Solid workmanship secured palace fence for nearly a century

A fascinating fact about the Iolani Palace fence was uncovered during renovations in 1983. When ironworkers took apart the ornamental fence surrounding the palace grounds to clean and paint it, they were surprised to discover there wasn’t a single weld in it.

The half-mile of fencing had been machined so well that it stood solidly for nearly 100 years without being welded in place. Arc welding was invented 20 years after the fence went up. The workers back then crafted square posts and holes, with screws, and each section fit so snugly that none came loose, even after a century in the elements.

Local ironworker Alex Klahm called it the biggest Tinker Toy set in town. "The whole thing fit together like a child’s toy," a newspaper quoted him as saying.

In researching this story, I chatted with Iolani Palace docent Willson Moore. He asked docent educator Zita Cup Choy to give me some more information about the fence.

I was surprised to hear that the original Iolani Palace had an 8-foot-tall stone wall around the perimeter, which obscured its view from the street.

The Pacific Commercial Advertiser in 1889 said: "The palace is the most imposing building in Honolulu, and it was a big mistake to ever have planned its seclusion from public view by a high stone wall, similar to what surrounds prisons and other places of absolute exclusion.

"Ever since the building of the palace, there has been frequent criticism of the barrier which has hidden from sight the beautiful area of the palace enclosure, and the stately building itself.

"In the large city of London, Queen Victoria’s residence, Buckingham Palace, has a neat iron railing in front and the fine facade of the imposing structure is visible from the street.

"There never was any need, during the past half-century, of a Hawaiian king to reside in a stockade, nor is it really necessary for the palace to be strongly guarded."

In the last years of King Kalakaua’s reign, a decision was made to lower the wall to 3 feet 6 inches in height and top it with a wrought-iron fence.

Manufacturers in England, France and Germany bid on the fence, but the winner was the Champion Iron Co. of Toledo, Ohio. The fence was carefully packed in three train box cars and shipped to the West Coast.

Included were 16 large bronze plates bearing the coat of arms of the government of Hawaii with the state motto: "Ua Mau ke Ea o ka Aina i ka Pono" (The life of the land is perpetuated in righteousness).

On each side of the cars were large banners bearing the words "Entrance and fence to enclose the Queen’s Palace at Honolulu." The company expected that reporters will come to "view the spectacle" along the rail route to San Francisco.

The fence was installed in 1892, during the reign of Queen Lili‘uokalani. It was painted a dark green and the spikes were gilded in gold paint.

Upon completion, the Pacific Commercial Advertiser said that "the enclosure now thrown open to public view, ought to be improved by the setting out of choice trees and shrubs, that, in time, should make the palace grounds the most beautiful in the city — a fitting residence for the royal family and an honor to the people, and all these improvement should be done at the public expense."

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Bob Sigall, author of the “Companies We Keep” books, looks through his collection of old photos to tell stories each Friday of Hawaii people, places and companies. Email him at Sigall@Yahoo.com.