[2] It is believed to be the name of a chief (sometimes spelled Pahukaina) who according to legend chose a cave in Kanehoalani in the Koʻolau Range for his resting place.

Another chief, Keoni Ana, lived in Kīnaʻu Hale (which was later converted into the residence of the royal chamberlain), all members of the House of Kamehameha.

[citation needed] Kekāuluohi and Kanaʻina's original home was similar to that of the other estates in the neighborhood consisting of small buildings used for different purposes.

The house had two rooms separated by a festooned tent door of chintz fabric and was carpeted with hand crafted makaloa mats.

[5] In his book, A visit to the South Seas, in the U.S. Ship Vincennes: during the years 1829 and 1830, Charles Samuel Stewart describes the area and homes in detail.

[9] Years after 1825, the first Western-style royal tomb[clarification needed] was constructed for the bodies of King Kamehameha II and his queen Kamāmalu.

[clarification needed] The design was heavily influenced by the tombs at Westminster Abbey during Kamehameha II's trip to London.

In 1865 a selected eighteen coffins were removed to the Royal Mausoleum of Hawaiʻi, called Mauna ʻAla, in Nuʻuanu Valley.

[13] After being overgrown for many years, the Hawaiian Historical Society passed a resolution in 1930 requesting Governor Lawrence Judd to memorialize the site with the construction of a metal fence enclosure and a plaque.

[4][14] In July 1844, Kekūanaōʻa began building a large home at the site of the current palace as a gift to his daughter Victoria Kamāmalu.

Instead, Kamehameha III purchased the estate and used the home as his royal residence after moving the capital of the kingdom to Honolulu from Lāhainā.

He called his home Hoʻihoʻikea, a separate building flanking the palace on the west side[18] in honor of his restoration after the Paulet Affair of 1843.

The palace was largely meant for receiving foreign dignitaries and state functions with the monarch preferring to sleep in private homes.

[26] The area was culturally significant as a seat of government for many reasons including the palace's size, orientation and other factors of religious importance and bridged the ancient history of Hawaiʻi with the new 19th century monarchy.

[27] By the time David Kalākaua assumed the throne, the original ʻIolani Palace was in poor condition, suffering from ground termite damage.

The coronation pavilion officially known as Keliiponi Hale was later moved to the southwest corner of the grounds and converted to a bandstand for the Royal Hawaiian Band.

The blue room included a large 1848 portrait of King Louis Philippe of France and a koa wood piano where Liliʻuokalani played her compositions for guests.

[34] Upon the overthrow of the monarchy by the Committee of Safety in 1893, troops of the newly formed Provisional Government of Hawaiʻi took control of ʻIolani Palace.

[21] When a proposed annexation treaty up for ratification, the Hawaiian Patriotic League held a protest rally at the palace on September 6, 1897.

On August 12, 1898, U.S. troops from the USS Philadelphia came ashore and raised the Flag of the United States at the palace to mark the annexation by the Newlands Resolution.

[21] When Liliuokalani died in 1917, territorial governor Lucius E. Pinkham accorded her the honor of a state funeral in the throne room of the palace.

[21] During World War II, it served as the temporary headquarters for the military governor in charge of martial law in the Hawaiian Islands.

[41] Government offices vacated the Palace in 1969 and moved to the newly constructed Hawaiʻi State Capitol building on the former barracks site.

In preparation for restoration, the Junior League of Honolulu researched construction, furnishings, and palace lifestyle in nineteenth-century newspapers, photographs and archival manuscripts.

Overseeing the restoration was The Friends of ʻIolani Palace, founded by Liliʻuokalani Kawānanakoa Morris, grand-niece of Queen Kapiʻolani.

Government grants and private donations funded reproduction of original fabrics and finishes to restore Palace rooms to their monarchy era appearance.

[44][45] On January 17, 1993, a massive observation was held on the grounds of ʻIolani Palace to mark the 100th anniversary of the overthrow of the Hawaiian monarchy.

It was also later portrayed in the late 1980s and early 1990s as the headquarters of the Honolulu Prosecuting Attorney, including Jason McCabe, in the TV series Jake and the Fatman.