Located just 10 miles south of Boston, Quincy Massachusetts is an out of the ordinary place to visit in the Boston area. It has the distinction of being the birthplace of not one but two American presidents, John Adams and John Quincy Adams. Quincy is deserving of it's nickname "The Birthplace of the American Dream".
Your day begins at the Visitor Center. Enjoy the small exhibit and video presentation then purchase your ticket for the trolley that takes you to the Adams National Historic Park and the Adams Birthplace. The trolley leaves the Visitor Center at quarter to and quarter after the hour until 3:15 in the afternoon.
The first stop is the two early houses, one where John Adams was born and the other where John and Abby had and raised their family. Peacefield is the last stop. It was the summer White House during both Presidencies. John Quincy's library is housed here. The grounds are quite lovely and worth visiting.
After you return to the Visitor Center you can walk to the historic Hancock Cemetery and the United First Parish Church where the two presidents and their wives are buried. The Abigail Adams Cairn is built on the spot where Abigail and John Quincy watched Charlestown burn during the battle of Bunker Hill.
The Quincy Historical Society has an exhibit which traces the history of Quincy entitled "Of Stone, Of Ships, of Minds". There is more to Quincy then just the colonial history. Quincy has a long tradition as a ship building port. The USS Salem is docked here and houses the U.S. Naval Shipbuilding Museum. The granite used to build the Bunker Hill Monument was quarried here in Quincy.
Quincy can be reached from Boston on the Red T line. By car take Interstate 93 south from Boston to route 3A.
by Belle Starr
Leave a comment