A historic Washington, D.C. residence that once belonged to John F. Kennedy and Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis has been sold for a sum exceeding $6 million. Known as the Marbury House, this property was constructed around 1811 and has seen numerous owners throughout its history, but it is most famously linked to the future president and his wife, who acquired it in 1957 while Kennedy served as a senator.
The Couple's First Washington Home
The Marbury House represented the first property the Kennedys purchased in the nation's capital, preceding John F. Kennedy's successful presidential campaign. The home, with its distinctive rose red brick exterior and deep green shutters, spans 5,215 square feet and includes five bedrooms, five full bathrooms, and one partial bathroom. Interior spaces feature a spacious parlor, a library, and a generous garden, along with a one-car garage offering two parking spaces.
Architectural details reflect the Federal period of its construction, characterized by high ceilings, proportion, and natural light, according to listing agent Michael Rankin of Sotheby's International Realty. Initially listed in October 2025 at $7.5 million, the property ultimately sold on May 12 for $6.125 million.
A Home Integral to History
While living in the Georgetown neighborhood, the Kennedys welcomed two children: Caroline in 1957 and John F. Kennedy Jr. in 1960. The home played a pivotal role during the 1960 presidential election, serving as a hub for campaign activities. Rankin noted that advisors frequently passed through the entrance, decisions about Cabinet appointees were deliberated in the front rooms, and on winter mornings, the President-elect would step onto the porch to address the press gathered along the brick sidewalks.
Jacqueline Kennedy, known for her refined taste, repeatedly reimagined the interiors, transforming the double living room into a warm, polished salon where she hosted political teas and intimate gatherings that subtly advanced her husband's presidential prospects. According to the 2000 book Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy Onassis: A Life, the couple paid $82,000 for the home and invested an additional $18,000 in renovations.
From Inauguration to Legacy
On the morning of January 20, 1961, the Kennedys left the Marbury House to attend JFK's inauguration and subsequently moved into the White House. Over the years, the property changed hands multiple times, but its character and historical integrity have been carefully preserved. Notably, the Kennedys were not the first prominent family to own the home; it was commissioned by William Marbury, a well-known Georgetown financier and Federalist who was the namesake of the landmark Supreme Court case Marbury v. Madison.
