Lahaina Public Library

At first glance you might not see much but a closer look reveals a treasure trove of obscure sights. The grounds of the Lahaina Public Library were once the site of a royal taro field; Kamehameha III occasionally toiled in the mud here to instill in his subjects the dignity of labor.

Here, too, sat the first Western-style building in Hawaii, the Brick Palace, erected by Kamehameha I around 1800 so he could keep watch on arriving ships. Despite the grand name, this 'palace' was a simple two-story structure built by two ex-convicts from Botany Bay. All that remains today is the excavated foundation, on the makai (seaward) side of the library.