A Guide to The Kennedys’ New York

“The Kennedys were New Yorkers by choice,” author Tim English writes in the introduction to his latest book, The Kennedys’ New York: American Royalty in the Greatest City in the World. While you might first associate the Kennedys with the shores of Massachusetts or the halls of the White House before the streets of the five boroughs, generations of this famous political are inextricably tied to the history of New York City. In English’s book, the author takes you on a tour of Manhattan and beyond to uncover little-known stories of the Kennedy family found in the places where they lived, worked, socialized, campaigned, studied, dined, and sought entertainment and respite.

The book features famous locations, like Jackie’s sprawling penthouse apartment on Fifth Avenue, and more off-the-radar spots like the restaurant where she liked to take the kids for ice cream. From the Kennedys’ very first New York address in the Bronx to the Greenwich Village club where Bobby Kennedy saw the Velvet Underground and the private club where JFK eluded the Secret Service, the book offers a glimpse into the city life of the Kennedys. Here, we highlight three locations from the book!

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The Kennedys' New York Book Talk with Author Tim English

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1. Arthur B. and Dr. Mathilde Krim Residence: 33 E. 69th St.

John F. Kennedy’s 45th birthday was one for the history books. The star-studded affair took place at the third Madison Square Garden, on 8th Avenue between 49th and 50th streets. Marilyn Monroe famously sang “Happy Birthday Mr. President” in a skin-tight rhinestone-studded dress. The only known photograph of Monroe and Kennedy together was snapped later that night, at a townhouse on the Upper East Side. Official White House photographer Cecil Stoughton took the photo during an after-party at the home of Arthur B. Krim, the chairman of United Artists Studios.

2. The Carlyle Hotel: 35 E. 76th St.

The Carlyle Hotel was the Kennedy family’s home base in New York during JFK’s presidency. Jackie, JFK, John Jr., and Caroline occupied a duplex that took over the 34th and 35th floors. Each family member made a connection with the hotel that continued after the move to 1040 Fifth Avenue after JFK’s assassination. English writes that Jackie was known to frequent The Carlyle for lunch and ordered “a gin and tonic and a Cobb salad, with which she’d enjoy a cigarette.” John Jr. and Princess Diana had a secret meeting at The Carlyle in 1995. The pair evaded paparazzi—eagerly awaiting their arrival at a side entrance—by walking through the front door.

3. The Stork Club, 3 E. 53rd St.

The Stork Club was a favorite hangout of the who’s who in New York City in the 1930s and 1940s, including a young JFK and his brothers. Unfortunately, it is one of the few places in the book that no longer exists. Paley Park now stands in its footprint. JFK could often be found at the Stork Club during his Harvard days with his friend Lem Billings and their dates. In the early 1940s while in naval training, he’d visit the club on trips to New York over the weekend. In the book, English tells of “a fortuitous meeting here in January 1944 with author John Hersey.” During that meeting, JFK told Hersey of his PT-109 incident, a story of survival that Hersey published in The New Yorker. When the story was republished in Reader’s Digest, Kennedy became a national hero.

Next, check out the floor plan of Jackie Kenndy Onassis’ Sprawling Fifth Avenue Mansion