Laie Social Hall, Laie, Hawaii, USA
The Laie Social Hall was dedicated in 1913 as a gathering place for the people of Laie. Since the old chapel (I Hemolele) was not built to accommodate social activities, the Laie Social Hall was constructed to hold dances, plays, luaus and movies.
After the old chapel burned down in 1940 and until the new chapel was dedicated nearly a decade later, the Laie Social Hall served as the chapel for the Laie Ward. It was a busy place, hosting not only social and church functions, but also weddings and funerals. Every weekend, movies were shown and concerts with dances took place there.1
The Hall included a stage at one end and a kitchen out the back. Sunday School and Primary classrooms were held under the stage. With the completion of the new chapel, the Laie Social Hall became a youth center and was also used to hold Laie 7th grade classes. When the Church College of Hawaii was founded in 1955, the Hall was used as an automotive shop. By 1958, it was determined that the Laie Social Hall had outlived its utility, and it was razed.
In 2006 Hawaii Reserves, Inc., Mormon Historic Sites Foundation, Mormon Pacific Historical Society and the Laie Community Association coordinated efforts to place a marker near the site, telling the history and significance of the Laie Social Hall.
SOURCES
1 Eloise Aguiar, “Project revives Laie’s ‘heart and soul’,” The Honolulu Advertiser, July 27, 2006.
Map & Directions
Admission: Free