The city of Quincy, Massachusetts is largely unknown to most; however, it holds some of the most interesting history intimately associated with America’s 2nd and 6th presidents (John Adams & John Quincy Adams, respectively). Thankfully, many historic sites have been preserved and can be easily explored by following Quincy’s Presidents Trail!
Exploring the Presidents Trail
The city of Quincy, Massachusetts is home to a fascinating history that is not to be missed! Located just 10 miles south of Boston, this area has been settled since the 1630s, though it was originally land inhabited by the Wompanoag and Pokanoket people. When the family of John Adams lived in the area, it was then all known as Braintree- a city that still exists today. In 1792, a portion of Braintree broke away and was named Quincy, in honor of Colonel John Quincy (maternal grandfather to Abigail Adams). Today, the original homes of the Adams family and other associated sites are in Quincy.
The Presidents Trail is an urban walking trail that was created to enable visitors to explore the many historic sites in Quincy. It is broken up into three sections: the north section includes the Old House at Peacefield, the Dorothy Quincy Homestead, and the Adams Academy; the downtown section includes the Church of the Presidents, Hancock/Adams Commons, Old Town Hall, and the Hancock Cemetery; lastly, the south section includes the John Adams & John Quincy Adams Birthplaces and the Abigail Adams Cairn.
We have visited Quincy on a few occasions and always enjoy the new things we discover! Here we highlight most of the stops along the Presidents Trail and provide helpful tips to hopefully make your visit enriching and enjoyable. If you plan everything out (purchase house tour tickets in advance, especially) you can visit almost everything on the trail in one day. Our recommendation is to tour the three historic houses (Peacefield and both birthplaces) in the morning, grab lunch, then explore the downtown section before finishing off at the Abigail Adams Cairn. The seven historic sites we discuss here are:
1 – Old House at Peacefield (north section)
2 – Hancock Adams Common (downtown section)
3 – Church of the Presidents/United First Parish Church (downtown section)
4 – Hancock Cemetery (downtown section)
5 – Liberty Tree (downtown section)
6 – John Adams & John Quincy Adams Birthplaces (south section)
7 – Abigail Adams Cairn (south section)
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1 – Old House at Peacefield (135 Adams Street)
It was an unusually warm spring day when we toured the Old House at Peacefield. In fact, we purchased tour tickets for this house, along with both the John Adams & John Quincy Adams Birthplaces (we bought the tickets online here). Of note, Old House at Peacefield is about a 5 minute drive from the birthplace houses and while there is usually a trolley to drive visitors around, it has largely been suspended recently. Be prepared to drive yourself between sites, but also be sure to check to the National Park Service website for updates prior to your visit.
The house that would become known as “Old House at Peace field” was built in 1731. When John and Abigail Adams returned to the United States after five years in London, they made the decision to move to a more elegant house. Abigail recalled a house she knew as a young child and accordingly, they purchased it (and the 75 acres it stood on) and moved there in 1788. Unfortunately, the house was no longer as nice or elegant as it once was and much work was required to get the house up to snuff.
The name was given by John Adams, who wrote: “I think to christen my Place by the Name of Peace field…in commemoration of the Peace which I assisted in making in 1783.” Over the years, descendants simply referred to this residence as the “Old House,” hence the name Old House at Peace field. Shortly after moving here, John Adams became the 1st Vice President of the United States, serving alongside George Washington. During his eight years as Vice President, the new government convened in New York City and then Philadelphia- Adams spent a great deal of time away from his home during this time.
This is the house that John and Abigail Adams remained for the rest of their lives. On July 4, 1826, the 90-year-old John Adams died at Peace field, possibly in his study, but more likely in his bedroom where he may have been moved. His last words were “Thomas Jefferson still survives,” although Jefferson had died a few hours earlier on that very day, unbeknownst to Adams. Old House at Peace field was inherited by John Quincy Adams and over the following century or so, was lived in by four generations of the Adams Family (to include Charles Francis Adams and lastly, Brooks Adams).
Included in the tour of the Old House at Peacefield is the Stone Library, which stands next to the house. The Stone Library was built in 1870 and was never used by John Adams or his son; however, it’s construction was laid out by John Quincy Adams prior to his death, because he wanted a stout stone building separate from the house to better protect his library. Accordingly, his son Charles Francis Adams had it constructed. Today, many of the 12,000 volumes in the library were once owned by John Quincy Adams, while about 10% of the volumes were once owned by John Adams.
