Washington Place's 175th-Anniversary History Lecture Series - July 16

Continuing Washington Place’s 175th-Anniversary Celebration, public invited to presentations on the building’s construction and its emergence as the home of Hawaiʻi’s Governors

This spring, Washington Place celebrated the 175th anniversary of its construction. The public is invited to attend the ongoing festivities this summer, starting with an afternoon of presentations on Saturday, July 16, 2022, by historic architect Katie Stephens (Architects Hawaii Ltd.) and historian Douglas Askman, Ph.D. (Hawaiʻi Pacific University).

Stephens is a leading expert on the architecture of Washington Place and will focus on the home’s construction in the 1840s, and how and why it changed over time to suit the needs of its residents, from Queen Lili’uokalani to the state’s governors.

Dr. Askman bears the distinction of having visited every governors’ mansion in the United States. His engaging talk will put Washington Place into context with these other homes and explain its unique history as the home to Hawaiian royalty.

Prior to the lecture, starting at 3 pm, guests will be able to explore the home and see the new exhibit dedicated to Queen Liliʻuokalani. The presentations will begin at 4:15 pm and conclude at 5:30pm. Q&A to follow.

Seating is limited and registration is required.

To prevent the spread of COVID-19, masks are strongly encouraged.

Parking: Free parking will be available in the lot located behind (mauka) the Department of Health, on the Diamond Head side of Washington Place. Lot entrance is located on Miller St. After parking, proceed on foot to Beretania St., to enter through the front gates onto the grounds of Washington Place.

On March 31, Governor Ige signed a proclamation commemorating the achievement, and keiki from around Hawai‘i performed hula in honor of the home’s longest historical resident, Queen Lili‘uokalani. First Lady Dawn Amano-Ige unveiled a new exhibit on the home’s second floor dedicated to telling the Queen’s story. April and May saw open-house events that welcomed hundreds of visitors to the home, and KHON aired a televised documentary covering much of the home’s past and present life.

For more information about Washington Place’s history, 175th-Anniversary events and how to take regular in-person or virtual tours, visit https://washingtonplace.hawaii.gov/.