| 1878 | His Highness, C. Kanaina, father of King Lunalilo, died. March 13. |
| | First Portuguese immigrants arrived at Honolulu from Portugal and its islands. September 30. |
| | Inter-Island steamer Likelike arrived at Honolulu. |
| 1879 | Kahului Railroad, from Kahului to Paia, Maui, opened. July 17. First steam fire engine imported. |
| | Cornerstone of Iolani Palace laid under Masonic auspices. |
| | King Kalakaua was a high Mason. December 31. |
| | First artesian well bored at Honolulu, April 28, July. |
| 1880 | System of telephonic communication (Bell) established at Honolulu, between Palace and king's boathouse. First instrument now in Bishop Museum. |
| | First artesian well in Honolulu. April 28. |
| 1881 | King Kalakaua set out on his tour of the world. January 29. |
| | Cornerstone of the "Lunalilo Home," for aged and indigent Hawaiians, laid; established under will of King Lunalilo. April 9. |
| | Jubilee exercises held at Lahainaluna, Maui, in commemoration of fiftieth anniversary of establishment of the seminary. |
| | King Kalakaua returned from his journey around the world. October 29. |
| | Great lava flow which reached Halai Hill, Hilo, before it stopped. November. |
| 1882 | Postage stamps for the Postal Union were first issued in Honolulu. |
| | Rev. Titus Coan, early missionary, for many year pastor of Hilo Church (native), Hilo, died. December 1. |
| 1883 | Statue of Kamehameha the Great unveiled in Honolulu. February. Marine railway for docking vessels, opened. January 1. |
| | Formal coronation of King Kalakaua and Queen Kapiolani took place at Iolani Palace. February 12. |
| | First Y. M. C. A. building in Honolulu dedicated. April 21. |
| | H. R H. Princess Ruth Keelikolani, formerly Governess of Hawaii, of the Kamehameha dynasty, died, aged 115 years, May 15. |
| | Oceanic S. S. Co.'s steamer Alameda arrived on her first voyage between San Francisco and Honolulu. October. |
| | Inter-Island steamer Kinau arrived. (Still in service, 1925.) |
| First installment of "Kalakaua" money arrived, dollars, halves, quarters and dimes. (Now rarities.) December 16. |
| 1884 | Kalakaua coinage put in circulation. January 14. Postal notes issued. January 1. |
| | First company (956) of Japanese immigrants arrive str. Cite of Tokio. February 9. |
| | Foundation laid for Hall of Records (Kapuaiwa Hale), now board of health building. March. |
| | Rev. W. P. Alexander, for many years principal of Lahainaluna Seminary, died at Oakland, Cal., father of Prof. W. D. Alexander, the historian. |
| | Princess Bernice Pauahi Bishop, wife of Charles R. Bishop, banker, died. Her fortune was left to endow the Kamehameha Schools for Boys and Girls (Hawaiian) and the Bernice Pauahi Bishop Museum. October 16. |
| 1885 | Foundation of new police station (Kalakaua Hale) laid. February 5. |
| | Queen Emma, widow of Kamehameha IV, died. April 25. |
| 1886 | Great fire in Honolulu, destroying million and a half of property. April 18. |
| | Postal savings bank established. July 10. |
| | Ocean Island became a dependency of the Hawaiian kingdom; noted for its guano fertilizer deposits. September 21. |
| | Rev. L. Lyons, for 54 years missionary at Waimea, Hawaii, died. 79 years. October. |
| | Jubilee Anniversary of King Kalakaua 's birthday celebrated. November 16. |
| 1887 | Eruption of Mauna Loa in Kau, Hawaii. January 16. |
| | H. R. H. Princess Likelike (Mrs. Archibald Cleghorn) died. aged 36. February 2. |
| | Queen Kapiolani and Princess Liliuokalani departed on visit to England to attend Queen Victoria's Jubilee. |
| | Great political mass meeting held in Honolulu, to request a new constitution; also to demand dismissal of the Gibson ministry, June 30. |
| | New constitution promulgated by king. July 7. |
| | New cabinet named, W. L. Green, premier. |
| | General elections to the first legislature held under the new constitution. September 18. |
| | Supplementary convention between the United States and His Majesty, the King of Hawaii, to limit the duration of the convention respecting the Commercial Reciprocity Treaty concluded January 30, 1875, ratified by the king. October 20. Proclaimed by President Cleveland. November 9. |
| | Hon. A. Fornander, fourth associate justice, died, aged 75 years. |
| | First legislative assembly under the new constitution meets at Honolulu, November 3. |
| | Sanford B. Dole appointed fourth associate justice, Hawaiian Supreme Court. |
| | Treaty of Reciprocity with the United States extended for seven years, by right of entrance to Pearl Harbor for a coaling and repair base for American warships. Since annexation, base is developed to one of greatest under American flag. |
