The former home of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis has hit the market for a cool $65 million.
Red Gate Farm, situated on 340 acres of beachfront land on the southern tip of Martha’s Vineyard, was bought by the former first lady in the late 1970s. The property was listed for sale by Christie’s this week by Caroline Kennedy, daughter of Jackie and her first husband, President John F. Kennedy.
After the assassination of her first husband, Jackie lived for several years on the Hyannis Port Kennedy Compound before marrying Greek shipping tycoon Aristotle Onassis.
When Onassis died in 1975, Jackie worked in publishing until her death from cancer in 1994 at age 64. Her purchase of the Martha’s Vineyard property sprung from a love of the New England beachfront she gained while married to Kennedy.
She chose to settle on the island of Martha’s Vineyard, distancing herself from the Cape Cod Kennedy Compound by a two-hour ferry commute. Caroline, 61, and her husband Edwin Schlossberg, 73, have lived at the estate with their children.
The estate was completed in 1981. Caroline and her husband carried out a multi-million dollar renovation on the home following the death of John F. Kennedy Jr. in a plane crash in 1998 amid swirling rumors that the property would be sold.
During her time at Red Gate Farm, Jackie constructed a tree house for her grandchildren, maintaining an extensive vegetable garden, and meticulously choosing flowers and decor for the house’s many rooms. In addition to a large pool, private beach access, and private nature trails, the property also features a 19th century hunting cabin — the only structure that existed when Jackie first purchased the land.
The Massachusetts vacation island of Martha’s Vineyard is known for its wealthy residents and elaborate estates, but the $65 million dollar price tag on Red Gate Farm is more than double that of similar properties. Should the property sell for its asking price, it would shatter the previous record-high price of $32.5 million for a home in the area.
