Hulihe‘e Palace came alive Saturday celebrating one of the palace’s most beloved royal residents on her 196th birthday, Princess Ruth Ke‘elikolani.
The annual “Day at Hulihe‘e Palace,” hosted by the Daughters of Hawaii, returned to Kailua Village following a two-year hiatus because of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The festive event raises money for the maintenance and ongoing restoration of the 184-year-old historic royal home situated on Kailua Bay in Historic Kailua Village.
“This is the community’s palace. It’s a pillar in the community. It has history. It is one of the most iconic palaces not only in our community but in the world. As Daughters, we are the caretakers,” said event coordinator Kehaulani Keanaaina. “We want to be as welcoming as possible to have people come and enjoy it.
“This is your palace,” she continued.
Hulihe‘e Palace was built in 1838 by Gov. John Adams Kuakini and became the Kona residence of Princess Ruth Ke‘elikolani before King David Kalakaua revamped it for use as his summer palace. Until 1914, when it was sold, the palace was used as a royal home.
Efforts by the Inter-Island Steam Navigation Co., which went on to build Kona Inn, to purchase the property in the 1920s were blocked the Daughters of Hawaii, which lobbied the Territory of Hawaii to purchase the palace. Several years later, the purchase was executed and the palace was leased to its caretakers, Daughters of Hawaii.
Restoration of the palace was finished in 1927 and several subsequent restorations, including in 1976 and 2007 following the October 2006 earthquakes, have maintained Hulihe‘e, which was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1973.
Hulihe‘e Palace consists of six large graciously appointed rooms, two large inviting oceanfront lanai and lovely grounds. The former royal home is now a museum showcasing artifacts from the era of King Kalakaua and Queen Kapi‘olani, featuring beautiful koa wood furniture, portraits, kapa, feather work, Hawaiian quilts and artifacts from Hawaii’s royal past.
Though Saturday’s “Day at Hulihe‘e” was held on a much smaller scale and without live entertainment to keep the community safe, Keanaaina said the Daughters are hopeful it will be a successful fundraiser for the palace’s ongoing maintenance and restoration.
“We really tried to overcome obstacles with our Daughters donating all of the flowers, vases and bake sale items, trying to raise the same amount of money we would in a normal, bigger event,” said Keanaaina. “We really encourage people too when they come to the palace, the actual building needs. It’s a work in progress and we are accepting donations.”
An online auction continues with bidding open through Saturday on a variety of items and experiences. Winners will be announced on Sunday.
The palace is open for private tours, with reservations available on the Daughters of Hawaii website at daughtersofhawaii.org. The grounds can also be rented for private events. Visitors ages 12 years and older are required to show proof of full vaccination against COVID-19 or a negative COVID-19 test result taken within the past 48 hours.
“We encourage people to book a tour, it just has to be pre-arranged at this time for safety precautions,” Keanaaina said.
The Daughters of Hawaii and the Calabash Cousins are the caretakers for Hulihee Palace, which is administered by the Division of State Parks.
To view the online auction or make a donation, visit daughtersofhawaii.org/dahp.
Email Laura Ruminski at lruminski@westhawaiitoday.com.
