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Iolani Palace 1

€Iolani Palace

€Iolani Palace

U.S. National Register of Historic Places

U.S. National Historic Landmark 

€Iolani Palace is the hallmark of Hawaiian renaissance architecture

Location Honolulu, HI

Coordinates21€18•23.84‚N 157€51•32.25‚W

[1]Coordinates: 21€18•23.84‚N 157€51•32.25‚W 

[1]

Area 10.6 acres (4.3 ha)

Built 1879

Architect Thomas J. Baker, Charles J. Wall, Isaac Moore

Architectural style American Florentine

Governing body State of Hawaii

Part of  Hawaii Capital Historic District (#78001020)

NRHP Reference # 66000293

Significant dates

Added to NRHP October 15, 1966

Designated NHL December 29, 1962

€Iolani Palace, in the capitol district of downtown Honolulu in the U.S. state of Hawai€i, is the only royal palace

now a part of the United States. It was used as an official residence of the reigning Hawaiian sovereign and is now a

National Historic Landmark listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Two monarchs governed from €Iolani

Palace: King Kal‚kaua and Queen Lili€uokalani, although Kamehameha III, IV, V, and William Charles Lunalilo

had their main residences here as well. After the monarchy was overthrown in 1893, the building was used as the

capitol building for the Provisional Government, Republic, Territory, and State of Hawai€i until 1969. The palace

was restored and opened to the public as a museum in 1978.

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Iolani Palace 2

Background

Pohukaina

In the early 19th-century, this area was known as Pohukaina, probably from  pohu ka €  €ina which in the Hawaiian

language means "the land is calm". It may also been named for the chief of the same name (sometimes spelled

Pahukaina) who according to legend chose a cave in Kanehoalani in the Ko€olau Range for his resting place. The

land belonged to Kekauluohi, who later ruled as Kuhina Nui, as her birthrights.

The missionary Hiram Bingham I was allowed to build a missionary compound of his house and what became the

Kawaiaha€o Church outside of the old town. Some thatched huts were built for royalty to be near a school that the

missionaries ran for the royal family at the church. Another missionary William Ellis built his home there, and Prime

Minister Kalanimoku decided to build the first stone house on the site, naming it "Pohukaina". After Kalanimoku's

death, the building, often referred to as a palace, became the meeting hall for the council of chiefs. The present

palace grounds consist of many different homes for other ali €is; Kekƒan‚oa build his house  Hali€  imaile and Keoni

Ana lived in K•na€  u Hale, which was later converted into the residence of the royal chamberlain, on the site.

Oral history told of an ancient heiau (temple to the Hawaiian religion) called Ka€ahaimauli that was destroyed in the

area.[2]

Pohukaina burial site with old palacebehind

After 1825, the first Western-style royal tomb was constructed for the bodies of 

King Kamehameha II and his queen Kam‚malu. They were buried on August 23,

1825. The idea was heavily influenced by the tombs at Westminster Abbey

during Kamehameha II's trip to London. The mausoleum was a small house

made of coral blocks with a thatched roof. It had no windows, and it was the duty

of two chiefs to guard the iron-locked koa door day and night. No one can enter

the vault except for burials or Memorial Day, a Hawaiian national holiday

celebrated on December 30.

Although Kamehameha III lived in the compound for a while, he had no

permanent capital, and left in 1837 for Moku`ula on Maui., which became the

capital until 1845. Over time, as more bodies were added, the small vault became

crowded, so other chiefs and retainers were buried in unmarked graves nearby. In 1865 a selected 20 coffins were

removed to the Royal Mausoleum of Hawaii called Mauna €Ala in Nu€uanu Valley. But many chiefs remain on the

site including: Keawe€ „kekahiali€iokamoku, Kalaniopuu, Chiefess Kapiolani, and Timothy Haalilio.

After being overgrown for many years, the Hawaiian Historical Society passed a resolution in 1930 requesting

Governor Lawrence Judd to memorialize the site with the construction of a metal fence enclosure and a plaque.

Tradition holds that the tomb was on the site of a former cave.

