National Register of Historic Places

Linn, R. N., House

Honolulu, Honolulu County, Hawaii
Listed
August 19, 1986
Type
Building
Period
Industrial
Ref No.
86001622

About this property

The R. N. Linn House, also known as the Robert A. and Eleanor C. Nordyke Residence, at 2013 Kakela Drive in Honolulu, Hawaiʻi, was built in 1928 in the style of architecture then emerging in Hawaiʻi during the 1920s. Although it is relatively modest cottage, it exhibits such typical elements of that style as a double-pitched hip roof (also known as a Dickey roof), exposed rafters, casement windows, an open floor plan, Chinese interior motifs, and a panoramic view. Its architect was J. Alvin Shadinger, who was noted especially for his interior designs. The house was listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 1986. Many of the leading architects in Honolulu during the 1920s consciously employed both European and Asian motifs in their designs, as they pursued a distinctive Hawaiian style of architecture that celebrated the multiethnic roots of Island society. Among the most influential was Hart Wood, whose artful blending of motifs can still be seen in the First Chinese Church of Christ, the Alexander & Baldwin Building, and the Gump Building (all built in 1929), as well as in several grand private residences. The R. N. Linn house is one of the few fine middle-class homes from that period to show similar Chinese influences. Reuben N. Linn was a court reporter and his wife Merle taught at Waialua Elementary School. They had acquired a lot of Chinese household furniture during a trip to China in 1922, and this likely influenced their choice of interior design. They lived in the house until 1950, when Mrs. Linn died. The Nordykes, who were friends of the Linns, bought the house in 1960. In 1961, Mrs. Nordyke gave birth to twin daughters in the same maternity ward at Kapi'olani Medical Center for Women & Children where Ann Dunham was giving birth to Barack Obama. The twins were classmates of the future President at Noelani Elementary School and then at Punahou School.

Location

2013 Kakela Dr.
Honolulu, Honolulu County, Hawaii
21.30518, -157.82447

Categories

ARCHITECTURE
National Register nomination ›
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

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Nearby Historic Sites

Oakley, George D., House
Industrial
0.1 mi
Guild, John, House
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0.2 mi
Mendonca, J. P., House
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0.2 mi
Punahou School Campus
Early Republic
0.3 mi
Ward, George R., House
Industrial
0.3 mi

Questions about this property

When was Linn, R. N., House listed on the National Register?

Linn, R. N., House was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on August 19, 1986.

What type of historic resource is Linn, R. N., House?

Linn, R. N., House is classified as a building in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Linn, R. N., House?

The period of significance for Linn, R. N., House is recorded as the industrial era.

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