Study planned to assess historic Spring House in Lahaina
Trending
The Spring House appears to be headed toward an independent engineering evaluation in a renewed effort to see if the historic structure can be preserved after the 2023 Lahaina wildfire that destroyed more than 2,200 buildings.
"We went to save the Spring House," said Wanda Parker, representing the family that owns the property.
Parker said the Len family members, whose parents grew up in Lahaina, want an evaluation of the historic site and are willing to work with the county to preserve the Spring House if feasible.
Parker said she understands an engineer is being retained by the county to conduct a new evaluation.
Maui Councilmember Tamara Paltin said Maui County Deputy Managing Director Erin Wade is working on an agreement that might assist the family in receiving public assistance through the Federal Emergency Management Administration.
"We're trying to make an effort to help the Len family with the work moving forward," Paltin said.
Paltin said she is grateful for the family’s willingness to work with the county and hopes Maui County Council members are willing to support the effort since the family is foregoing a free debris removal by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to have the evaluation.
"We're trying to make an effort to help the Len family with the work moving forward," Paltin said.
Maui County Council passed a bill on Monday focusing on debris clean-up of areas and creating a vault at the Lahaina Library to keep artifacts including stones from historic structures.
Last year, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers made a determination that the Spring House and the nearby Baldwin House were not suitable for restoration, but the Lahaina Restoration Foundation paid an independent engineer on Oahu who determined the Baldwin House was restorable.
Historic preservationists point out the Spring House, which was built in 1823 by the missionary William Richards, is one of the few remaining structures from the early missionary and whaling period in Lahaina.
Richards helped to establish the Lahaina Seminary, whose graduates include native Hawaiian scholars David Malo, Samuel Kamakau and John Papa I'i.