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Iolani Palace 3

Hale Ali€i

A rare photograph of the original €Iolani Palace,

the grandest house of its time in Honolulu

The €Iolani Palace structure that exists today is actually the second to

sit on the grounds. The original one story wooden building called

Hanailoia was built in July 1844, only one-third the floor area of the

present palace. Mataio Kekƒan‚o€a, who was long-time Royal

Governor of O€ahu, built it for his daughter Princess Victoria

Kam‚malu. It was purchased by King Kamehameha III from

Kam‚malu (the King's niece) when he moved his capital from Lahaina

to Honolulu in 1845. Kekƒan‚o€a built his own house directly to the

west, and Kek‚uluohi built hers to the south near the Pohukaina

mausoleum.

It was constructed as a traditional ali€i residence with only ceremonial

spaces, no sleeping rooms. It just had a throne room, a reception room, and a state dining room, with other houses

around for sleeping and for retainers. Kamehameha III slept in a cooler grass hut around the palace. He called his

home Ho€iho

€ikea in honor of his restoration after the Paulet Affair of 1843.

The palace building was named Hale Ali€i meaning (House of the Chiefs). During Kamehameha V's reign it was

changed to €Iolani Palace, after his brother Kamehameha IV's given names (his full name was Alexander Liholiho

Keawenui €Iolani). It literally means "royal hawk." The Palace served as the official residence of the monarch during

the reigns of Kamehameha IV, Kamehameha V, Lunalilo, and the first part of Kal‚kaua's reign. The original

structure was very simple in design and was more of a stately home than a palace, but at the time, it was the grandest

house in town. The palace was largely meant for receiving foreign dignitaries and state functions; the king preferred

to live in grass huts on the palace grounds.

Theodore Heuck, who had earlier designed the new Mausoleum, designed a building called €Iolani Barracks,

completed in 1871, to house the royal guards. Over time the other houses on the grounds were removed and replaced

with grass lawns.

Ali€i•lani Hale

King Kamehameha V envisioned a royal palace befitting of the sovereignty of a modern state. He commissioned the

construction of Ali€i…lani Hale to be the official palace of the Hawaiian monarchy. The building was constructed

across the street from the original €Iolani Palace structure. It was named after himself (his full name was Lot

Kapuaiwa Kalanikupuapaikalaninui Ali€iolani Kalanimakua) it means "House of the heavenly King". At the time,

Hawai€i sorely needed a government building, since the government buildings of the time were small and cramped.

Ultimately, Ali€i…lani Hale became an administrative building instead of a palace, housing the judiciary of the

Kingdom of Hawai€i and various other ministries.

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Iolani Palace 4

Kal‚kaua's €Iolani Palace

The palace shortly after construction

By the time David Kal‚kaua assumed

the throne, the original €Iolani Palace

was in poor condition, suffering from

ground termite damage. He ordered the

old palace to be razed.

Kal‚kaua was the first monarch to

travel around the world. While visiting

Europe, he took note of the grand

palaces owned by other monarchs.

Like Kamehameha V, he dreamed of a

royal palace befitting of the

sovereignty of a modern state such as

Hawai€i. He commissioned the

construction a new€Iolani Palace,

directly across the street from

Ali€i…lani Hale, to become the official

palace of the Hawaiian monarchy.

Design and construction

Thomas J. Baker designed the structure, Charles J. Wall added details, and architect Isaac Moore. The cornerstone

was laid December 31, 1879 during the administration of Minister of the Interior Samuel Gardner Wilder.:204

It was

built of brick with concrete facing. The building was completed in November 1882 and cost over $340,000  ƒ a vast

fortune at the time. It measures about 140 feet (43 m) by 100 feet (30 m), and rises two stories over a raised

basement to 54 feet (16 m) high. It has four corner towers and two in the center rising to 76 feet (23 m). On February

12, 1883 a formal European-style coronation ceremony was held, even though Kal‚kaua had reigned for 9 years. The

coronation pavilion was later moved to the southwest corner of the grounds and converted to a bandstand for the

Royal Hawaiian Band.

€Iolani Palace features architecture seen nowhere else in the world. This unique style is known as American

Florentine. On the first floor a grand hall faces a staircase of koa wood. Ornamental plaster decorates the interior.

The throne room (southeast corner), the blue meeting room, and the dining room adjoin the hall. The blue room

included a large 1848 portrait of King Louis Philippe of France and a koa wood piano where Lili€uokalani played her

compositions for guests. Upstairs are the private library and bedrooms of the Hawaiian monarchs. It had electricity

and telephones even before the White House.

It served as the official residence of the Hawaiian monarch until the 1893 overthrow of the Kingdom of Hawaii.

