Hale Pai

Hale Pai or Pa'i is a house of printing. It was built around 1831 after missionaries arrived in Lahaina in 1823. It is located on the Island of Maui, Hawaii. It was founded by the Lahainaluna Seminary as part of a school. The school still exists today and is a public high school. The Ramage Press was sent to Honolulu and installed on the campus in Maui. The building was small with a thatched roof. Students were taught how to set type, operate the press, create engravings from copper, and bind the books. They tended to create text books and teaching aids.

An original copy of a Hawaiian text is on display at Hale Pai. The original building no longer stands, as it was replaced in 1837. The school and printing house closed for many years, but in the 1960s it was reopened as a high school. The building first had to be renovated in order to make it safe for occupancy given the dry rot and termites. The restoration was not complete until 1983 after a long fundraising project ensured the building could be completed.

Now the printing house is available for tours, as is the school.