Makawao Union Church | Images of Old Hawaiʻi

First known as Makawao Foreign Church and Congregation, Makawao Union Church received a charter from the Hawaiian government in 1861, although the Reverend Jonathan Green had been holding services in his Makawao home from 1857.

Reverend Green came to Hawaiʻi in 1828 with the Third Company of missionaries, and served at various locations until 1843.

He then helped the Hawaiian people in the Makawao area form the first self-supporting church in Hawaiʻi at Poʻokela. He continued to serve as the pastor of this church as well as the Makawao Union Church which was started to meet the needs of the English speaking, foreign community around Makawao.

A church was built in 1861 at the location of the present Makawao cemetery, and continued to serve the community until 1888, when a parishioner, Henry Perrine Baldwin, donated land and built a new church outside of Paia, which was closer to the population center of the district.

This church was built on the foundation of Baldwin’s former sugar mill at Paliuli, near Rainbow Gulch. This frame church was dedicated on March 10, 1889, and served the community until it was torn down in 1916 to make way for the present memorial church.

In 1914, the Pā‘ia Community House was built adjacent to the church for the express purpose of serving not only the church’s congregation, but the greater community, and was in continuous use by various island groups for plays, concerts, dances and other gatherings.

After Baldwin’s death in 1911, his family built a new stone sanctuary in his memory. The new building designed by noted architect CW Dickey is a basically Gothic design in the style of the English village church.

It combines a Norman tower with a distinctively Hawaiian roofline. With its intricate, carved-oak interior and unique pew arrangement, the sanctuary has long been noted for its exceptional structural design.

When this church building was dedicated in 1917, Harry Baldwin, eldest son of Henry Perrine and Emily Baldwin, gave the principal address and stated, “Makawao Union Church is built to provide a permanent meeting house for the people of this community and future comers for the purpose of upholding and improving the moral and religious standing of the community for generations to come.” (Maui Weekly)

“The first and second Sundays in September hundreds of Maui people were in attendance at the services of dedication of the Henry Perrine Baldwin Memorial Church of Paia. A deeper impression upon worshippers has seldom been made in this Territory than during these two Sundays.” (The Friend, September 1917)

“Our sanctuary building is a real landmark in the Pā‘ia – Makawao area – a constant reminder of the historical significance of our church and its relationship with Henry Baldwin,” said present church pastor Rev. Schlicher, during the church’s 150th anniversary celebration. (Maui Weekly)

“Besides being a pioneer in Hawai‘i’s sugar industry, Baldwin was a deeply religious man who gave of his time, wealth and services to his church, his community and the people of Hawai‘i.”

In 1843, Samuel Thomas Alexander and Henry Perrine Baldwin, sons of pioneer missionaries, met in Lāhainā, Maui. They grew up together, became close friends and went on to develop a sugar-growing partnership.

In 1869, they purchased 12-acres of land in Makawao and the following year an additional 559-acres. That same year, the partners planted sugar cane on their land marking the birth of what would become Alexander & Baldwin, Inc.

By 1876, the partners had expanded their sugar acreage and begun to seek a reliable source of water for their crop. Although not an engineer, Alexander devised an irrigation system that would bring water from the windward slopes of Haleakala to Central Maui to irrigate 3,000 acres of cane – their own and neighboring plantations.

In 1883, Alexander and Baldwin formalized their partnership by incorporating their sugar business as the Pāʻia Plantation also known at various times as Samuel T. Alexander & Co., Haleakala Sugar Co. and Alexander & Baldwin Plantation.

In 1889, Baldwin was instrumental in forming the Hawaiian Sugar Company Plantation at Makaweli on the island of Kauai, and oversaw the construction of the Hanapepe ditch on that island.

In 1894, he and Samuel Alexander formed Alexander & Baldwin which operated as the San Francisco agent for their plantations.

The Articles of Association were filed June 30, 1900 with the treasurer of the Territory of Hawaiʻi. Alexander & Baldwin, Limited became a Hawaiʻi corporation, with its principal office in Honolulu and with a branch office in San Francisco. They were one of Hawaiʻi’s Big 5.

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Henry Perrine Baldwin scanned from a page from “The Story of Hawaii and its Builders” Hawaii

The ship Parthian, Captained by Richard D Blinn, sailed from Boston November 3, 1827 and after 148-days at sea, arrived at Honolulu March 30, 1828. On board were 16-missionaries in the Third Company to the Islands. Among them were Jonathan Smith Green (December 20, 1796 – January 5, 1878) and his wife Theodosia Arnold Green (April 33, 1792 – October 5, 1859.)

The Greens were assigned to Lāhainā on the island of Maui until 1831, then Hilo for one year. In 1833, they moved to Wailuku, back on Maui, and built one of the first permanent houses there. The house is now known as the Bailey House, a two-story lava stone structure with 20” thick walls and a high-pitched roof covered with wood shingles.

