Jacqueline Kennedy Gardens demolished during east wing demonstration 60 years after completion

On a joyous April day in 1965, First Lady Claudia “Lady Bird” Johnson brought back Camelot-era figures to the storied former home of President John F. Kennedy and his wife, Jackie, concluding an important project interrupted by the violence of JFK’s assassination.

“Not so long ago, sometimes it seems like only days, this wonderful old building was occupied by the 35th president of the United States and his first lady,” Johnson told his esteemed guests. “They brought many remarkable qualities to the White House, but perhaps most of all they brought a spark of youth, an instinct for the lovely, and boundless grace.”

She noted that among their many ideas for the White House, John and Jackie sought to create areas for “rest” and “reflection” on the grounds, and commissioned their dear friend, horticulturist Bunny Mellon, to design a functional green space next to both the West and East Wings.

While the West Garden has become the more famous “Rose Garden” that Americans have seen repeatedly in photos over the decades, the East Garden deserves to be dedicated in honor of its predecessor, Johnson said.

“There can only be one name for this garden,” Johnson insisted, revealing that it would henceforth be known as the Jacqueline Kennedy Garden.

Standing under a pergola designed by renowned architect I.M. Pei, the first lady added, “This garden will enhance the enjoyment of generations to come for the people who live here and for the thousands of Americans who walk those sidewalks on visits to the White House.”

Although Jackie herself did not attend the Garden’s dedication in 1965 (she had largely avoided the White House after her husband’s assassination), members of the Kennedy family, including Robert F. Kennedy, his wife Ethel, and Jackie’s mother Janet Leigh Auchincloss (née Bouvier) returned to the south side of the White House to hear Lady Bird’s speech.

Mr Auchincloss, 57 at the time, said of the new garden: “You will understand that words cannot express my feelings in memory of my daughter. Few people have been so honored.”

“President Kennedy really loved gardens. As you said, he planned this garden with Jacqueline, and I know the president is very happy to be able to dedicate it to her,” Auchincloss said. “And I can’t think of anything more meaningful to all the people who cared about Jackie than for her to have this beautiful garden as a memento of the years she spent here with Jackie.”

“I would like to know how I can thank the President and Mrs. Johnson for this particularly thoughtful tribute,” she added.

Sometimes forgotten in the shadow of the Rose Garden to the west, the Jacqueline Kennedy Garden became a secondary event space, sometimes used for presidential awards ceremonies, first lady parties, and tea times.

Under First Lady Hillary Clinton, it was transformed into a sculpture garden showcasing contemporary American works to demonstrate “how important art is, not only as part of our public life, but also as an integral part and contribution to our private lives.”

The garden was one of the first things millions of White House visitors saw on public tours for 60 years, entering through the East Wing and looking out through the large glass windows lining the East Colonnade.

Then, on October 20, 2025, 60 years after Lady Bird Johnson dedicated the green space, a backhoe tore through the historic East Building and abruptly began demolition to make way for President Donald Trump’s new 90,000-square-foot ballroom.

Soon, the entire east side of the White House complex was destroyed, including the East Portico and the idyllic Jacqueline Kennedy Gardens, one of the most famous American landmarks named after the late first lady.

A White House official told PEOPLE after the garden’s quiet demolition that the plan is to rebuild the green space that bears Jackie’s name, but the official noted that “the overall scope and scale of the (ballroom) project is subject to change at any time as the project progresses,” adding, “We will share more detailed information as we move forward.”

At a Jan. 8 meeting with the National Capital Planning Commission, President Trump’s ballroom architect showed renderings of plans for the new east wing, which have changed since the president first announced his vision to build a major addition to the White House.

Aerial renderings of the proposed ballroom appear to show that the garden will be rebuilt along the east colonnade once construction is complete, but it was not made clear whether it would be modeled after Jackie’s design or keep her name.

The White House Ballroom is scheduled to be completed by 2028.