In 1979, Jaqueline Kennedy Onassis purchased a vast area of land called Red Gate Farm for $1 million. The sprawling farm has 340 acres of land in total, including over one mile of private beachfront. Originally used as a sheep farm, the property’s only standing structure was a small hunting cabin which is still standing. The landscaping was redesigned by Onassis’ close friend Rachel Bunny Mellon, who redesigned the White House rose garden in 1962, and renowned architect Hugh Newell Jacobson designed the beautiful 6,400-square-foot Cape Cod that is central to the family estate.
The former First Lady used this property as a summertime retreat for her family during the 1980s. After her passing in 1994, her daughter Caroline inherited the estate continued the tradition with the family until the home was listed for $65 million in 2019. For more views of the historic family home, check out the following photos.
The main residence features five en suite bedrooms, a formal sitting room with a fireplace, a library, a den, two offices and two outdoor decks. Every room in the house provides a sweeping ocean view.
In addition to the Cape Cod saltbox-style main home and the two-story guesthouse, the property also includes a caretaker’s house with three bedrooms, a boathouse, a temperature and humidity-controlled storage building and two garages.
Since Onassis’ plan was to build a home she could use to gather large groups of family and friends, Red Gate Farm was built full of amenities. The grounds house a tennis court, a swimming pool, a treehouse for the kids, a veggie garden and even a blueberry patch.
The property’s appearance underwent renovations and expansion in 2000. Deborah Berke, Dean of the Yale School of Architecture, was commissioned to complete the project.
The historic family home served as a private escape for almost 40 years. Its mile-long private beachfront and vast areas of rolling green fields ensured the family isolation from the outside world.
In 2019, Caroline Kennedy listed the compound for a sky-high $65 million. That’s $33 million more than most expensive home ever sold in Martha’s Vineyard. When asked about her reasons for selling the home, Caroline stated, “It’s time for us to follow my mother’s example and create our own worlds. We hope that another family will treasure this place as much as we have.” With all the amenities and scenery this summer home has to offer, its sure to make some great memories for whoever takes over.