Rare Photos of the Kennedy Family Compound in Hyannis Port

The Kennedys pose outside their Cape Cod getaway during Thanksgiving in 1948. Twenty years earlier, Joseph and Rose Kennedy purchased the cottage they had been renting for two summers. They immediately got to work enlarging and remodeling it to make space for their nine children, and in a matter of no time, transformed it into the sprawling property it is today.

John F. Kennedy and four of his eight siblings—Jean, Pat, Robert, and Eunice—review one of his senate campaign brochures in Hyannis Port. Their mother made sure to decorate both for livability and style. Bob Luddington, who helped design the home, told Boston.com: "She was particularly, shall I say, keen on the comfort and the flexibility of the furnishings, so that they would be not only decorative but practical."

From this side, it's easy to spot the future Mrs. Kennedy through what appears to be a connecting powder room. Three years later, John bought his own Hyannis Port estate just two doors down from his childhood summer home. The JFK Library later described it as "the emotional center of the family's life for decades."

Robert F. Kennedy and his wife, Ethel, play with their children—Bobby Jr., Kathleen, and Joseph—on the floor of the Hyannis Port home. Robert—or "Bobby," as he was often called—bought his brother Ted's property in 1961.

In one of his final weekends at home before hitting the campaign trail, JFK and Jackie take in the ocean view with their daughter. Former Kennedy interior designer and consultant, Bob Luddington, revealed their house (which JFK purchased four years earlier) was known as "the Summer White House."

The democratic nominee chats on his outdoor patio with diplomat Adlai Stevenson. It was later discovered that JFK's father, Joe, bought his son and daughter-in-law's house for them, so that there was no bank mortgage. He then gave them a no-interest mortgage for the purchase price, allowing them to save them as much money as possible.

Despite staying busy on the campaign trail, JFK always made time for family. Here, he and Jackie read a story to their daughter, Caroline, on a pink chaise lounge outside of their Hyannis Port home. Years later, in 1986, Caroline held her wedding reception at the special location.

With just months to go before the presidential election, JFK and his running mate, Senator Lyndon B. Johnson, hold a press conference inside the historic Cape Cod living room. Their home was filled with many "early American pieces" and touches of Jackie Kennedy's sophisticated style.

The future first and second ladies of the White House, Jackie and Claudia Alta "Lady Bird" Johnson, attend the same presser in similar polished hairstyles. Jackie's interior designer revealed what it was like collaborating with the style icon, telling Boston.com, "It was a pleasure working with her because she was not hesitant making decisions."

Jackie Kennedy sits with daughter Caroline inside their home for an interview with NBC News' Sander Vanocur. The little details around the room—from the copy of Candidates 1960; Behind the Headlines in the Presidential Race on the bookshelf to the matching floral vase and curtains—were perfectly arranged.

The soon-to-be first family spend election day at the compound, eagerly watching polling results roll in. In 2011, Ted Kennedy Jr. and his wife, Kiki, renovated the "President's House." All the discarded items, from faded wallpaper to window panes, were given to local artists and turned into repurposed pieces. "It became difficult for me to put these pieces of history into the dumpster," designer Mark Grenier shared. The artwork was auctioned off, and the proceeds were used to renovate the John F. Kennedy Hyannis Museum.

At the same celebration, JFK's extended family gathers together for a picture. The living room, complete with lit rows of statues, a marble lamp, and dark wooden side tables, is even more visible from this angle.

Even while working, President John F. Kennedy preferred his Cape Cod escape. He invited Russian press to his home for an interview, which he conducted from a wooden rocking chair.

While in Hyannis Port for Thanksgiving, the President invites officials over to discuss military spending. Instead of a White House boardroom, the group plans the defense budget in cozy living room chairs surrounded by floral decor.

The first family lounges on blue outdoor furniture with some furry friends. Despite being allergic to dogs, JFK loved animals and wanted his children to experience the joy of having pets. His favorite dog was Charlie, a Welsh terrier gifted to him by his wife during his presidential campaign.

In one of his final interviews, JFK sat down with CBS's Walter Cronkite at his Cape Cod home. The interview is both an incredibly revealing and emotional one to look back on, as the anchor asked plenty of questions about Kennedy's plans for 1964 and running for reelection. "I think we will have to wait and see a year and a half from now. A year now," the President said at the time, "It is not that long."