Imagine an elegant white house. This is Washington Place. It stands right across from the Hawaii State Capitol. This Greek Revival palace witnessed pivotal moments in Hawaiian history.
Washington Place began as the home of Captain John Dominis. He was an American merchant. He moved to Hawaii in 1837. Dominis acquired land and started building his dream house in 1842. Sadly, he perished at sea in 1846 before it was completed.
His widow, Mary Dominis, resourceful and resilient, opened her home to boarders. One of them was Anthony Ten Eyck. He was a US Commissioner. In 1848, Ten Eyck suggested naming the house Washington Place. This was in honor of George Washington. King Kamehameha III approved the name. The American flag flew here until Mary Dominis’ death in 1889.
Isaac Hart, a master carpenter, designed Washington Place. He also helped build the first Iolani Palace. Daniel Jenner, an Italian master mason, also worked on it. Native Hawaiians contributed to its construction. Washington Place features coral stone foundations and a wood-frame upper floor. Its architecture reflects Greek Revival style. It has open lanais and Tuscan columns.
Washington Place became the home of Queen Liliuokalani. She married John Owen Dominis, the captain’s son, in 1862. This made Washington Place the residence of a future queen.
In 1893, Washington Place was at the center of the Hawaiian Kingdom’s overthrow. Queen Liliuokalani was arrested here. She was tried and confined for months after imprisonment at Iolani Palace.
Liliuokalani lived at Washington Place until her death in 1917. She once described it as a palatial dwelling. It was her choice tropical retreat. In 1921, the territorial legislature purchased Washington Place. It became the Executive Mansion of the Territorial Governor.
Washington Place served as the governor’s residence until 2002. Then it became a historic house museum. It’s the only governor’s residence in the US that was also a royal residence. In 2007, it was designated a National Historic Landmark. A new governor’s residence was built behind Washington Place in 2002.
Today, Washington Place offers a glimpse into Hawaii’s rich history. It connects us to the kingdom and Queen Liliuokalani’s memory. It stands as a reminder of Hawaii’s unique heritage.