On August 12, 1898, the Hawaiian flag was lowered at ʻIolani Palace and replaced with the U.S. flag, formalizing U.S. sovereignty over Hawaii. Before Hawaii became the 50th U.S. state in 1959, it was an internationally recognized constitutional monarchy—the Hawaiian Kingdom.

Looking into the history of the palace, I learned that the original structure was very simple in design and was more of a stately home than a palace, but at the time, it was the grandest house in town.

It was not a home in the traditional sense; instead, constructed as a traditional aliʻi (Chief's) residence with only ceremonial spaces—a throne room, a reception room, and a state dining room—with other houses (or huts) around for sleeping.

Eventually, the original ʻIolani Palace​ became a victim of termites and was torn down.

Before I get into the design and construction of the palace there today, my meandering not only taught me about a national landmark, but I also learned a disturbing story of power, politics, and coercion.

By the late 19th century, Hawaii was far from an isolated island chain in the middle of the Pacific. It had a literacy rate higher than many Western nations, a formal diplomatic presence worldwide, and modern infrastructure (ʻIolani Palace had electricity before the White House).

It also had sugar.

A group of foreign business owners and sugar magnates (calling themselves the "Committee of Safety") staged a coup in January 1893, with the help of the U.S. Minister to Hawaii, who ordered armed U.S. Marines from the USS Boston to back the conspirators.

Faced with superior military force and wanting to avoid bloody military conflict, Queen Liliʻuokalani conditionally yielded her authority.

She formally protested, stating she yielded her authority under protest until the U.S. government could review the illegal action of its minister and reinstate her as sovereign.

Instead, the U.S. helped the coup leaders form a Provisional Government (later the Republic of Hawaii), led by Sanford B. Dole.

Queen Liliʻuokalani was forced to relinquish all future claims to the throne, was tried before a military tribunal in her own throne room, convicted, fined, and sentenced to five years in prison at hard labor. Later, her sentence was reduced to imprisonment in an upstairs bedroom of the Palace.

In 1993—100 years after the overthrow—the U.S. Congress passed Public Law 103-150 (the "Apology Resolution"). Signed by President Bill Clinton, it formally acknowledged that the overthrow occurred with the active participation of U.S. agents and military, and that Native Hawaiians never directly relinquished their inherent sovereignty.

While that history continues to resonate deeply today, the structure at the center of it all stands as a remarkable testament to 19th-century craft and ambition.

David Kalākaua was the first Hawaiian monarch to travel around the world, and he dreamed of a royal palace befitting the monarch of a modern state.

While visiting Europe, Kalākaua took note of the customs and traditions practiced by his contemporaries, and he decided that incorporating their elements would help legitimize his kingdom through their eyes; this included the building of a new palace inspired by these European grand palaces.

To bring his vision to life, three architects—Thomas J. Baker, Charles J. Wall, and Isaac Moore—collaborated on the design, with Baker laying out the main structure and Wall and Moore refining the details.

Construction began when the cornerstone was laid on December 31, 1879. Built of brick faced with concrete, the palace was completed in November 1882 for just over $340,000—a massive fortune at the time (equivalent to over $11 million today).

The result was a style seen nowhere else in the world: American Florentine.

Inside, a grand entry hall features a central staircase crafted from native koa wood, framed by elaborate ornamental plasterwork. The main floor housed the throne room, the blue meeting room (featuring a koa piano where Queen Liliʻuokalani composed her music), and the state dining room, while the monarchs’ private suites sat quietly upstairs.

In 1930, the restoration of ʻIolani Palace began, and wood framing was replaced by steel and reinforced concrete. Today, the first and second floors are fully restored and open to the public.

​Getty Images has around 300 photos of the palace. You have to scroll for the interior shots, but they exist.

In popular culture, an exterior view of the Palace was portrayed as the primary police headquarters on the 1968 TV show Hawaii Five-O. It was also later portrayed in the late 1980s and early 1990s as the headquarters of the Honolulu Prosecuting Attorney in the TV series Jake and the Fatman. And ʻIolani Palace appears visually as a backdrop in numerous episodes of Magnum, P.I.

It almost makes me want to do some streaming this weekend (see my 7/22 Meander for context).