John Fitzgerald Kennedy National Historic Site facts for kids
Quick facts for kids John Fitzgerald KennedyNational Historic Site |
|
|---|---|
The house in 2006
|
|
 John Fitzgerald Kennedy
National Historic Site Location in Massachusetts
John Fitzgerald Kennedy
National Historic Site Location in 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 a special place. It is the house where John F. Kennedy, who became the 35th president of the United States, was born and spent his early childhood. The home 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 and cares for the property. Visitors can take tours of the house and watch a film about its history. This historic home was recognized as a National Historic Landmark in 1964. It officially became a National Historic Site on May 26, 1967.
Contents
- History of the Kennedy Home
- Exploring the Kennedy House
- The Basement: Visitor Center
- The Living Room: Family Gatherings
- The Dining Room: Lively Discussions
- The Master Bedroom: Birthplace of a President
- The Nursery: Children's Playtime
- The Guest Bedroom: For Visitors and Girls
- The Boudoir: Rose's Private Space
- The Kitchen: A Modern Space
- The Third Floor: Servants' Quarters
- See also
History of the Kennedy Home
The story of this house began when Joseph Patrick Kennedy Sr. bought it on August 20, 1914. He bought it just before he married Rose Elizabeth Fitzgerald on October 7, 1914.
John F. Kennedy and his older sisters, Rosemary and Kathleen, were all born in the master bedroom upstairs. The Kennedy family lived in this house until 1920. As their family grew, they needed more space. So, they moved to a bigger home a few blocks away, near Boston.
The Kennedys were the third family to own the house on Beals Street. It was built in 1909, during a time when Brookline was growing quickly. After their honeymoon in 1914, Joe and Rose Kennedy moved into the home. Joe Kennedy bought a new Model T Ford to drive to his job as president of the Columbia Trust Bank.
Rose Kennedy often walked from their home to the shops in Coolidge Corner. Brookline was a fast-growing suburb of Boston. It was a great place for the Kennedy children to play, offering more space than the busy city.
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 as it did in 1917, around the time John was born. The house now shows what a typical American home looked like between 1914 and 1920.
About 19% of the items in the house belonged to the Kennedy family. These items were either used in this house or in their later homes. Rose Kennedy worked with an interior designer to find other old items or copies to complete the restoration.
Rose Kennedy gave the home to the National Park Service in 1967. It serves as a memorial to her son, John F. Kennedy. The house is open to everyone. Visitors can take a tour with a park ranger or explore on their own.
Exploring the Kennedy House
Visitors can explore many rooms in the Kennedy home. Both ranger-led and self-guided tours are available.
The Basement: Visitor Center
The basement is where visitors enter the house. It serves as the National Park visitor center. Here, you can find a public restroom and a small gift shop. You can also see exhibits, photographs, and watch a film about the Kennedy family.
The Living Room: Family Gatherings
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 place for formal entertaining. But it was also where the family relaxed in the evenings. The piano in this room belonged to Rose Kennedy. It was a wedding gift from her uncles and is one of the original items in the house.
The Dining Room: Lively Discussions
The dining room holds the most Kennedy family items. The china on display was Rose's wedding china. The table is set as if Rose Kennedy was expecting guests, even though it wouldn't have been this formal every day. Meals were a time for the family to have lively discussions. They talked about history, politics, current events, and religion. Rose believed that "history is shaped by those who get their ideas across." Meals were a formal event, with a maid serving food from the kitchen.
The Master Bedroom: Birthplace of a President
The master bedroom is where Jack (John F. Kennedy), Rosemary, and Kathleen Kennedy were born. Jack Kennedy was born here at 3:00 PM on May 29, 1917. Rose Kennedy gave birth to seven of her nine children at home. The same doctor delivered all of them. The bedroom has several photographs, including baby pictures of Joe Jr., Jack, Rosemary, and Kathleen.
The Nursery: Children's Playtime
The nursery features a bassinet that held all nine Kennedy children. You can also see a christening cap and gown. There are books and toys that Joe Jr. and Jack would have played with. Jack's two favorite books, King Arthur and his Knights and Billy Whiskers and His Kids, are on display.
The Guest Bedroom: For Visitors and Girls
The guest bedroom shows linens with Rose's initials, REF. Rosemary Kennedy's toiletry set is also here. After Rosemary and Kathleen were born, this room became a girl's bedroom.
The Boudoir: Rose's Private Space
The boudoir was Rose Kennedy's private space and her office. She used the desk to manage household accounts and write letters. The desk has a card file. Rose kept an index card for each child. On these cards, she noted important health milestones, birthdays, and confirmation dates. Jack Kennedy's card is on the desk for visitors to see.
The Kitchen: A Modern Space
The kitchen was mainly used by the household's servants. It was quite modern for its time. It had a stove that used 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, which was used for laundry.
The Third Floor: Servants' Quarters
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 and nanny. Their bedrooms were on the third floor. Rose Kennedy did not restore the third floor in the 1960s because she didn't remember those rooms well. Today, these rooms are used as the park's administrative offices.
See also
- List of National Historic Landmarks in Massachusetts
- National Register of Historic Places listings in Brookline, Massachusetts
- List of areas in the United States National Park System
- List of memorials to John F. Kennedy
- List of residences of presidents of the United States
- Presidential memorials in the United States