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2 – Hancock Adams Common (Hancock Street)
Hancock Adams Common is a beautiful park nestled amidst the busy city streets of Quincy. In fact, both the Church of the President (stop #3) and Hancock Cemetery (stop #4) are adjacent to the common, so you can visit all three in one stop! While there is no dedicated parking lot here, you can find street parking nearby. The Hancock Adams Common, named for John Hancock and John Adams, recently opened and has quickly become a favorite spot for locals and visitors alike. The common offers visitors a promenade to stroll, fountains, benches, and shaded grassy areas to picnic and relax.
The common is the perfect place to sit and read, or to take a break during a day of exploring the Presidents Trail. While we were exploring Hancock Cemetery and the First United Parish Church, we took some time to relax in the common and simply watch people walk by.
Of course, my personal desire to discover every ounce of history wherever I am led me to walk around every corner of the common. My favorite part were the statues of the common’s namesakes: John Hancock and John Adams. These two powerful statues stand on opposite ends of the common and greet every visitor who walks through the common.
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3 – Church of the Presidents/United First Parish Church (1306 Hancock Street)
The United First Parish Church, commonly referred to as the “Church of the Presidents,” stands adjacent to the Hancock Adams Common in downtown Quincy. It is so named because both John Adams (2nd US President) and his son, John Quincy Adams (6th US President), are buried in a crypt beneath the church. It is generally open for tours from May to October, from 11AM – 4PM on Mondays, Tuesdays, Fridays, & Saturdays and from 12PM – 4PM on Sundays.
Today’s United First Parish Church has its origins with a congregation that was organized in 1636 by Reverend John Wheelwright (known as the Church of Christ as Mount Wollaston). The next year in 1637, the first Meeting House for this congregation was dedicated. As the community expanded over the years, they quickly out-grew their small wooden church; therefore, a second and larger Meeting House was built in 1666. This structure sufficed for over 65 years, until the size of the congregation necessitated a new church. On October 8, 1732, a third church was built, known as the Hancock Meeting House (named for Reverend John Hancock, father of the better-known founding father).
The 1732 church was used by the community throughout the American Revolution and early Republic period. By the 1820s, former President John Adams desired to build a more prominent church for the congregation. As a gift, Adams donated local Quincy granite to construct the new church and architect Alexander Parris (who also designed Quincy Market in Boston) was employed to design it. On November 12, 1828, the present church was dedicated.
While President John Adams never attended service in this specific church (he died on July 4, 1826- two years before it was completed), he and his son were active members of the congregation. John Adams was originally buried in the Hancock Cemetery; however, his son (President John Quincy Adams) desired that his father and mother be laid to rest in a crypt within the church itself. On April 1, 1828, the remains of John and Abigail Adams were moved from Hancock Cemetery and placed in the crypt beneath United First Parish Church.
Many years later on February 23, 1848, President John Quincy Adams passed away. He was initially buried in the Hancock Cemetery. Just over four years later on May 15, 1852, his wife Louisa Catherine (Johnson) Adams died and was buried alongside her husband in the cemetery. Then on December 10, 1852, the two were moved to the crypt alongside John Quincy’s parents, John and Abigail Adams.
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4 – Hancock Cemetery
Across from the United First Parish Church is Hancock Cemetery (also known as the “Old Burial Ground”), where the town’s most famous and well-known citizens of its past are buried. The cemetery has origins possibly as early as 1630, though it was “set apart soon after 1640” to serve as a burial ground. Every time we are in Quincy we wander about the 2 acres that make up Hancock Cemetery, because we always end up finding a new patriot or interesting gravesite!
This being the first burial ground for the town, most of the first settlers are laid to rest there, to include the town’s first minister and first teacher. Perhaps the most famous burials are members of both the Adams and Hancock families (yes, the ancestors of John Hancock and John Adams). This includes the Reverend John Hancock (father of the famous John Hancock and who the cemetery is named for), Henry Adams Joasiah Quincy (famed patriot), numerous other members of both families, and 69 Revolutionary War soldiers.
As previously mentioned, John Adams and John Quincy Adams were both initially interred within this cemetery. In fact, you can still see the original grave of John Quincy Adams, where he was buried prior to being re-interred to the church’s crypt in 1852. In 1982, the cemetery was listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
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5 – Liberty Tree
Liberty Tree Park was the original site of the town’s liberty tree, which was used as a rallying spot for patriots to meet. Those this is not the original liberty tree from the revolutionary period, another tree has been planted on site to remind visitors of the importance it once held. Today, there also stands a granite marker from 1959 commemorating the park. Of note, the only parking available is street parking, which can be quite limited.
