Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy Onassis had a long history with residential properties, from a well-heeled duplex on Park Avenue to sprawling estates in Virginia and, of course, the White House. But it all started in 1929 at Wildmoor. Here is a look at Jackie Kennedy’s first home:
Located in Georgica, East Hampton, Wildmoor was built in 1895 and purchased, in 1910 by John Vernou Bouvier Jr, (also known as “the Major”) to use as a family summer house. In 1929 the Major’s eldest son, John Vernou Bouvier III (or “Black Jack”) welcomed the arrival of his first child, Jacqueline Lee Bouvier.
At the time, Black Jack was suffering financially after the Wall Street Crash, so the Bouviers offered Jack and his young family the opportunity to reside in Wildmoor, rent-free, until they could afford to move into their own place. By this point the Major had already purchased a second summer house in the form of Lasata, a 12 acre estate of much grander proportions, so Wildmoor was entirely available to use.
Referred to by the Bouviers as the “little house”, Wildmoor was a three-storey shingle and shiplap build, featuring window shutters, a wraparound porch and top floor dormer windows, conveniently located a short stroll from the beach.
In 1931 Jackie’s maternal grandparents offered the young family a recently completed luxury apartment in 740 Park Avenue, built by Jackie’s grandfather, James T. Lee. It was three years after moving into Wildmoor that Jackie and family moved out but it is believed the ‘little house’ remained in the family’s ownership until the 1960s when the property was bought by Abstract Expressionist Adolph Gottlieb.
The 6 bedrooms, 4.5 bathrooms property was recently on the market, listed with Sotheby’s International Realty for $7.5 million. The 1-acre lot retains the exterior appearance that it did back when Jackie lived there in her early years, with its shingles, dormer windows and wrap around porch, extended by a conservatory (or ‘sun room’), but internally many original features remain too.
The wood panelling found through the downstairs of the house is thought to be original to Jackie’s tenure, as is the claw-foot bathtub in the family bathroom and the multi-coloured tiled fireplace in the kitchen. Even some of the wallpaper in the bedrooms is believed to be original too. By all accounts, the house looks to have preserved its appearance as it would have looked nearly a century ago.
Sotheby‘s has listed the property with the following details:
‘Built in 1895, this was the childhood home of both “Blackjack” Bouvier and his daughter Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy. The family hosted weekend polo matches in a nearby field and entertained friends in this gracious home. […] The gabled roof, wraparound porch, Palladian windows, generously sized rooms, stunning atrium and pergola covered terrace combine to produce a classic summer home. The coveted location on Apaquogue Road allows one to hear the sounds of the ocean and enjoy a short walk to the beach.’
View more of this house and its listing on Sotheby’s Realty webpage here, or find out more about Jackie’s residential history in previous posts including Jackie Kennedy’s Childhood Homes and the Marital Homes of John and Jackie Kennedy.
images: google map