To commemorate the birthday of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis (who would have been 85 today), AD looks back at her work to save iconic American landmarks. After overseeing the restoration of the White House in 1961, the then–first lady turned her attention to the preservation of Lafayette Square in Washington, D.C., and discovered a greater need for legislation on historic preservation. Not only was Onassis successful in preserving Lafayette Square, but she also influenced the passage of the Historic Preservation Act of 1966.
When Onassis moved to New York City in the 1970s, she quickly became involved with the Municipal Art Society, which was vying to keep Penn Central Railroad from erecting an office building above and across the southern portion of Grand Central Station. She formed the Committee to Save Grand Central Station, which held rallies and news conferences to publicize the issue. Grand Central Terminal was saved from becoming a 53-story tower thanks, in no small part, to Onassis’s efforts.
