It stood watch over the town of Lihu‘e for almost 65 years. Yesterday, it tumbled into the mud. The smokestack, built in 1948 according to a report by the National Parks Service, was 167 feet tall and helped propel Lihu‘e
It stood watch over the town of Lihu‘e for almost 65 years.
Yesterday, it tumbled into the mud.
The smokestack, built in 1948 according to a report by the National Parks Service, was 167 feet tall and helped propel Lihu‘e Plantation Company into one of the largest sugar companies in Hawai’i.
At one time, the mill was big enough to process all the sugar from three companies.
But the sugar plantation closed the mill in 2000, and the sweet smell of burning sugar was no longer wafting through the air over town, nor could people find the black soot that stained everything.
For decades, it was all one would smell.
The mill operated twenty-four hours a day in season (Nov.-March), five and two-thirds days a week for thirty-eight weeks out of the year, the National Parks report related.
Demolition on the mill started in January with asbestos abatement.
The mill was originally built in 1851 and helped make Lihu‘e Plantation one of the earliest successful plantations in Hawai‘i. There was more cane produced at the mill than any other in the state.
The work is being done by Sterling Systems Environmental Services
Owners of the land have not announced plans for the site.
