as the church, was built of coral lime and plaster with a steeply pitched roof to handle Hanalei's heavy rains.

Adjacent are Wai'oli Mission Hall, c 1836, and Wai'oli Mission House, a New England house that the Alexanders built in 1837 to replace their grass shack.

To get to the inconspicuous parking lot, turn inland immediately east of Hanalei School. Turn left on the dirt driveway opposite the water hydrant.