President John F Kennedy and First Lady Jackie Kennedy loved to escape the pressures of high office whenever possible by taking time out at their luxury holiday estate in Virginia.
They bought it because Jackie wanted something more secluded and closer to Washington D.C. than the compound in Hyannis Port, Massachusetts, where the family often spent vacations.
In 1962, she pursuaded her husband to build an equestrian estate which she designed herself on a 39-acre plot in Middleburg, Virginia. It cost $127,000 and is now worth more than 40 times as much.
Jackie nicknamed the estate ‘Wexford’ as a tribute to JFK’s Irish roots. She was delighted with the home and wrote a letter to the building agents to tell them how much she loved it.
She wrote: “You have done the most fantastic job and everyone agrees that house is really a dream. One could not wish for anything more perfect—if only we could live in it all year long! And Jack loves it.”
Sadly, Jackie couldn’t bear to go there after President Kennedy was assassinated in 1963. The memories were just too painful so she sold the property the following year.
The four bedroom, four-and-a-half bathroom house has remained the same size since it was built but the grounds are now four times more extensive.
The grounds include stables and a number riding trails. There is even an underground bomb shelter, which was built for when the Kennedys first bought the property. It was sold recently for more than$5m. Take a look inside with property sale video and photos.
Take a look inside (Photos courtesy of Thomas & Talbot Real Estate).
Written by Michael Kehoe @michaelcalling
