Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
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Washington Place
Once the residence of the Governor of Hawaii (sorry, no tours; just peek through the
iron fence), this Greek revival-style home nevertheless occupies a distinguished place in
Hawaii's history. Built in 1842 by a U.S. sea captain named John Dominis, it got its name
from the U.S. ambassador who once stayed there and told so many stories about Presid-
ent George Washington that people started calling the home Washington Place. The sea
captain's son, also named John, married a beautiful Hawaiian princess, Lydia Kapaakea,
who later became Hawaii's last queen, Liliuokalani. When the queen was overthrown by
U.S. businessmen in 1893, she moved out of Iolani Palace and into her husband's inherited
home, Washington Place, where she lived until her death in 1917. On the left side of the
building, near the sidewalk, is a plaque inscribed with the words to one of the most popu-
lar songs written by Queen Liliuokalani, “Aloha Oe” (“Farewell to Thee”).
Cross the street and walk to the front of the Hawaii State Capitol, where you'll find the:
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Father Damien Statue
The people of Hawaii have never forgotten the sacrifice this Belgian priest made to help the
sufferers of leprosy when he volunteered to work with them in exile on the Kalaupapa Pen-
insula on the island of Molokai. After 16 years of service, Father Damien died of leprosy,
at the age of 49. The statue is frequently draped in leis in recognition of Father Damien's
humanitarian work. Recently the Catholic Church made Father Damien a saint.
Behind Father Damien's statue is the:
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Hawaii State Capitol
Here's where Hawaii's state legislators work from mid-January to the end of April every
year. This is not your typical white dome structure, but a building symbolic of Hawaii. Un-
fortunately, it symbolizes more of Hawaii than the architect and the state legislature prob-
ably bargained for. The building's unusual design has palm-tree-shaped pillars, two cone-
shaped chambers (representing volcanoes) for the legislative bodies, and in the inner court-
yard, a 600,000-tile mosaic of the sea (Aquarius) created by a local artist. A reflecting pool
(representing the sea) surrounds the entire structure. Like a lot of things in Hawaii, it was
a great idea, but no one considered the logistics. The reflecting pond also draws brackish
water, which rusts the hardware; when it rains, water pours into the rotunda, dampening
government business; and the Aquarius floor mosaic became so damaged by the elements
that it became a hazard. In the 1990s, the entire building (built in 1969) was closed for a
couple of years for renovations, forcing the legislature to set up temporary quarters in sev-
eral buildings. It's open again, and you are welcome to go into the rotunda and see the
woven hangings and murals at the entrance, or take the elevator up to the fifth floor for a
spectacular view of the city's historical center.
Walk down Richards Street toward the ocean and stop at:
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Iolani Palace
Hawaii is the only state in the U.S. to have not one but two royal palaces; one in Kona
(on Big Island), where the royals went during the summer, and Iolani Palace (Iolani means
