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Where is King Kalākaua’s Bed? By Zita Cup Choy, Iolani Palace Historian When Iolani Palace was under construction in 1881, Colonel Charles H. Judd, the King’s Chamberlain and private secretary, traveled with his wife to the United States. While on the continent, they visited many furniture manufacturers and settled on the A. H. Davenport Co. of Boston. The King’s bed is visible in the mirror reflection (on right) in this early 1880s photo of the King’s bedroom (at left). Photo courtesy: Hawai‘i State Archives. This large set of Gothic Revival style furniture was for the public rooms on the first floor and the Royal Family’s private living quarters on the second floor of Iolani Palace. The Boston Herald reported that the furniture for the King’s Bedroom was all made of ebony, with the exception of the bedframe. The bed was another type of wood, decorated with ebony and gold moldings. The Queen’s suite was of mahogany, while the furniture for the guest bedrooms, adjacent to the Queen’s bedroom, were made of cherry and oiled walnut. We are fortunate that the furniture of the four bedroom suites were each made with a different wood, making it easier to identify them over a century later. Each bedroom set included a bed, two wardrobes, two dressing tables, 12 chairs, lounges, and drapery poles. On August 21, 1882, the furniture arrived in Honolulu.  In 1893, after the Palace became a government office building, furniture that could not be used was sold. The Friends of Iolani Palace has been quite successful in locating and welcoming back much of the furniture. Currently in our collection are three of the four original beds. The big mystery is where is King Kalākaua’s [...]

On September 30, 2021, Columnist and Consultant Bob Sigall and HHF’s Executive Director Kiersten Faulkner co-presented a visual journey back to post-World War II Hawai‘i in a webinar hosted by Kapi‘olani Community College (KCC).  Titled “Back in the Day: 1946 Facts and Throwback” the virtual presentation was the fifth segment of KCC's Kaiāulu Webinar Series that is offered in commemoration of the College's 75th anniversary. Known for his Rearview Mirror newspaper column and book titles, Sigall led the audience on a fascinating look back at 1946, the beginnings of the transformative post-war era. Encouraging everyone who joined in to make a more personal connection, he asked the audience to imagine what life was like at that time for their parents, grandparents and great-grandparents. "It's really interesting to me that KCC began at a very pivotal time for Hawai‘i," began Sigall.  "In many ways, Hawai‘i was very different in 1946 than it is now...In 1945 we succeeded. The war came to an end in September, we put down our guns and went back to our lives..." "The GI Bill of Rights that was passed by Congress gave soldiers money to go to college. My dad and millions of others like him were able to do so. My dad said he never would have been able to go to college if that hadn't been the case. In an effort to return to civilian life we can see the beginnings of what would become KCC." Following the presentation, HHF asked Sigall to reverse roles and allow himself to be in the spotlight. We share his story, written in his signature conversational style. Historic Hawai‘i Foundation: You started your column, Rearview Mirror, ten years ago in 2011. Please tell us about the events/people [...]