Calling all history buffs! From the first Europeans visiting the islands in 1778 and the establishment of the Kingdom of Hawaii in 1795 to Hawaii’s admittance to the United States of America in 1959, the Hawaiian Islands are steeped in history — and sites full of history. From grand palaces built for Hawaii’s royalty to humble grass huts and military housing, Hawaiian homes were much different in the early 1900s, and today we’re taking a step back in time through these seven vintage photographs.

1. First things first, Honolulu looked a little different back in the 1920s, as evidenced by the short homes and buildings scattered across the city. Today, you would see skyscrapers — many of which are home to luxury condos.
Unknown/Wikimedia Commons
2. Peacocks graze on the lawn of Princess Kaiulani's residence at Ainahau. Constructed in 1897 by Archibald Scott Cleghorn for his daughter's return from Europe, the home exudes understated elegance.
Unknown/Wikimedia Commons
3. Built in 1879, Iolani Palace is easily one of Hawaii's most iconic homes. It is also the only palace on United States soil.
Albert Pierce Taylor/Wikimedia Commons

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4. In stark contrast to Iolani Palace is this image circa 1915 of a woman laulau strips into a hat in front of a modest grass house.
Ray Jerome Baker/Wikimedia Commons
5. Kamehameha V’s summer residence at Helumoa, also known as the Royal Grove. After his death, the property was left to Princess Ruth Ke'elikolani, who bequeathed it to Princess Bernice Pauahi Bishop. The land eventually became part of Kamehameha Schools and is now the site of the Royal Hawaiian Center.
Hawaii State Archives/Wikimedia Commons
6. The palace of Princess Ruth Ke'elikōlani, Keōua Hale was even larger than Iolani Palace. Located in downtown Honolulu on Queen Emma Street, this photograph was taken in 1899.
Alexander Stevenson Twombly/Wikimedia Commons
7. Housing at Schofield Barracks circa 1925, when Hawaii was a United States territory. We can’t believe how much the base has grown in the last century!
National Photo Company Collection/Wikimedia Commons

How fascinating are these vintage photographs? It truly is interesting to see how much — and sometimes, how little — things have changed in the last hundred years, isn’t it?

If you’d like to visit some of Hawaii’s most historic homes today — including Iolani Palace — click here.

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