Lahaina Orchid Exhibit
To Be Permanent

BY BUCK QUAYLE

Lahaina Orchid Exhibit

West Maui will have its first permanent horticultural display with the opening May 1 of the Lahaina Orchid Exhibit.

The exhibit, on land next to the Lahaina terminal of the Lahaina-Kaanapali & Pacific Railroad, will include some 200 blooming orchid plants, along with jade and ti plants, anthuriums, ferns and other Maui native plants.

A Lei Day celebration May 1, with prizes for the best leis in 10 different categories, will highlight opening events.

The public opening is scheduled for both May 1 and 2, during which time no admission will be charged.

The building housing the exhibit will also include several shops. Ed Knesman will offer hats, baskets, mats and other items handwoven from lau hala and palm leaves. Nelson Waikiki Gifts will sell products handcrafted from coconuts, kukui nuts and black coral.

The Makai Corp., owner of the railroad, will have a shop selling Hawaiian gifts. Bob McDonald, owner of Mauka Camera in Lahaina, will operate the ticket booth, a film and gift concession and a flower shop.

The orchid exhibit is the project of John Mueller, who was in the importing business in San Francisco until moving to Maui four years ago.

Last year, Mueller looked into the possibility of building a tramway to a vantage point high in the West Maui mountains. He said he abandoned the project because the tramway mountain terminal would have been near the grave of David Malo, a revered Hawaiian educator and leader. Mueller incicated he felt it would not be appropriate to have the terminal in that location.