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Washington Place is a Greek Revival palace in the Hawaii Capital Historic District in Honolulu, Hawaii. It was where Liliuokalani was arrested during the overthrow of the Hawaiian Kingdom. Later it became the official residence of the governor of Hawaii. In 2007, it was designated as a National Historic Landmark. The current governor's residence was built in 2008 behind the historic residence, and is located on the same grounds as Washington Place.
The American flag was raised at the residence until Mary Dominis's death in 1889 when Liliuokalani had it removed. The rights of my people: Liliuokalani's enduring battle with the United States, 1893-1917 By Neil Thomas Proto, page 27. In 1917, Liliuokalani raised the American flag at Washington Place in honor of five Hawaiian sailors who had perished in the sinking of the SS Aztec by German submarines. Her act was interpreted by many as her symbolic support of the United States. The Outlook, Volume 116, Part 2 By Ernest Hamlin Abbott, Lyman Abbott, Francis Rufus Bellamy, Hamilton Wright Mabie, page 178. Five Hawaiian Boys Died, translated from Ke Aloha Aina, Buke XXII, Helu 14, Aoao 1, 6 April 1917
The building was designed by the master carpenter Isaac Hart, who had helped build the first Iolani Palace. The building was also constructed by Daniel Jenner, an Italy master masonry. The interior was originally finished by the master painter Israel Wright. Native Hawaiians were also involved with the construction of the building, but are not named individually by the archival records. Washington Place was constructed with "open lānais" on all sides. (50 pages, including maps and photos) (Note: A similar-looking version at has just the first 23 pages.)
The foundation of the building, the lower level walls and the lower columns are constructed of coral stone. The upper floor is of wood-frame construction. Washington Place conforms to period French Creole Greek Revival houses that were built along the lower Gulf-Coastal region of the southeastern United States. The home was constructed with an almost square core surrounded by a peristyle, a two tiered verandah, on its upper floor, and a hipped roof. The interior of the home is arranged in a traditional Georgian floor plan, with four distinct on the first floor and four bedchambers on the second floor. (document was at , but later NHL nomination appears there now instead)
Lydia Kamakaeha Pākī, the future Liliuokalani and the heir apparent to the throne of the Kingdom of Hawaii, married John Owen Dominis in 1862, making Washington Place the private residence of the princess and future queen. Another Massachusetts lawyer, Alfred S. Hartwell, rented a guest room from 1868 until 1872. He describes Mary as still expecting her husband to return any day. Mary Dominis died on April 25, 1889, and John Owen Dominis died on August 27, 1891, leaving the property to Liliuokalani, who had just become Queen after the death of her brother, King Kalākaua.
Queen Liliuokalani resided at Washington Place for the remainder of her life. She died in the downstairs bedroom of the house on November 11, 1917. The home offers the citizens of Hawaii a strong sense of place and belonging in association with the kingdom and of Queen Liliuokalani's memory.
On May 14, 1921, the territorial legislature of Hawaii purchased Washington Place for $55,000 from the estate of Queen Liliuokalani to serve as the Executive Mansion of the Territorial Governor of Hawaii. It was remodeled in 1922 by Governor Wallace Rider Farrington. In all, it was the residence of twelve territorial and state governors of Hawaii. Technically, it was the residence of thirteen governors, because John Owen Dominis, Liliuokalani's consort, had been Governor of the island of Oahu from 1868 to 1891. The house served in this role until 2002, when it was converted into a historic house museum. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on June 18, 1973, and was designated a National Historic Landmark on March 29, 2007.
In 2002 a new governor's residence was built behind the historic Washington Place, within its grounds, and continues to serve the same purpose.
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