Bailey House Museum
Encyclopedia
The Bailey House Museum, also known as Old Bailey House, is a museum of Hawaii
an history located in Wailuku, Hawaii
, on the island of Maui
, owned and operated by the Maui Historical Society.
, last ruling chief of Maui.
Built in 1833 and being one of the first western-style
houses in Wailuku, the “Old Bailey House” is listed in the National Register of Historic Places
.
Originally intended as a mission
for adults and children, in 1837 the mission was transformed into the Wailuku Female Seminary, a boarding school that not only taught its students Christianity and academic pursuits, such as the three Rs
, but also domestic skills such as sewing and housekeeping. First managed by Theodosia and Rev. Jonathan Smith Green
, Edward
and Caroline Bailey assumed responsibility in 1844 shortly after arriving in Hawaii.
Despite sponsorship by the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions
, the Seminary was closed in 1847, a victim of funding shortfalls. The house and land reverted to the Hawaiian crown but were purchased by the Baileys in 1850. Later, the house and the Baileys' sugar cane fields became part of the Wailuku Sugar Plantation, when then became part of C. Brewer & Co.
The Maui Historical Society was established in 1951, and the Bailey House Museum, at that time called Hale Ho`ike`ike (House of Display), opened on July 6, 1957.
Masaru "Pundy" Yokouchi purchased the Bailey house in 1991 and donated it to the Maui Historical Society.
The Bailey House Museum contains a number of diverse exhibits. Exhibits on the lower floor include:
The upstairs rooms have been furnished to appear as they would have in the early 19th century. A small outlying shelter displays not only Duke Kahanamoku
's 1919 redwood surfboard
, but the 33 feet (10.1 m) Honaunau, a 1900-era outrigger canoe
used for fishing and carved from a single koa log. This vessel is one of the last koa fishing canoes made in Hawaii.:
The gardens on the museum grounds display indigenous flora while a gift shop featuring locally made items is south of the house. The museum also houses a significant number of historical papers available to researchers.
The museum is open Monday through Saturday 10 AM to 4 PM.
Hawaii
Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...
an history located in Wailuku, Hawaii
Wailuku, Hawaii
Wailuku is a census-designated place in Maui County, Hawaii, United States. The population was 12,296 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Maui County.Wailuku is located just west of Kahului, at the mouth of the Īao Valley...
, on the island of Maui
Maui
The island of Maui is the second-largest of the Hawaiian Islands at and is the 17th largest island in the United States. Maui is part of the state of Hawaii and is the largest of Maui County's four islands, bigger than Lānai, Kahoolawe, and Molokai. In 2010, Maui had a population of 144,444,...
, owned and operated by the Maui Historical Society.
The building
The house is situated at the mouth of the Iao Valley within the former royal compound of Kahekili IIKahekili II
Kahekili II, full name Kahekilinuiahumanu, was the twenty fifth King of Maui. His name was short for Kāne-Hekili after the Hawaiian god of thunder. Because Kāne-Hekili was believed to be black on one side, Kahekili tattooed one side of his body from head to foot.-Family:He was born about...
, last ruling chief of Maui.
Built in 1833 and being one of the first western-style
Western world
The Western world, also known as the West and the Occident , is a term referring to the countries of Western Europe , the countries of the Americas, as well all countries of Northern and Central Europe, Australia and New Zealand...
houses in Wailuku, the “Old Bailey House” is listed in the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
.
Originally intended as a mission
Mission (Christian)
Christian missionary activities often involve sending individuals and groups , to foreign countries and to places in their own homeland. This has frequently involved not only evangelization , but also humanitarian work, especially among the poor and disadvantaged...
for adults and children, in 1837 the mission was transformed into the Wailuku Female Seminary, a boarding school that not only taught its students Christianity and academic pursuits, such as the three Rs
The three Rs
The three Rs are the foundations of a basic skills-orientated education program within schools: Reading, wRiting and aRithmetic.The phrase is attributed to a toast given by Sir William Curtis around 1825...
, but also domestic skills such as sewing and housekeeping. First managed by Theodosia and Rev. Jonathan Smith Green
Jonathan Smith Green
Reverend Jonathan Smith Green was a missionary from New England to the Kingdom of Hawaii.-Life:Green was born December 20, 1796 in Lebanon, Connecticut to Beriah and Elizabeth Green. He graduated from Andover Seminary and on September 20, 1827 he married Theodosia Arnold of East Haddam,...
