Grace Cooke House | |
 View from Oahu Ave. | |
  | |
| Location | 2365 Oahu Ave.,Honolulu, Hawaii |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 21°18′39″N157°49′16″W / 21.31083°N 157.82111°W /21.31083; -157.82111 |
| Area | 13,500 sq ft (0.31 acres; 0.125 ha) |
| Built | 1912 |
| Architectural style | American Craftsmanbungalow |
| NRHP reference No. | 83003556[1] |
| Added to NRHP | October 24, 1983 |
TheGrace Cooke House, also known as theHarold St. John Residence, at 2365 Oʻahu Avenue inHonolulu, Hawaiʻi, is significant both for itsAmerican Craftsmanbungalowarchitecture andlandscaping and for its most famous resident,Harold St. John, a distinguishedprofessor ofbotany at theUniversity of Hawaiʻi. The house and lot were added to theNational Register of Historic Places in 1983, by which time St. John was living in a separate small cottage to the rear of the lot.[1]
The craftsmanship orientation of the period can also be seen in the landscaping, in particular the integration of thebluestone steps up to the frontporch, thelava rock foundation, and the natural rockoutcrop on which the house sits. The spacious porch wraps around the right side of the house, balanced by agable-roofed wing on the left. The rest of the house has ashingledhip roof. Finely crafted exposedrafters embellish both the hip and gable roofs, decorative shingle patterns adorn the exteriorwalls,windows, and porch columns, and a simplebalustrade lines the porch.[1]
Two sets of double doors lead from the porch into the interior, withbedrooms andbath on the left and a large open living and dining area on the right, with paneled walls andcoffered ceilings. Thekitchen is off the dining area to the right, and abasement originally served as a maid's quarters. Theattic was partly finished and two dormers were added by St. John during the 1930s. The remainder of the house is unaltered.[1]
The lot also has some striking maturetrees in the front yard, including twoRoyal Poinciana (Delonix regia) beside the driveway, a West Indianmahogany (Swietenia mahagoni), and a hugeSandbox tree (Hura crepitans)[1] that has been designated an "exceptional tree" by theCity and County of Honolulu.[2]