In 1828, Green was part of a small group of non-Hawaiians to first climb Haleakalā (with Lorrin Andrews and physician Dr. Gerrit P Judd.) They were followed by a US Navy expedition led by Commander Charles Wilkes in 1841, and later, others. Significant public interest was generated by written accounts of these visits that determined that Haleakalā would eventually become a destination for tourism. (NPS)

Over the years Green served in various roles and supported and helped construct several schools and churches.

The present Kaʻahumanu Church is actually the fourth place of worship for the Wailuku congregation. The original congregation, under the leadership of the Green, was first forced to hold their meetings in a shed.

During its first year, Queen Kaʻahumanu, the Kuhina Nui of the Kingdom and convert to Christianity, visited the congregation and asked that when the congregation built an actual church, it be named for her. The congregation’s small shed meeting house soon proved too small as the service held there attracted as many as 3,000 worshippers. In 1834, a larger meeting house with a thatched roof was erected by the congregation.

The Central Female Seminary (Wailuku Female Seminary – the first female school begun by the missionaries) opened July 6, 1837, under Green, with six girls, which increased to an average of 30-students. Subsequently, this school moved to Makawao.

Green experimented with growing wheat in Wailuku in 1854. “Had I engaged in the business of wheat raising with the sole or even chief view of making money, I should not be a little mortified, but greatly so, with my want of success, for I have, thus far, failed to clear any thing.”

“My chief object, however, was to introduce the grain into the country, and persuade in people to cultivate it. In this I have succeeded, and I am more than content.” (JS Green, The New England Farmer, March 8, 1855)

First known as Makawao Foreign Church and Congregation, Makawao Union Church received a charter from the Hawaiian government in 1861, although Green had been holding services in his Makawao home from 1857.

On February 7, 1843, Green moved to Makawao and helped the Hawaiians in the Makawao area form the first self-supporting church in Hawaiʻi at Poʻokela (foremost, best, superior, prime, outstanding.)

He continued to serve as the pastor of Poʻokela Church, as well as the Makawao Union Church which was started to meet the needs of the English speaking, foreign community around Makawao.

He preached two sermons and conducted Bible studies on Sundays; gave a public lecture on Wednesdays; and held monthly prayer meetings, one for the conversion of the world, one for schools, one for seamen and one for the enslaved. (Poʻokela Church)

Green’s first wife died October 5, 1859 and on September 5, 1861 he married Asaneth Spring. In 1878, at the age of 82, Jonathan Green died. Asenath Green, and daughters Laura and Mary, continued to advise the church.

Mrs Green applied to the Hawaiian Evangelical Associate (HEA) for assistance and ministers were obtained for a time. From 1885 to 1889, the reverend John Kalama pastored the church. The following years saw a transition from Hawaiian to English-speaking services.

In 1904, Poʻokela Independent Church gave up its independence and merged with the HEA. Shortly thereafter, the church fell into disrepair.

“No services have been held at Poʻokela Church during the last five months on account of the dilapidated condition of the roof, part of which was blown away by the storm. Fortunately through the assistance of Maui’s generous friend and the Hawaiian Board, the building was repaired, and once more historic Poʻokela is looking fresh and comfortable, and ready for religious services. These began Sunday, May 5th, with a good old rally meeting.” (Hawaiian Evangelical Association, 1907)

“The repairs of the historic Poʻokela Church (‘which was fast tumbling to ruins,’) so dear to many former students of the present Maunaolu Seminary, and so closely associated with the life and work of the splendid missionary family, the Greens, are now begun in earnest.” (The Friend, March 1, 1907)

“The wood of which the ceiling is made is sweet scented and not found in these islands or in the states, and is supposed to have been imported from China about the time that Father Green built this church.” (Maui News, March 2, 1907)

During WWII, church buildings were converted to classrooms for the primary grades of Makawao School (the US Army took over the school for a military hospital.) “Aunty” Kalama provided the vision and energy to keep things moving.

Following the war, a reopening of the church took place. With the changing demographics of the region, the church evolved into a multi-ethnic church.

In 1999, a concrete floor was installed in the church (at a Christmas Eve service, a person’s foot went through the old wooden floor (the carpet saving him from going all the way through.))

A century after its last roof repair, the church needed reroofing, again. Built without nails, each peg had to be removed individually from the hand-hewn beams in the repair process. The church congregation raised a large tent to accommodate our meetings as well as Sunday services for members and visitors. (2009-2010) (Lots of information here from Poʻokela Church.)

The image shows Poʻokela Church. In addition, I have added other images in a folder of like name in the Photos section on my Facebook and Google+ pages.

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