, Edward
Edward Bailey
Edward Bailey was the most accomplished of the missionary artists in Hawaii. Along with his wife, Bailey arrived in Hawaii as a missionary-teacher in 1837 on the ship Mary Frazier. He worked at the Wailuku Female Seminary in Maui from 1840 until its closure in 1849...
and Caroline Bailey assumed responsibility in 1844 shortly after arriving in Hawaii.
Despite sponsorship by the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions
American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions
The American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions was the first American Christian foreign mission agency. It was proposed in 1810 by recent graduates of Williams College and officially chartered in 1812. In 1961 it merged with other societies to form the United Church Board for World...
, the Seminary was closed in 1847, a victim of funding shortfalls. The house and land reverted to the Hawaiian crown but were purchased by the Baileys in 1850. Later, the house and the Baileys' sugar cane fields became part of the Wailuku Sugar Plantation, when then became part of C. Brewer & Co.
C. Brewer & Co.
C. Brewer & Co., Ltd. was a Honolulu-based company that was once part of the Big Five companies in territorial Hawaii. The company did most of its business in agriculture....
The Maui Historical Society was established in 1951, and the Bailey House Museum, at that time called Hale Ho`ike`ike (House of Display), opened on July 6, 1957.
Masaru "Pundy" Yokouchi purchased the Bailey house in 1991 and donated it to the Maui Historical Society.
Exhibits
- A portion of the David Dwight BaldwinDavid Dwight BaldwinDavid Dwight Baldwin was a businessman, educator, and biologist on Maui in the Hawaiian islands. Within biology he is known for his contributions to the study of Hawaiian land snails, part of malacology....
land snail shell collection. With the introduction of alien snails, many of the indigenous species endemic to Maui are now extinct. - A model of the HokuleaHokuleaHōkūlea is a performance-accurate full-scale replica of a waa kaulua, a Polynesian double-hulled voyaging canoe. Launched on 8 March 1975 by the Polynesian Voyaging Society, she is best known for her 1976 Hawaii to Tahiti voyage performed with Polynesian navigation techniques, without modern...
, itself a modern-day replica of an ancient Polynesian-style sailing vessel. - A wooden statue of the Hawaiian demi-godHawaiian mythologyHawaiian mythology refers to the legends, historical tales and sayings of the ancient Hawaiian people. It is considered a variant of a more general Polynesian mythology, developing its own unique character for several centuries before about 1800. It is associated with the Hawaiian religion...
, Kamapua'aKamapua'aIn Hawaiian mythology, Kamapuaa is a hog-man fertility demi-god associated with Lono, the god of agriculture. The son of Hina and Kahiki-ula, the chief of Kauai, Kamapua'a was particularly connected with the island of Maui....
. Hidden in a cave for over a century, this is the only wooden statue on Maui to survive King Kamehameha IIKamehameha IIKamehameha II was the second king of the Kingdom of Hawaii. His birth name was Liholiho and full name was Kalaninui kua Liholiho i ke kapu Iolani...
's 1819 purge of the indigenous religion. - Oil paintings by Edward Bailey. Bailey was a Sunday painter whose work totals some 100 Maui landscapes.
- Pre-European contact artifacts including utensils, tools, and weapons.
The upstairs rooms have been furnished to appear as they would have in the early 19th century. A small outlying shelter displays not only Duke Kahanamoku
Duke Kahanamoku
Duke Paoa Kahinu Mokoe Hulikohola Kahanamoku was a Hawaiian swimmer, actor, lawman, early beach volleyball player and businessman credited with spreading the sport of surfing. He was a five-time Olympic medalist in swimming.-Early years:The name "Duke" is not a title, but a given name...
's 1919 redwood surfboard
Surfboard
A surfboard is an elongated platform used in the sport of surfing. Surfboards are relatively light, but are strong enough to support an individual standing on them while riding a breaking wave...
, but the 33 feet (10.1 m) Honaunau, a 1900-era outrigger canoe
Outrigger canoe
The outrigger canoe is a type of canoe featuring one or more lateral support floats known as outriggers, which are fastened to one or both sides of the main hull...
used for fishing and carved from a single koa log. This vessel is one of the last koa fishing canoes made in Hawaii.:
The gardens on the museum grounds display indigenous flora while a gift shop featuring locally made items is south of the house. The museum also houses a significant number of historical papers available to researchers.
The museum is open Monday through Saturday 10 AM to 4 PM.