Ali'iolani Hale

Ali'iolani Hale Sketch Plans and Construction
By 1866, the need for a new courthouse government building in the Hawaiian Kingdom was apparent.

The old courthouse, completed in 1852, accommodated not only the judicial needs of the young nation, but also served as the reception hall for diplomatic ceremonies and official social functions. The legislature appropriated $40,000.00 respectively towards a new palace and a new government building. Delays ensued, and those figures were increased to $60,000.00 each by 1870. Two sets of plans, by Australian architect Thomas Rowe, for a royal palace arrived in Honolulu in December of 1871. While the idea of a new royal palace had since been postponed, the arrival of these designs was "opportune" in that construction of new government offices was about to begin. This second set of designs was easily modified to serve as a plan for the new government building. Thomas Rowe's design for a palace became the design for the new government building. On February 19, 1872, Kamehameha V laid the cornerstone for the new building.

The use of concrete blocks, a fairly new building material, "infinitely superior for both durability and ornament," was recommended and accepted by Public Works. Aided by two Australian stone masons, Superintendent Stirling, oversaw not only the construction, but also supervised the making of the large concrete pillars and stones at the building site. These concrete blocks were so well constructed that nearly one hundred years later no deterioration had occurred. To increase the work force, convicts were brought from the prison and made to labor on the project. In 1874, during the reign of King Kalakaua, the building was finally completed.

The First Year
Lively events characterized Ali`iolani Hale's first year. Already designated as the home of the Legislature, in May of 1874, the Judiciary Department also moved into the new government building. In July, the Law Library took up residence on the second floor with "3,000 law books and 2,000 scientific books." By September, Ali`iolani Hale housed the first National Museum in the Hawaiian Kingdom. An appeal made to the public requested the donation of artifacts: "Old Hawaiian ornaments and utensils, Hawaiian minerals and preserved zoological specimens are particularly desired." C.J. Lyons made scientific use of the building late that year as an observation site for the transit of Venus. The transits of Venus occur only four times in 243 years, and at that time, this astronomical event was the best known means of determining the dimensions of our planetary system.

Political Strife
Ali`iolani Hale played a role in the Wilcox insurrection. Unhappy with the changes in the constitution of 1887, the young hapa-Hawaiian, Robert Wilcox, and several hundred armed men marched into the neighborhood on the morning of July 30, 1889. At 6:00 A.M., twelve of the men took over Ali`iolani Hale, and the rest moved into the `Iolani Palace yard. By noon, volleys of rifle shots were exchanged between Wilcox's men and government forces. Wilcox's men, stationed in the Palace yard, were surrounded by the government troops whose sharpshooters were placed in nearby buildings, including the tower of Kawaiaha`o church. The rebellion came to a halt when government authorities hurled homemade dynamite bombs into the Palace yard scattering the rebellious constituent. In the small room beneath the clock tower, often used as an artist's studio at Ali`iolani Hale, a sculptor was working on a bust of Kalakaua. He reported, on that day, that stray bullets created "a disturbing background" for his artistic endeavor.

The Overthrow
Seeking to abolish the Hawaiian Monarchy, the Committee of Public Safety took over Ali`iolani Hale on January 17, 1893. The Honolulu Rifles, a volunteer group of men who supported the Committee of Safety, assembled there in opposition to the loyalist guard stationed across King Street at the Palace. With horse blankets and boxes of hard tack, the Honolulu Rifles camped in the halls of Ali`iolani Hale. Queen Lili`uokalani, in order to avoid violence, abrogated the monarchy and the troops did not engage in armed conflict. After the establishment of the Republic of Hawai`i, most likely to disassociate the new government with the monarchy, the new officials renamed Ali`iolani Hale, "The Judiciary Building." The legislature then moved to `Iolani Palace which was renamed the "Executive Building."