John Fitzgerald Kennedy National Historic Site facts for kids

Quick facts for kids John Fitzgerald Kennedy National Historic Site
The house in 2006
John Fitzgerald Kennedy National Historic Site Location in Massachusetts Show map of Massachusetts John Fitzgerald Kennedy National Historic Site Location in the United States Show map of the United States
Location	Brookline, Massachusetts, U.S.
Nearest city	Boston, Massachusetts
Area	0.09 acres (0.036 ha)
Established	May 26, 1967
Visitors	18,485 (in 2015)
Governing body	National Park Service
Website	John Fitzgerald Kennedy National Historic Site

The John Fitzgerald Kennedy National Historic Site is the birthplace and childhood home of John F. Kennedy, who became the 35th President of the United States. The house is located at 83 Beals Street in the Coolidge Corner area of Brookline, Massachusetts. John F. Kennedy was one of four U.S. presidents born in Norfolk County, Massachusetts. Today, the National Park Service owns the property. You can take tours of the house and watch a special film about its history.

The Kennedy home was named a National Historic Landmark in 1964. It officially became a National Historic Site on May 26, 1967.

The Kennedy Family Home: A Look Back

The house in 1974.

The house was bought by Joseph Patrick Kennedy, Sr. on August 20, 1914. He bought it to prepare for his marriage to Rose Elizabeth Fitzgerald on October 7, 1914.

John F. Kennedy and his sisters, Rosemary and Kathleen, were all born in the master bedroom upstairs. The family lived in this house until 1920. As the family grew bigger, they needed more space. So, the Kennedys moved to a larger home just a few blocks away. This new house was on the corner of Abbottsford and Naples Roads, right outside Boston.

The Kennedys sold their Beals Street house to Edward Moore and his family. Edward Moore was an advisor to Joe Kennedy. The Kennedy family lived in the Abbottsford Road home until 1927. At that time, Joe Kennedy's business interests led the family to move to Riverdale, in New York City.

Building the Home and Early Life

The Kennedy family was the third owner of the house on Beals Street. It was built in 1909, during a time when Brookline was growing very quickly. The Kennedys moved into the home after their honeymoon in 1914. At that time, it was the last house on the street.

A few months after they were married, Joe Kennedy bought a new Model T Ford. He used it to drive to his job downtown. He worked as the president of the Columbia Trust Bank. A streetcar line, called the "T" line, went to Coolidge Corner when the Kennedys lived in Brookline. Rose Kennedy often walked from the Beals Street house to the shops in Coolidge Corner. There was an S.S. Pierce store there, along with other shops. Brookline was a fast-growing suburb of Boston. It was a good place for the growing Kennedy family because suburbs had more space for children to play. This was better than the crowded inner city of Boston.

Restoring the Kennedy Home

In 1966, the Kennedy family bought the house back. From 1966 to 1969, Rose Kennedy worked to restore it. She wanted it to look just like it did in 1917, around the time John was born. The home now shows what a typical American home looked like between 1914 and 1920.

About 19% of the items inside the home belonged to the Kennedy family. These items were either used in the Beals Street house or in their later homes. They were brought back during the restoration. Rose Kennedy worked with an interior designer named Robert Luddington. He helped find the other items in the home. These items are either old antiques from that time or copies of things from that period.

Rose Kennedy gave the home to the National Park Service in 1967. It serves as a special memorial to her son. The house is open to the public. Visitors can take a tour led by a park ranger or explore on their own.

A Difficult Moment: The Arson Attempt

On September 8, 1975, there was an attempt to damage the building. Someone threw a burning bottle into the house. This act was connected to Senator Ted Kennedy's support for school desegregation in Boston.

Exploring the Kennedy House

Visitors can explore many rooms in the house. You can take a tour led by a park ranger or explore on your own.

The Basement: Visitor Center

The basement is where visitors enter the house. It serves as the National Park visitor center. Here, you will find a public restroom and a small gift shop. Visitors can look at exhibits and photographs. You can also watch a film about the house and the Kennedy family.

The Living Room: A Place for Family and Guests

When guests visited the Kennedy home, they would have been welcomed into the living room. This room was also called the parlor back then. It was a formal space for entertaining guests. But it was also a place where the family would relax in the evenings. This was especially true when the children were getting ready for bed or when Joe Kennedy returned from his office in Boston. The piano in this room belonged to Rose Kennedy. It is one of the original items in the home. Her uncles gave it to her as a wedding gift.

The Dining Room: Family Discussions

The dining room has the most original Kennedy items in the house. The china dishes were Rose's wedding china. The table would not have been set formally for everyday meals. Rose Kennedy set the table this way for the museum, as if she were expecting company.

Meals were a time for the family to have lively discussions. They talked about many topics, like history, politics, current events, and religion. Rose often said, "history is shaped by those who get their ideas across." Mealtime discussions were a very important part of life in the Kennedy home. Meals were formal, with the family gathering in the dining room. A maid would bring the food from the kitchen.

The Master Bedroom: Birthplace of Future Leaders

The master bedroom is where Jack, Rosemary, and Kathleen Kennedy were born. Jack Kennedy was born here at 3:00 PM on May 29, 1917. Rose Kennedy had seven of her nine children at home. The same doctor, Dr. Good, delivered all of them. He also delivered the last two children, who were born in a hospital. The bedroom has several photographs. These include baby pictures of Joe Jr., Jack, Rosemary, and Kathleen when they were six months old.

The Nursery: Childhood Treasures

The nursery has a bassinet that was used for each of the nine Kennedy children. You can also see a christening cap, a gown, and many books and toys. These are like the ones Joe Jr. and Jack would have played with. Visitors can see Jack's two favorite books: "King Arthur and his Knights" and "Billy Whiskers and His Kids."

The Guest Bedroom: A Girl's Space

The guest bedroom displays linens with Rose's initials—REF—on them. You can also see Rosemary Kennedy's toiletry set. This guest room became a girl's bedroom once Rosemary and Kathleen were born.

The Boudoir: Rose's Private Office

The boudoir was Rose's private space and her office. She used the desk to manage the household's money and to write letters. The desk shows a card file. Rose kept an index card for each of her children. On these cards, she wrote down important health milestones. These included vaccinations, major illnesses, and hospital stays. She also noted birthdays and confirmation dates. Jack Kennedy's card is on the desk.

The Kitchen: The Servants' Area

The kitchen was mainly used by the household's servants. It was quite modern for its time. The stove could use both coal and gas. The family also had an electric toaster and a large icebox. Servants would have spent a lot of time in the kitchen and the basement. The basement was used for laundry back then.

The Third Floor: Administrative Offices

The third floor is not part of the public tours. It has two attic rooms that were used by the servants. Rose Kennedy hired a French girl, Alice Michelin, and an Irish girl, Mary O'Donahue. They worked as the maid-of-all-work and nanny in the house. Their bedrooms were on the third floor. You can find more information about domestic servants on the park's website. Rose Kennedy did not restore the third floor when she restored the rest of the house in the 1960s. This was because she did not remember those rooms very well. Today, these rooms are used as the park's administrative offices.

Visiting the Historic Site

During the visiting season (May to October), the John Fitzgerald Kennedy National Historic Site offers daily guided tours. Park rangers lead tours every half hour from 10:00 AM to 11:30 AM and from 1:00 PM to 3:30 PM. These tours last about 30 minutes.

You can also take self-guided tours from 12:00 PM to 1:00 PM and from 4:00 PM to 5:00 PM. For self-guided tours, you can use audio guides or ask park rangers questions. On most days, rangers also lead walks around the neighborhood. These walks start at 2:15 PM and last for about 45 minutes.