With the grounds of
Iolani Palace and the
Hawaii State Capitol at its core, the historic district reaches inland across Beretania Street to include the buildings and grounds of
Washington Place and
St. Andrew's Cathedral; crosses Richards Street to include the former
Armed Services YMCA Building,
YWCA Building, and
Hawaiian Electric Company Building; crosses Queen Street on the seaward side to include
State Tax Office Building; and reaches across Punchbowl Street to include the buildings and grounds of
Kawaiahao Church and Mission Houses below King Street and the city government core of
Honolulu Hale and the
Mission Memorial Building and Annex above King Street. Its architectural styles range from 19th-century adaptations of New England homes, through the
Italianate Renaissance Revival and
Neoclassical edifices of the
Monarchy, through the
Beaux Arts and
Mission Revival inspirations of the
Territory. The district was added to the
National Register of Historic Places on December 1, 1978, after the nearby
Chinatown Historic District and
Merchant Street Historic District had already been added. ==Contributing properties==