Royal Saloon
Opened: 1890
Architect: Unknown
Style: 19th Century Commercial
Address: 2 Merchant Street
National Register: No
Hawaii Register: No
Murphys Irish Pub
^The Royal Saloon, now the home of Murphy's, is back to it's original business -- selling drinks and atmosphere.
^In the late 1960s, the red brick was covered with layers of peeling paint.
Honolulu Police Station
Opened: 1931
Architect: Louis Davis
Style: Spanish Mission Revival
Address: 842 Bethel Street
National Register: 1973 (District #73000661)
Hawaii Register: No
Architect Louis Davis designed the police station to look as if it were multi-tiered, like a wedding cake.
Yokohama Specie Bank
Opened: 1909
Architect: H.L. Kerr
Style: Renaissance Revival
Address: 36 Merchant
National Register: 1973 (District #73000661)
Hawaii Register: No
^Today, the Yokohama Specie Bank stands empty, awaiting new tenants.
^The view up Nuuanu Street during the early 1920s shows that mules were still a common sight in downtown Honolulu.
McCandless Building
Opened: 1906
Architect: H.L. Kerr
Style: Beaux Arts
Address: 925 Bethel Street
National Register: No
Hawaii Register: No
^Today, the McCandless Building features an additional story plopped right on top.
^During the 1920s, it was easier to see where the two-story design had additional stories added. Note also the wide arcade overhang.
Kamehameha V Post Office
Opened: 1871
Architect: J.G. Osbourne
Style: Renaissance Revival
Address: 46 Merchant Street
National Register: 1972 #72000416
Hawaii Register: 1979
The Kamehameha V Post Office has been restored to look much like it did on the outside in 1871, but a theater and a third floor were added to the interior.
The Kamehameha V Post Office as it originally opened in 1871. Note the post boxes in the outside wall and lack of a balcony sunshade.
The post office in 1968 had the entranceway bricked up behind the pillars. It was later reopened.
Bishop Bank Building
Opened: 1878
Architect: T.J. Baker
Style: Renaissance Revival
Address: 63 Merchant Street
National Register: 1973 (District #73000661)
Hawaii Register: No
^Many of the Bishop Bank Building's fine masonry details have been obscured by layers of stucco and paint.
^The Bishop Bank Building featured a distinctive corner entrance on Merchant and Fort Streets that was plastered over when the building's interior was subdivided.
Judd Building
Opened: 1898, remodeled 1979
Architect: Oliver Traphagen
Style: Renaissance Revival
Address: 851 Fort Street Mall
National Register: 1973
Hawaii Register: No
^The middle three floors of the Judd Building are pretty much the way they were designed by Oliver Traphagen in 1898.
Stangenwald Building
Opened: 1901, renovated 1980
Architect: Charles W. Dickey and Clinton Briggs Ripley
Style: Renaissance Revival
Address: 119 Merchant
National Register: No
Hawaii Register: No
Note that the Stangenwald Building is divided into decorative zones of 1, 3 and 2 stories. For half a century it dominated Honolulu's skyline.
^Today, the Stangenwald is overshadowed by Honolulu skyscrapers, but it is still considered a classy address for downtown businesses.
Star-Bulletin Building
Opened: 1902
Architect: Ripley & Davis
Style: Beaux Arts
Address: 125 Merchant
National Register: No
Hawaii Register: No
^By the 1930s, the Star-Bulletin building featured a false top and a hanging portico-type arcade entrance with pedimental decorations. The second floor was devoted to law offices.
Alexander & Baldwin Building
Opened: 1929
Architect: C.W. Dickey and Hart Wood
Style: Hawaiian Regional
Address: 822 Bishop Street
National Register: 1979 #79000755
Hawaii Register: 1979
The architects of the Alexander & Baldwin Building aimed for an artistic timelessness, and it looks much the same today as when it opened in 1929.
Dillingham Transportation Building
Opened: 1929
Architect: Lincoln Rogers
Style: Renaissance Revival
Address: 735 Bishop Street
National Register: 1979 #79000756
Hawaii Register: No
Lincoln Rogers' design for the Dillingham Transportation Building used Italian and Spanish elements for a tropical feeling.
^When the Dillingham building opened in 1929, it anchored the business district of downtown Honolulu with pier-side shipping.
^Arched entrances into the building lobby are crowned with medallions celebrating ocean travel.
Aloha Tower
Opened: 1926
Architect: Arthur Reynolds
Style:Late Gothic Revival
Address: Pier 9
National Register: 1976 #76000660
Hawaii Register: 1981
^Aloha Tower, an imposing feature of Honolulu's skyline since 1926, is Hawaii's best-known symbol of visitor hospitality -- and a good starting point for a tour.
^When it was built, the gleaming, 10-story Aloha Tower was used as a navigation aid for ships entering the harbor.
^Soldiers of both sexes embarked at a camouflaged Aloha Tower during World War II, at top.
Back in the day
Can you believe that this is how Honolulu used to look like back in 1943? Too bad many of these old buildings are gone though, but it looked really cool, btw these are historical pics taken during an "Air Raid" drill
Stay tuned for more!
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