Dillingham Transportation Building, building in Honolulu, Hawaii, US
The Dillingham Transportation Building is a four-story structure on Bishop Street in Honolulu completed in 1929 and designed in Renaissance Revival style. It features Italian-inspired arches, Spanish terracotta tile roof, marble floors, and nautical decorative motifs including ships and twisted ropes.
Built in 1929 as a memorial to Frank Dillingham by his son Walter, the structure became a major commercial building downtown. During World War II it housed the FBI office where investigations and detentions of Japanese and Japanese American individuals took place.
The building housed the Territorial Tavern in the 1970s, a gathering place for Hawaiian slack-key guitar music and local performances. It became central to the Second Hawaiian Renaissance, where musicians and audiences connected with the islands' traditional sound.
The building is located in downtown Honolulu on Bishop Street and is easily accessible on foot. The lobby is open to visitors who wish to see the marble and brick work and explore the architectural details and historical significance of the site.
The building features nautical symbols including ships and twisted ropes in its decorative details, reflecting Hawaii's connection to the sea and shipping. These design elements connect the commercial purpose of the building to the maritime roots of the island's economy.
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