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6 – John Adams & John Quincy Adams Birthplaces (141 Franklin Street)
The John Adams & John Quincy Adams Birthplaces, along with the Old House at Peacefield, are part of the Adams National Historical Park. Although tour tickets can be purchased online, we also recommend stopping by the Adams National Historical Park Visitor Center (1250 Hancock Street) to check out the gift shop, grab an informative pamphlet, and chat with the park rangers. If you decide to tour all three homes, you will begin at the birthplaces (which are right next to each other) and then finish at Peacefield.
We had a phenomenal tour of all three homes and especially enjoyed the John Adams & John Quincy Adams Birthplaces. Remarkably, these two homes stand on their original foundations and are right next door to one another! Now for a bit of the history- we begin with the John Adams Birthplace.
On October 30, 1735, John Adams was born as the first son (of three) to Deacon John Adams and Susanna Boylston. He was born in a second-story room on the eastern side of a modest 2 1/2 story saltbox house, which was built in 1681 by Joseph Penniman (Deacon Adams purchased the house and property in 1720). This property is a mere mile from the ocean and in the 18th-century, you could see the Atlantic from this house. Despite their proximity to the sea, Deacon Adams farmed his land in the summer (primarily corn, rye, wheat, and barley) and made shoes in the winter.
This house served a central role in John Adams’ formative years and early professional career and remained in the family for over two centuries. After graduating from Harvard and then spending three years in Worcester (a town ~40miles west of Boston) in professional pursuits, Adams returned to this house and moved back in with his parents. In fact, he was even allowed to take over one of the first-story front rooms to use as his law office!
Upon Deacon Adams’ death in 1761, this house was inherited by his second son, Peter Adams. Peter remained in this house for a few years with his widowed mother and in 1774, sold it to his brother, John (when his mother died in 1780, John rented out the house). Remarkably, the house remained in the Adams family well into the 20th-century, when it was used by a meeting place for the local DAR chapter before ultimately ending up in the care of the National Park Service.
The John Quincy Adams Birthplace was built in 1663 by Samuel Belcher and was owned by his family until Deacon Adams purchased it in 1744. After the deacon’s death in 1761, it was given to his son, John Adams. Though it is primarily known for being the birthplace of John Quincy Adams, this is also where John and Abigail Adams raised their family and where they lived during the American Revolutionary War.
After John and Abigail Adams married in 1764, they moved into this house and began their new lives together. On July 11, 1767, they had a son, named John Quincy Adams (the future 6th President of the United States). The Adams family remained in this house during the tumultuous years leading up to the American Revolution and throughout the war. In fact, this is where Abigail and a young John Quincy walked from to nearby Penn’s Hill to watch the Battle of Bunker Hill unfold (John Quincy recalled many years later hearing the cannon fire and watching the smoke rise from Charlestown, just over seven miles away). At the fireplace in this home, Abigail melted down pewter spoons to make musket balls for the Continental Army. A replica of the bullet mold she used is on display in the house, while the park has the actual mold she used in their archives.
The second room on the tour is perhaps the most famous (sorry John Quincy, not the room you were born in). In this space, John Adams, Samuel Adams, and James Bowdoin discussed and drafted the Massachusetts Constitution. Usually, this room was used by John Adams for his law practice and he even added a door to allow visitors to enter without disturbing the rest of the household; therefore, it was a natural place for these three men to come together and create one of the most famous and lasting documents in history- imagine that!
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7 – Abigail Adams Cairn (1 Viden Road)
The last stop that we highlight on Quincy’s Presidents Trail is the Abigail Adams Cairn. While a cairn (a mound of stones) often marks a burial site, this cairn simply marks an important location associated with Abigail Adams. When the Battle of Bunker Hill erupted on June 17, 1775, the chaos could be heard over 10 miles to the south in Braintree. It is believed that the booming cannon fire actually caused the windows to rattle at the Adams house! Naturally, the distant gunfire drew the attention of Abigail, who walked with seven-year-old John Quincy to the top of Penn’s Hill, which was near their house. Standing atop the heights of Penn’s Hill, Abigail and her young son watched the distant engagement. Years later, John Quincy Adams wrote: “Of June lighted the fires of Charlestown…I saw with my own eyes those fires, and heard Britannia’s thunders in the Battle of Bunker’s hill.”
The Abigail Adams Cairn was built by the Adams Chapter of the Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution and dedicated on June 17, 1896. It is one of the most unique monuments that we have visited and marks a really interesting moment in American history. Because this is located amidst a neighborhood, parking is extremely limited- please be polite!
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