Jackie's Red Gate Farm

By Steve Brawley

In 1979 Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis bought a large piece of almost completely undeveloped property on a rise overlooking the Atlantic Ocean in Martha's Vineyard and designed and built a house to be used primarily during the summer. She name it Red Gate Farm.

Inspired by the vernacular of a New England seaside cottage, the house has a shingled exterior with a central front door and chimney. The main rooms on the ground floor open directly towards the sea with extensive patios and picture windows. It was furnished by Jackie with New England Country furniture, rag rugs and masses of books, reinforcing its place as a private retreat for family and friends.

John Surprises Jackie with a

birthday cake (early 1990s) at her

Red Gate Farm in Martha's Vineyard

Red Gate Farm is on the western end of the island of Martha's Vineyard in an area known as Gay Head. The traditional weathered gray saltbox style house was designed by famed architect Hugh Newell Jacobsen and is near Menemsha Pond.

In 2005, Caroline auctioned many items from the house. She and her family still own the property.

Complementing Jackie's country furniture and decorations sold from Martha's Vineyard were fine examples of American and English Marine art, among which was a pencil and colored pencil drawing of The Vineyard Sound Light Ship No. 7, American School, 19th / 20th century (lot 154, est. $4/6,000).

Also of a nautical theme was a painting of An American Sailing Ship Near Hong Kong, Chinese School, 19th century (lot 158, est. $10/15,000); and a painting of the ship Horace B. Parker, by American artist W.E. Shibbs (lot 208, est. $4/6,000), which can be seen in photographs hanging above the fireplace in the dining room. From the ground-floor living room, which had a breath-taking view of the water, was a small oil painting by Augustus John, Portrait of the Artist's Wife Dorelia Before a Banner, executed circa 1910-1911 (lot 159, est. $20/30,000) and a charming Pair of Hand-Colored Seashell Etchings, circa 1800, (lot 156-157, est. $400/600).

In 2006, The Martha's Vineyard Commission (MVC) approved an estate plan proposed by Caroline Kennedy and Edwin Schlossberg for a subdivision of the Red Gate Farm property in Aquinnah.

Red Gate Farm consists of 31 separate parcels on 366 acres off Moshup Trail, bordered by the Atlantic Ocean and Squibnocket Pond. The approved plan would create seven large lots, to include the 106-acre family homestead lot, three equally-sized lots for the Kennedy-Schlossberg children, two lots which could be sold to pay taxes and/or expenses, and one lot declared forever non-buildable, to preserve the coastal environment.

The MVC reviewed the estate plan as a development of regional impact (DRI) because of the property's size. The MVC approved the plan, 10-2, with conditions as offered by Ms. Kennedy, and the additional condition of their own regarding wastewater systems and further subdivision and development.

Ms. Kennedy thanked the commissioners for their careful review. "We put a lot of care and effort into this plan, and a lot of thought. I believe it is such a special piece of property, and I know my children feel the same way. Obviously that sentiment is shared across the Island, so that is something that we're very conscious of," Ms. Kennedy said. "We do feel that we are stewards of this property and hope to be very happy here for many generations, and this plan really is a critical component in our ability to take care of the land."

Ms. Kennedy also offered to donate $100,000 to the Aquinnah Affordable Housing Committee and contribute up to $15,000 to the Mass Estuaries Project, a sum equivalent to Aquinnah's share of the cost.

Martha's Vineyard Red Gate Farm

This house is now owned Caroline. Sothebys Auction Photos Below:

Martha's Vineyard Entrance Hall

Martha's Vineyard Living Room

Martha's Vineyard Living Room

Martha's Vineyard Dining Room

Martha's Vineyard Dining Room

One of Martha's Vineyard Bedrooms