Maui Island, Hawaii
Lahaina
Brick Palace
Lahaina Harbor
The first royal capital of the Hawaiian Islands, much of the town of Lahaina has been given National Historic Landmark status. Facing the scenic harbor was the Brick Palace, which was the first royal residence of Kamehameha I (1758-1819), Hawaii‘s queer king. All that’s left now are the foundations of what was once a western-style structure, a modest two-story brick building. In some mainstream guidebooks, the story is that Kamehameha located his capital here to be close to the grave of his beloved first wife. But since he also had a beloved aikane, or male lover, we might wonder how much of the story has been “straightened out” by history.
The Queerest Places 