Beside Lili€uokalani, Queen Kapi€olani and other royal retainers were evicted from the palace after the overthrow.

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Iolani Palace 5

Royal imprisonment and trial

The trial of Queen Liliuokalani was held in the Throne

Room of the palace

Upon the overthrow of the monarchy by the Committee of Safety

in 1893, troops of the newly formed Provisional Government of 

Hawai€i took control of €Iolani Palace. After a few months

government offices moved in and it was renamed the "Executive

Building" for the Republic of Hawai€i. Government officials

carefully inventoried its contents and sold at public auctions

whatever furniture or furnishings were not suitable for government

operations. Queen Lili€uokalani was imprisoned for nine months in

a small room on the upper floor after the second of the Wilcox

rebellions in 1895. The quilt she made is still there. The trial was

held in the former throne room.

When a proposed annexation treaty up for ratification, the

Hawaiian Patriotic League held a protest rally at the palace on

September 6, 1897. They gathered petition signatures in an effort to demonstrate the treaty did not have popularsupport. On August 12, 1898 US troops from the USS Philadelphia came ashore and raised the Flag of the United

States at the palace to mark the annexation by the Newlands Resolution. The Queen and other Hawaiian nobles did

not attend, staying at Washington Place instead. The building served as the capitol of the Territory of Hawai€i, the

military headquarters during World War II, and the State of Hawai €i. During the government use of the palace, the

second floor royal bedroom became the governor's office, while the legislature occupied the entire first floor. The

representatives met in the former throne room and the senate in the former dining room.

Archives

After annexation, there was a fear that all records would be moved to the mainland. Since an 1847 effort by Robert

Crichton Wyllie, a set of archives had been kept of all kingdom records. A new fireproof building was built in 1906

on the grounds just to the southeast of the palace. It included a vault 30 feet (9.1 m) by 40 feet (12 m) with steel

shelves. At first it was to be called the Hall of Records, but the name Archives of Hawaii made it clear the

documents included those from the kingdom. A new Kek‚uluohi building provides digital access to some of the

collections.

Palace Restoration

€Iolani Barracks housed the Royal Guards of 

Hawaii

In 1930 the interior of €Iolani Palace was remodeled, and wood

framing replaced by steel and reinforced concrete. The name €Iolani

Palace was officially restored in 1935. During World War II, it served

as the temporary headquarters for the military governor in charge of 

martial law in the Hawaiian Islands.

The Hawaiian soldiers of Japanese ancestry who were accepted for

service in the US Army became the core of the 442nd Infantry

Regiment. Before leaving Hawaii for training on the mainland, they

were sworn in during a mass ceremony on the grounds of the Palace.[3]

Through more than 70 years as a functional but neglected government

building, the Palace fell into disrepair. After Hawaii became a state, Governor John A. Burns began an effort to

restore the palace in the 1960s. The first step was to move the former€Iolani Barracks building from its original

position northeast of the palace. It now serves as a visitors center for the palace.

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Iolani Palace 6

€Iolani Palace was designated a National Historic Landmark on December 29, 1962 and added as site 66000293 to

the National Register of Historic Places listings in Oahu on October 15, 1966. Government offices vacated the

Palace in 1969 and moved to the newly constructed Hawaii State Capitol building on the former barracks site. In

preparation for restoration, the Junior League of Honolulu researched construction, furnishings, and palace lifestyle

in nineteenth-century newspapers, photographs and archival manuscripts. Overseeing the restoration was The

Friends of €Iolani Palace, founded by Lili€uokalani Kaw‚nanakoa Morris, grand-niece of Queen Kapi€olani. Two

wooden additions were removed and the interior was restored based on original plans.

Through the efforts of acquisitions researchers and professional museum staff, and donations of individuals, many

original Palace objects have been returned. Government grants and private donations funded reproduction of original

fabrics and finishes to restore Palace rooms to their monarchy era appearance. €Iolani Palace opened to the public in

1978 after structural restoration of the building was completed. In the basement is a photographic display of the

Palace, the Hawaiian crown jewels, orders and decorations given by the monarchs, and regalia worn by the high

chiefs of the islands.

The grounds of €Iolani Palace are managed by the Hawai€i State Department of Land and Natural Resources but the

palace building itself is managed as a historical house museum by the Friends of €Iolani Palace, a non-profit

non-governmental organization. The birthdays of King Kal‚kaua (November 16) and Queen Kapi €olani (December

28) are celebrated with ceremonies.

