Built in 1907, the President’s Home was first occupied by Punahou’s 11th president, Arthur Griffiths, his wife and daughter. Each subsequent president has resided in the home, though it also served as an administrative center for Punahou during World War II, while the campus was occupied by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and when classes were held in homes and at the University of Hawai‘i.
The President’s Home today includes the outdoor Pavilion, which accommodates a multitude of events and gatherings. Renovated in the mid-1980s during President Rod McPhee’s tenure, work also included enclosing the lānai on the ‘Ewa side, installing new floors and modernizing the plumbing. This photo shows the extensive change in the surroundings from rugged boulders and kiawe trees to a gracious and welcoming landscape.