When Mrs. Rose Kennedy repurchased her Brookline house in 1966, she did so with the intent to recreate her home exactly as it was when her son, John F. Kennedy was born. The small grey house tucked away on a quiet street in a Boston suburb was then given to the National Park Service to care for and make available to visitors. Paint analysis revealed, however, that the little grey house, would not have been grey while Mrs. Kennedy lived there, despite her remembering that it was. The disconnect between what Mrs. Kennedy remembers and what studies reveal about the house invite difficult questions about the nature of history, memory, and what is the most appropriate and meaningful way of maintaining the home. Click here to read more about these on going discussions! |
Last updated: February 26, 2015