Recent events

On January 17, 1993, a massive observation was held on the grounds of €Iolani Palace to mark the 100th anniversary

of the overthrow of the Hawaiian monarchy. A torchlight vigil was held at night, with the palace draped in black.

On April 30, 2008, €Iolani Palace was overtaken by a group of native Hawaiians who called themselves the Hawaiian

Kingdom Government to protest what they view as illegitimate rule by the United States. Mahealani Kahau, "head of 

state" of the group, said they do not recognize Hawai€i as a U.S. state, but would keep the occupation of the palace

peaceful. "The Hawaiian Kingdom Government is here and it doesn't plan to leave. This is a continuity of the

Hawaiian Kingdom of 1892 to today," Kahau said.

In response, the Friends of €Iolani Palace released a statement that while they "respect the freedom of Hawaiian

groups to hold an opinion on the overthrow of the Hawaiian Kingdom, we believe that blocking public access to

Iolani Palace is wrong and certainly detrimental to our mission to share the Palace and its history with our residents,

our keiki (children), and our visitors." The statement clarified that the original seat of government of the Hawaiian

Kingdom was not €Iolani Palace. The Palace was used as the royal residence while government activities were

carried out in the original courthouse (now demolished) and later in Ali€iolani Hale.

In fiction

€Iolani Palace plays a significant role in the Harry Turtledove books Days of Infamy and End of the Beginning as the

seat of the Japanese puppet government of Hawai€i.

A movie titled Princess Kaiulani about Princess Ka €iulani was filmed at the palace in 2008.

A fictional character claiming to work for the €Iolani Palace restoration project and trying to recover presents Queen

Kapi€olani gave to Boston residents on her stay there in 1887 plays a significant role in Charlotte MacLeod's

detective fiction The Withdrawing Room (1981).Wikipedia:Citation needed

In the episode "Yapper" from Lilo & Stitch: The Series, Pleakley and Jumba visit €Iolani Palace as part of Pleakley's

sight seeing tour of Honolulu. In the same episode, Lilo enters Stitch in a dog show in hopes of beating Mertle and

Gigi (Experiment 007).

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Iolani Palace 7

Images

€Iolani Hawk, the high flight of the hawk signified

Hawaiian Royalty.

Coronation Pavilion for King Kalakaua and Queen

Kapi€olani in 1883

€Iolani Barracks

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Iolani Palace 8

An 1883 public notice announcing a reception at the

Iolani Palace

References

[1] http:/   /  tools.wmflabs. org/  geohack/  geohack. php?pagename=%CA%BBIolani_Palace& params=21_18_23.  84_N_157_51_32.

25_W_region:US_type:landmark 

[2][2] (extracts of address at cornerstone ceremony in 1879)

[3] Coffman, Tom et al. (2006). The First Battle: the Battle for Equality in War-time Hawaii, (http:/   /  thefirstbattle. com/  index. html) Script, Act

II. (http:/   /  thefirstbattle.com/  film-script. html#act2)

External links

† Photo essay on residences of Hawaiian Kings (http:/   /  www. fmschmitt. com/  travels/  Hawaii/  Hawaiian-History/ 

index. html)

† Friends of €Iolani Palace (http:/   /  www. iolanipalace. org)

†   €Iolani Palace oral history on Pacific Worlds (http:/   /  www. pacificworlds. com/  nuuanu/  native/  native4. cfm)

†   €Iolani Palace and the Overthrow of the Monarchy on Pacific Worlds (http:/   /  www.pacificworlds. com/  nuuanu/ 

memories/  memory2. cfm)

† Coffman, Tom, (2006).David Hoole; Nyla Fujii; Eric Nemoto and Gary Ontai. (2006). The First Battle: the Battle

 for Equality in War-time Hawaii. (http:/   /  thefirstbattle. com/  index. html) San Francisco: Center for Asian

American Media. OCLC 72700683 (http:/   /  www. worldcat. org/  title/ 

first-battle-the-battle-for-equality-in-war-time-hawaii/  oclc/  72700683)

† Historic American Buildings Survey (HABS) No. HI-1, " Iolani Palace, King & Richards Streets, Honolulu,

Honolulu County, HI (http:/   /  loc.gov/  pictures/  item/  hi0047)", 57 photos, 23 measured drawings, 2 data pages,

