The United States is home to three palaces - all in Hawaii. Today I spotlight Hanaiakamalama (“foster child of the moon”) also known as Queen Emma's Summer Palace. King Kamehameha IV and Queen Emma stayed in the house to escape the oppressive Honolulu heat. It is filled with special gifts they received from monarchs around the worlds, including the Emperor of China, Maharaja of India, Napleona III, and Queen Victoria.
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The house was "imported" to Hawaii in 1850 from Boston.
It is one of the few structures with Grecian columns. |
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| Barbara enjoys the breeze on the koa benches. |
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| The house is registered as a National Historic Landmark. |
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| Queen Emma enjoyed playing the piano. |
Queen Emma's Summer Palace is located along the Pali Highway in the Nu'uanu Valley. The highway is the first path (then road) to cut through the mountains to Kaneohe Bay on the Windward side of Oahu. The state operates the Nu'uanu Pali Lookout, the site of the last battle between Hawaiian and Mauian forces. King Kamehameha of Hawaii literally pushed the Maui army off the cliff. Once the King of Kauai signed a peace treaty, King Kamehameha united the eight islands - Hawaiʻi, Maui, Kahoʻolawe, Lanaʻi, Molokaʻi, Oʻahu, Kauaʻi and Niʻihau - into the Kingdom of Hawaii.
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| It is always windy at the lookout! |
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| The tree caught our attention. |
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| The battle took place behind Barbara. |
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| The view of Kaneohe Bay. |
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| The tree again, grasping for life against the wind. |
Coming back on base, we stopped by the entrance to my neighborhood to take pictures with Air Force One.
I am giving away my last 2012 Hawaiian Calendar to one randomly selected commenter. To enter the giveaway, leave a comment about a special gem in your neighborhood. This giveaway is open to all readers and comments are open through Wednesday, January 4.
Mahalo,
Kim in Hawaii
To learn more about Queen Emma's Summer House, log onto its website at this link.
To learn more about the Nu'uanu Pali Lookout, including the battle, log onto its website at this link.
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| Barbara enjoys the view. |
I love to go on a trail in the park near our house. If you walk in, you can see the remnants of old water wheels. They are fascinating.
ReplyDeleteI enjoy our nature walks.
ReplyDeleteWe have an incline that takes you to the top of what we call Mt. Washington which has wonderful lookouts of the city of Pittsburgh. It's so beautiful that people have gotten married on these lookouts and there's many restaurants nearby to also look out over the city and it's 3 rivers.
ReplyDeleteWe live by a river and there are benches and a walking path along the river.
ReplyDeleteRound about 14 kilometres away from my new home town are the ruins of an Roman city.
ReplyDeleteI live in a rural environment and can't really think of a 'gem in the neighborhood'.
ReplyDelete