Lahaina Luna school (Ka Leo Luna) was the first school west of the Rocky Mountains.
Many children from the pioneer west received their secondary education there before going to the eastern States for their college education. A sea voyage to Maui was much quicker and safer than crossing the plains. The school was opened in 1831 and had a big celebration this year for its 175th anniversary.
In 1849 it was taken over by the Hawaiian government and was opened to non-Hawaiians. The first printing press in Hawai'i (still preserved at Lahaina Luna) was set up there in the 1830's and the first maps of the Islands were printed there. These and the first books are printed in Hawaiian.