3 photo caption pages

† HABS No. HI-2, " Iolani Bandstand, King & Richards Streets, Honolulu, Honolulu County, HI (http:/   /  loc.

gov/  pictures/  item/  hi0045)", 8 photos, 3 measured drawings, 6 data pages, 1 photo caption page

† HABS No. HI-3, " Iolani Barracks, Richards & Hotel Streets, Honolulu, Honolulu County, HI (http:/   /  loc.

gov/  pictures/  item/  hi0045)", 17 photos, 6 measured drawings, 6 data pages, 1 photo caption page

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Article Sources and Contributors 9

Article Sources and Contributors€Iolani Palace  Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=611258015 Contributors: 293.xx.xxx.xx, Acalamari, Acroterion, Ahawaiiguy, Ajithchandra, Ali'i, Alicekim53, Alileng, Ann

Stouter, Aoi, Appraiser, Arbor, Bluemoose, Burschik, Catapult, Chester Markel, CommonsDelinker, Cristo Vlahos, Cuwcadet08, Dabomb87, Delirium, Dgowre, Domino theory, Doncram, Droll,

Drpickem, Dthomsen8, Ebyabe, Edward, Elagatis, Enkyo2, Eoghanacht, Erianna, Foofbun, Fourthords, Geologyguy, Gerald Farinas, Ghirlandajo, GrahamHardy, Grenavitar, Gryffindor,

Hannanco, Hmains, Hokulani78, Ipoellet, JHunterJ, JLaTondre, Jamesx12345, Jiang, Jllm06, Joel Bradshaw, KAVEBEAR, Kaihsu, KeithH, Kintetsubuffalo, LordAmeth, LurkingInChicago,

Lvklock, Magioladitis, Man vyi, Mark Miller, Marox79, Marshman, Maya, Mestesso, Mitchazenia, Ncox, Neutrality, Nyttend, Olborne, PamD, Paris1127, Paul Chester, Pcpcpc, Phoenix1867,

RJSchmitt, Raymond1922A, Rich Farmbrough, Richard Weil, Rjwilmsi, Rockypedia, Ryulong, Sallicio, Senjuto, Ser Amantio di Nicolao, Sertrel, Sgt Pinback, Sherool, Steve03Mills, TDogg310,

TexasAndroid, Thedjatclubrock, Travis.Thurston, Ttwaring, Vegaswikian, Vegaswikian1, Viralxtreme14, W Nowicki, WPPilot, Wmpearl, Xeworlebi, Zscout370, ‡, €  

•  

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Image Sources, Licenses and ContributorsFile:Iolani Palace Oahu Hawaii Photo D Ramey Logan.JPG  Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Iolani_Palace_Oahu_Hawaii_Photo_D_Ramey_Logan.JPG  License:

Creative Commons Attribution-Sharealike 3.0 Contributors: WPPilot

Image:Pohukaina and old Iolani Palace.jpg  Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Pohukaina_and_old_Iolani_Palace.jpg  License: Public Domain Contributors: Hugo

Stangenwald (1829-1899)

File:Former Iolani Palace.jpg  Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Former_Iolani_Palace.jpg  License: Public Domain Contributors: credited to Hawaii State Archives

File:Iolani Palace in 1885.jpg  Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Iolani_Palace_in_1885.jpg  License: Public Domain Contributors: unknown photographer

File:Trial of Liliuokalani (PP-98-12-007).jpg  Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Trial_of_Liliuokalani_(PP-98-12-007).jpg  License: Public Domain Contributors:

unknown

File:Iolani Barracks.jpg  Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Iolani_Barracks.jpg  License: Creative Commons Attribution-Sharealike 3.0 Contributors: User:Travis.Thurston

File:Io on takeoff.jpg  Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Io_on_takeoff.jpg  License: Creative Commons Attribution-Sharealike 2.0 Contributors: Kanalu Chock 

File:Iolani Palace (1326).JPG  Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Iolani_Palace_(1326).JPG  License: Public Domain Contributors: User:Jiang

File:Iolani Palace (1325).JPG  Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Iolani_Palace_(1325).JPG  License: Public Domain Contributors: User:Jiang

File:Iolani Palace Public Notice.jpg  Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Iolani_Palace_Public_Notice.jpg  License: Public Domain Contributors: Alicekim53, Auntof6,

Peu386

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