Now that Hawaii is slowly—some would say too slowly—returning to some semblance of what life was like pre-pandemic, your Hawaii Aloha Chapter has arranged our first get together since February, 2020. It is a tour of historic Iolani Palace.

Pursuant to present pandemic protocols, we will be conducted on tour in groups of up to ten persons. The fee for the tour is $11.95/person, payable the

before the tour. This outing is scheduled for Friday, 18 June, at 1100—but, plan to arrive up to half an hour earlier to check in and pay for the tour. So we

know how many people will be there and, thus, how many docents will be required for our small groups, please call Mark Webster at 808-734-5994 to

leave a message that you and your guests will be joining us in our first gathering in 15 months.

Iolani Palace is located in downtown Honolulu, on the corner of King Street and Richards Street. The vehicle entrance to the Palace Grounds is located off Likelike Mall, on the left of King Street between the Palace and the Hawaii State Library.

There is limited metered parking on Iolani Palace grounds and nearby streets. It is recommend that you add a minimum 2 hours to your parking meter (only quarters with a rate of 25cents/15minutes) to ensure that you have adequate

time to walk to and from your car and for your tour. Fees will vary by location. Be aware that street parking may be limited to certain lengths of time and prohibited during morning and afternoon rush hours. Please read posted signs carefully and take note of TOW AWAY information.

As Iolani Palace is a sacred place, guests are required to be dressed in a manner that is respectful of its cultural and historical significance. Shirts and footwear are required; you will also be asked to wear shoe coverings provided by the Palace.  Food and beverages not allowed.  Remove hat and sunglasses before entering Iolani Palace. Please be advised of the "no bag" policy at the site.

What's allowed? A small bag, wallet, cameras, and phones.

This is the site of an ancient heiau and the location where alii nui (high ranking chiefs) are buried. Historically the grounds of Iolani Palace were reserved for

only the alii nui and their honored guests. Please be mindful while on these grounds. This sacred land is a beacon of hope for many in our community.

Visitors are welcome to take photos of the Iolani Palace interior, exterior, and grounds for personal use.

The following are not permitted:

Flash photography

Videotaping

Audio recording

Tripods or selfie sticks

Extended lenses

After the tour, the present plan is to meet at the Mangiamo Restaurant formerly Sam Snead’s) at the Navy/Marine Golf Course near the NEX and the

Moanalua Shopping Center. You may order what you wish—the lunchtime Soup and Salad Bar is recommend—since we will get separate checks.

Iolani Palace has had a fascinating history. As referenced in Wikipedia: The Iolani Palace was the royal residence of the rulers of the Kingdom of Hawaii

beginning with Kamehameha III under the Kamehameha Dynasty (1845) and ending with Queen Liliʻuokalani (1893) under the Kalākaua Dynasty, founded by her brother, King David Kalākaua. It is now a National Historic Landmark listed on the National Register of Historic Places. After the monarchy was overthrown in 1893, the building was used as the capitol building for the Provisional Government, Republic, Territory, and State of Hawaiʻi until 1969.

The palace was restored and opened to the public as a museum in 1978. Iolani Palace is the only royal palace on U. S. soil.

By the time David Kalākaua assumed the throne, the original Iolani Palace was in poor condition, suffering from ground termite damage. He ordered

the old palace to be razed. Kalākaua 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 the monarch of a modern state. He commissioned the construction of a new Iolani Palace, directly across the street from Aliʻiōlani Hale, to become the official palace of the Hawaiian monarchy.

Three architects, Thomas J. Baker, Charles J. Wall, and Isaac Moore,  contributed to the design; of these, Baker designed the structure, while

Wall and Moore offered other details. The cornerstone was laid December 31, 1879 during the administration of Minister of the Interior Samuel Gardner Wilder. It was built of brick with concrete facing.

The building was completed in November, 1882, and cost over $340,000 — a vast fortune at the time. It measures about 140 feet by 100 feet, and rises two stories over a raised basement to 54 feet high. It has four corner towers and two in the center rising to 76 feet. On February 12, 1883, a formal European-style coronation ceremony was held, even though Kalākaua had reigned for 9 years. The coronation pavilion officially known as Keliiponi Hale 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 bluemeeting 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 Liliʻuokalani played her compositions for guests. Upstairs are the private library and bedrooms of the Hawaiian monarchs.

An exterior view of the Palace was frequently shown on the original TV show Hawaii Five-O, suggesting it hosted the offices of the fictional state police unit featured on the show. It was also later portrayed in the late 1980s and early nineties as the headquarters of the Honolulu Prosecuting Attorney, including Jason McCabe in the TV series Jake and the Fatman.