Part 5/10:
Upon returning to Honolulu, the newlyweds initially lived in their family home, Woodlawn. However, influenced by the elegance of La Pietra and Louise’s European tastes, they envisioned something grander—an Italian-style palace beneath the Hawaiian sun.
In 1917, they acquired a scenic site on the southwestern slope of Diamond Head—notorious for its rugged, volcanic landscape. Despite skepticism from some locals about placing a grand villa on such a remote, seemingly inhospitable site, the Dileinghams pressed on.
They commissioned Chicago-born architect David Adler in 1919 to design their Hawaiian villa—an inspired homage to their Italian heritage. Adler, educated at the Paris Academy of Fine Arts, was known for elegant rural homes rooted in European design, making him an ideal choice.