Adams National Historic Site
National Register of Historic Places

Adams National Historic Site

Quincy, Norfolk County, Massachusetts
Listed
October 14, 1966
Type
District
Period
Colonial
Ref No.
66000051

About this property

Adams National Historical Park, formerly Adams National Historic Site, in Quincy, Massachusetts, preserves the homes of United States presidents John Adams and John Quincy Adams, U.S. envoy to Great Britain, Charles Francis Adams, and of writers and historians Henry Adams and Brooks Adams. The national historical park's eleven buildings tell the story of five generations of the Adams family (from 1720 to 1927) including presidents, first ladies, envoys, historians, writers, and family members who supported and contributed to their success. In addition to Peacefield, home to four generations of the Adams family, the park's main historic features include the John Adams Birthplace (October 30, 1735), the nearby John Quincy Adams Birthplace (July 11, 1767), and the Stone Library (built in 1870 to house the books of John Quincy Adams and believed to be the first presidential library), containing more than 14,000 historic volumes in 12 languages. There is an off-site Visitors Center less than a mile (1.6 km) away. Regularly scheduled tours of the houses are offered in season (April 19 to November 10) by guided tour only. Access to United First Parish Church, also called the Church of the Presidents, where the Adamses worshipped and are buried, is provided by the congregation, for which they ask a small donation. The Church of the Presidents is across the town square from the Visitors Center and provides tours on a regular basis.

Location

135 Adams St.
Quincy, Norfolk County, Massachusetts
42.26325, -71.01115

Categories

LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURELITERATUREPOLITICS/GOVERNMENTARCHITECTURE
National Register nomination ›
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

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Everything a full report reveals about Adams National Historic Site

This page lists Adams National Historic Site. A full Aubrey report for an address near it pulls together this listing alongside battlefield records, land patents, and every other historical record within a chosen radius:

Overview
An interactive map of the location with historic sites, battles and Native heritage plotted, and its full story era by era.
The Land
The historic sites and place names around the location, and how this land was settled and used.
Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back millions of years.
LiDAR Terrain
Laser-scanned terrain that reveals earthworks and old features hidden in the landscape.
Conflict & War
The battles, raids and skirmishes fought near here, across every era of American conflict.
The Civil War
The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.
The Soldiers
The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.
Native Heritage
The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.
Settlement
Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.
The Community
How the town grew, who came, and what kind of place it became, traced through the census record.
Rivers & Rail
The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.
Notable People
The people born, buried or genuinely tied to this exact place, with their stories.
Historical Maps
Historic maps of the location layered over how it looks today.
Finds & Access
Museum objects tied to the area, and the laws on searching, collecting and access here.
Literature
The old books, county histories and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.
Spotlight
A deep dive into the most remarkable, lesser-known history of the place, traced back to the record.
Points of Interest
The most significant historic sites and landmarks near the location, and why they matter.
Timeline
The whole story of the location told era by era, from first peoples to the present day.
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Nearby Historic Sites

Winfield House
Industrial
0.1 mi
Wollaston Fire Station
Industrial
0.3 mi
House at 15 Gilmore Street
Industrial
0.3 mi
Bainbridge, Randolph, House
Industrial
0.4 mi
House at 94 Grandview Avenue
Industrial
0.4 mi

Nearby Battles

Engagement at George's Island / Boston Harbor Blockade
1814Early Republic
4.8 mi
Attack on Weymouth 1676
1676Colonial
4.9 mi

Questions about this property

When was Adams National Historic Site listed on the National Register?

Adams National Historic Site was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on October 14, 1966.

What type of historic resource is Adams National Historic Site?

Adams National Historic Site is classified as a district in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Adams National Historic Site?

The period of significance for Adams National Historic Site is recorded as the colonial era, specifically around 1720.

Can I research the history near Adams National Historic Site?

Yes. Aubrey Research reports search National Register listings, battlefield records, land patents, and other primary historical sources within any radius of a US address. A report for an address near Adams National Historic Site will include this listing and all other historical records in the area.

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