Washington Place Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids Significant dates

Washington Place
U.S. National Register of Historic Places
U.S. National Historic Landmark

The building in 2024
Location in Hawaii
Location	320 Beretania Street, Honolulu, Hawaii
Area	3.1 acres (1.3 ha)
Built	1847
Built by	Isaac Hart
Architectural style	Greek Revival
Part of	Hawaii Capital Historic District (ID78001020)
NRHP reference No.	73000666
Added to NRHP	June 18, 1973
Designated NHL	March 29, 2007

Washington Place is a beautiful old house in Honolulu, Hawaii. It's built in a style called Greek Revival, which looks like ancient Greek temples. This special building was once the home of Queen Liliʻuokalani, the last ruler of the Kingdom of Hawaii. It was even where she was held after the Hawaiian Kingdom was overthrown.

Later, Washington Place became the official home for the governor of Hawaii. In 2007, it was named a National Historic Landmark, meaning it's a very important historical place. Today, the governor lives in a newer house built in 2008, right behind the historic Washington Place.

Building Washington Place
- Design and Style
History of the Home
- Queen Liliʻuokalani's Arrest
- Becoming the Governor's Home
Gallery
See also

Building Washington Place

Captain John Dominis (1796–1846)

The story of Washington Place began with an American sea captain named John Dominis. He came to Hawaii in 1837 with his wife, Mary Jones Dominis, and their son, John Owen Dominis.

Captain Dominis received some land in 1842. He wanted to build a grand house there. To earn money for the house, he continued his sea voyages. In 1846, he sailed to China to buy furniture for the almost-finished home. Sadly, his ship was lost at sea, and Mary Dominis became a widow.

To support herself and her son, Mary rented out rooms in their new house. One of the first people to stay there was Anthony Ten Eyck, an American official. On February 22, 1848, he named the house "Washington Place" to honor George Washington, the first U.S. president. King Kamehameha III officially approved the name.

The American flag flew at Washington Place until Mary Dominis passed away in 1889. Queen Liliʻuokalani then had it taken down. However, in 1917, the Queen herself raised the American flag again. She did this to honor five Hawaiian sailors who died when their ship was sunk by German submarines. Many people saw this as her way of showing support for the United States.

Design and Style

The house was designed by a skilled builder named Isaac Hart. He also helped build the first ʻIolani Palace. Another important builder was Daniel Jenner, an Italian mason. The inside was decorated by Israel Wright. Native Hawaiians also helped build the house, but their names are not recorded.

Washington Place has "open lānais" (porches) on all sides. The lower part of the building, including its walls and columns, is made from strong coral stone. The upper floor is built with wood.

The house looks like French Creole Greek Revival homes found in the southern United States. It has a nearly square shape with a two-story porch all around it. The porches have Tuscan columns, and the roof is sloped. Inside, the house has a traditional Georgian layout. This means there are four main rooms on the first floor and four bedrooms on the second floor.

History of the Home

The house around 1891–93

From 1849 to 1854, William Little Lee lived at Washington Place. He was very important in creating a Western-style legal system in Hawaii. He also helped write the Great Mahele, which changed how land was owned in Hawaii.

In 1862, Lydia Kamakaeha Pākī married John Owen Dominis. Lydia later became Queen Liliʻuokalani, the future ruler of the Kingdom of Hawaiʻi. After their marriage, Washington Place became their private home.

Mary Dominis, John Owen's mother, passed away in 1889. John Owen Dominis died in 1891. He left Washington Place to Liliʻuokalani, who had just become Queen after her brother, King Kalākaua, died.

Queen Liliʻuokalani's Arrest

In 1893, Washington Place was the scene of major events during the overthrow of the Hawaiian Kingdom. The Queen was arrested there by new government forces, who were helped by United States Marines.

She was later accused of working against the new government, the Republic of Hawaiʻi. After a trial, she was held at Washington Place for several months. Before that, she had been imprisoned at ʻIolani Palace.

Queen Liliʻuokalani lived at Washington Place for the rest of her life. She passed away in a downstairs bedroom of the house on November 11, 1917. The home is a powerful reminder for Hawaiians of their kingdom and Queen Liliʻuokalani's legacy.

Becoming the Governor's Home

In her book, Hawaiʻi's Story by Hawaiʻi's Queen, Liliʻuokalani called Washington Place "a grand home" and a "lovely tropical escape" in the main city of the Hawaiian islands.

On May 14, 1921, the government of Hawaii bought Washington Place for $55,000 from Queen Liliʻuokalani's estate. They wanted it to be the official home for the Territorial Governor of Hawaii. Governor Wallace Rider Farrington had it updated in 1922.

Washington Place served as the home for twelve territorial and state governors of Hawaii. It was also technically the home of thirteen governors, because John Owen Dominis, the Queen's husband, was the Governor of the island of Oʻahu from 1868 to 1891. The house was used as the governor's residence until 2002. After that, it became a historic house museum.

It was added to the National Register of Historic Places on June 18, 1973. Then, on March 29, 2007, it was named a National Historic Landmark. In 2008, a new governor's residence was built on the same property, behind the historic Washington Place.