John F. Kennedy, America's 35th president, was born in a residential suburban area of Boston, Massachusetts, in 1917. His birthplace is preserved as a National Historic Site. It received this designation in 1969, following the donation of the property to the National Park Service.

Attractions:

This historic site consists of the house where Kennedy was born, with the visitor center in the lower level. The home itself might surprise some tourists. When I visited this site in 1997, I went there expecting to take a long tour of a large, plush 30- room mansion, in the most expensive part of the city. Considering the wealth of the Kennedy family, the home would have to be very impressive, I thought. However, it’s just a simple, modest two- story house with just the basic rooms and amenities. I had forgotten that, when JFK was born, in 1917, the Kennedy family had not yet achieved its rise to fame and fortune. They were just a simple, middle class family at this time.

Tours are offered each half hour, from 10am to 3:30pm. From 3:30pm to 4:30pm, you can walk through the house at your own leisure, but I think its best to take the tour. National Park Service guides will walk you through the house, taking you through each room, including the upstairs bedroom where John F. Kennedy was born. The tour guide tells a few facts and trivia associated with the Kennedy’s as the tour progresses. In some rooms, there’s also a recorded message that plays. Rose Kennedy serves as the narrator, on these recorded messages, and she describes something unique and/or sentimental about each room. When I visited, the bedrooms were roped off, and you could only view them from the hallway. You were not permitted to enter into the rooms. I assume it’s still like this. You’re also not supposed to take pictures inside the house, but many people (including myself) did so, anyway, when the tour guide wasn’t looking.

Besides the house itself, the tour guide will also take everyone outside for a few minutes. He/she will walk the tourists through the neighborhood where Kennedy grew up. The guide explains what a typical day was like for the Kennedy family and points out the church and school that JFK and his siblings attended as young children. During certain times of the year, you can also tour this neighborhood church and school. I went in October, and there were no extra tours like this being offered at that time. I believe they are offered only in summertime.

Dates/Hours of Operation:

This historic site is open only from April 1 to November 10 each year. The visitor center opens up at 10am, and closes at 4:30pm and it’s only open five days per week- Wednesday through Sunday. If you only want to visit the bookstore and visitor’s center, you will not be charged any fee, but the tour will cost you $2.00 per adult over 17 years of age. Children can take the tour free of charge.

Final Thoughts:

This site surprised me a little bit, because of its simplicity. I expected anything relating to the Kennedy’s to be on a grandiose scale. It’s not like that at all. It’s just a simple home, in a residential neighborhood of similar houses.

Finding this site wasn’t easy! It’s located at 83 Beals Street, in Brookline, Massachusetts, about 7 miles from the Logan International Airport, but it takes some time to get here. If you have ever driven in Boston, you know that the streets are not easy to navigate. When I visited this site, I went back and forth several times, until I finally found the street where the site is located. There is no separate parking lot for visitors to this site, because it’s located in a row of houses. You have to parallel park on the street, just like you would if you were driving to visit a friend’s home.

Fans and admirers of the Kennedy dynasty will really enjoy visiting this site. Even those who don’t have much fondness for the Kennedy’s will find the site interesting. It shows the humble beginnings of one of our most popular U.S. presidents and one of our most influential (and affluent) political families, before its rise to national fame and notoriety.



Be Sure to Click the Links Below to Read Reviews of Other National Historic Sites:

James Garfield National Historic Site
Carl Sandberg Home National Historic Site
Touro Synagogue National Historic Site
Mount Rushmore National Memorial
Saint- Gaudens National Historic Site
Jefferson National Expansion Memorial
Fort Point National Historic Site
Cowpens National Battlefield
Adams National Historic Site
Andrew Johnson National Historic Site
Salem Maritime National Historic Site


Recommended: Yes

Best time to go: June-August
Recommended for: Anybody
Review Topic: Overview