Approved on first reading, bill could help preserve history of Spring House in Lahaina

The Spring House was built by the Rev. William Richards in 1823 during the missionary and whaling era in Hawaii.
Maui County Council members voted unanimously Friday on a bill that could preserve parts of a historic structure ravaged by the 2023 Lahaina wildfire before the site is cleared.
Council member Tamara Paltin said the historic Spring House in Lahaina, which was built in 1823 during the missionary and whaling period, should be preserved because of its historical significance.
“It’s one of the last pieces of history. … We’ve lost so much in the fire,” Paltin said.
The request was made Friday during the first reading of a bill that would authorize salvaging and storing parts of the Spring House before plans to clear the site move forward.
Council member Tasha Kama was not present for the vote. The measure will come back before Maui County Council for a vote on second reading at a later date.
The county said a decision has to be this month before the Federal Emergency Management Administration and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers finish their debris cleanup in Lahaina.
Maui County Deputy Managing Director Erin Wade said the property owner declined to voluntarily sell the Spring House but was open to having parts of the burned building used in a restoration elsewhere.
The Spring House is a 20-foot by 40-foot building makai of Front Street and the site of a former ABC Store. Lahaina Restoration Foundation Executive Director Theo Morrison said she feels the Spring House should be restored.
She said if the Spring House is demolished, there should be an architectural record of it so that it can be rebuilt elsewhere.
Matthew Len, speaking on behalf of his family who owns the property, said he hasn’t seen the bill, although the family did have some discussions seeking guidance with county officials.
“This is the first time we’re hearing of this,” Lem said. “We’ve been working with the Lahaina Restoration Foundation, the county and FEMA. I hope this doesn’t become a problem. We want to work cooperatively.”
The Historic Hawaii Foundation, a nonprofit that aims to preserve historic sites statewide, has also recommended preserving and reconstructing the Spring House.
Foundation Executive Director Kiersten Faukner said the building’s history is important because the Spring House was among the few remaining structures from its time period in Lahaina.
The Spring House was built in 1823 by the Rev. William Richards, who arrived in Hawaii as part of the second company of missionaries. The structure protected a well providing fresh water to the Richards residence, the town and whaling ships that docked in Lahaina.
Richards, who received the support of Keōpūolani, the wife of Kamehameha I, was the first pastor of Wailoa Church and a co-founder of the Lahaina Seminary established in 1831.
The seminary taught royalty and trained native scholars such as David Malo, John Papa I’i and Samuel Kamakau.
Correction: This article has been updated to correct the spelling of Matthew Len’s last name.