12. Jackie Kennedy Gave The Edies Money to Clean The House
In 1971, the Suffolk County Health Department visited Grey Gardens after reports from the neighbors describing the Edies’ horrifying living conditions. The Health Department found countless violations. The state of the home was so extreme that the Health Department threatened to evict the two women if they didn’t bring the house up to code.
Despite the apparent reality that the home was unlivable, the Beale women complained to the press about the actions of the Health Department. The Edies denounced the investigation as “the most disgusting, atrocious thing ever to happen in America,” and claimed the inspectors were part of “a mean, nasty Republican town.” Due to the close familial relationship between the Edies and the beloved First Lady of President John F. Kennedy, the state of the property made the national news circuit.
As the news of the incident with Grey Gardens continued to make national headlines, the Edies’ cousin, Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, stepped in and gave the women $25,000 to clean up the property and bring it back up to code. That gift would be almost $160,000 today. One can only imagine the degenerated condition of the home to require that much money to repair. It is reported that over 40 gallons of disinfectant were needed to make the home safe for human habitation again.