Quincy Massachusetts: Home of America’s First Family

By Jeff Burns

Before recent biographies like David McCullough’s classic and the brilliant HBO series based on it, John Adams was often overlooked in the pantheon of America’s founding fathers, maybe not in the top tier alongside Washington, Jefferson, and Franklin.  However, his stock has risen, so to speak, and he has assumed his rightful place.  While he had no direct role in the fighting of the American Revolution or the actions of the Sons of Liberty leading up to the war, his devotion to the principles of independence was crucial. If that was the whole story, it would be enough of a legacy, but there is much more that makes John Adams so fascinating.  His marriage to Abigail is one of the greatest marriages in American history.  He is the patriarch of one of America’s most prominent families of scholars, diplomats, and public servants.  Unfortunately, he and his son, John Quincy, also share the misfortune of having miserable presidencies that sometimes overshadow their greater non-presidential accomplishments.  The Adams family story is one of the greatest stories of American history.

In Quincy Massachusetts, visitors can learn that history.  Quincy is a short distance from Boston. On our recent stay in Boston, my wife and I took the convenient commuter train to downtown Quincy. The Adams National Historic Site Visitors Center is a very short walk from the train station. At the Visitor Center, there is a great video and gift shop.  It is here that visitors can purchase tour tickets and catch the bus for the visits to the three Adams family homes.  

The first stop is the birthplace of John Adams, purchased by his father in 1720.  Adams lived there until he married Abigail in 1764.

Just a few yards away is Adams’ second home, built around 1665, the birthplace of John Quincy and the family home during the Revolutionary years. 

After an informative tour of both homes, it’s back on the bus for a few  minutes’ trip to Peacefield, built in 1731 and purchased by Adams in 1787. The estate was the Adams family home until 1927 and became a national historic site in 1947.
 

The house is amazing. The history is practically palpable, but the gardens and the stone library are amazing features as well.

Upon their return to the Visitors’ Center, visitors should walk across the street to the United First Parish Church, built by the Adams family.  The family worshipped there, and both sets of presidents and first ladies are entombed in its crypt.  The church is not under the control of the National Park Service, but church volunteers conduct tours and answer questions for a small donation.

For lovers of American history, a day in Quincy is a must when visiting Massachusetts.

Visiting Presidential Libraries and Museums

By Nina Kendall



Lincoln Library

Are you looking to connect more with history?  Are you planning a trip with friends or family who isn’t as excited about history as you? Consider adding a Presidential Library visit to your calendar.  The Presidential Libraries and Museums are a special part of the National Archives and Records Administration that began at the behest of President Franklin Delano Roosevelt in 1939. Over the last 76 years this program has led to the creation of institutions that preserve the history of the presidency and share a special story.

            Inside a Presidential Library and Museum, you can explore the history and growth of the presidency and enjoy unique public program.  I have enjoyed visiting several of the Presidential Libraries and Museums. They combine the preservation of the past with a look toward the future. Thus far, I have been to the Jimmy Carter Presidential Library and Museum, Franklin D. Roosevelt (FDR) Presidential Library and Museum, and the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum. The Lincoln Library is one of the many institutions dedicated to presidential history outside of the system administered by NARA.



Carter Library and Museum

            An excursion to Hyde Park puts you in the neighborhood of Gilded Age Mansions and the FDR Library. Here you can explore the legacy of FDR, tour his home, or gave upon a section of the Berlin Wall in the Garden. If you head west to Illinois, the Lincoln Library is a destination. You can walk through scenes of Lincoln’s life. See as Lincoln as a young man and then take your picture with the entire family outside a replica of the White House. Of course, you can head south to visit the Carter Library as well. The Carter Library is home to a theater, interactive exhibits, and a garden. You can stand in a replica of the Carter Oval Office, explore recent history, and enjoy interactive exhibits that inform you about the current mission of the Carter Center.                         

Below are links to the Presidential Libraries and Museums administered by the National Archives and Records Administration. I recommend you do a little planning before you go. Each of these museums has unique grounds and exhibits. You may want to look at the special events or activities planned for the day of your visit. The Carter Center host regular special exhibits like Kongo Across the Waters and brings in authors to speak to the public. Other libraries have active presence on social media outlets to connect with the public.

Hoover Library West Branch, Iowa	Ford Library Ann Arbor, Michigan	Ford Museum Grand Rapids, Michigan
Roosevelt Library Hyde Park, New York	Nixon Library College Park, Maryland	Nixon Library Yorba Linda, California
Kennedy Library Boston, Massachusetts	Truman Library Independence, Missouri	George W. Bush Library Dallas, TX
Clinton Library Little Rock, Arkansas	Carter Library Atlanta, Georgia	Bush Library College Station, Texas
Johnson Library Austin, Texas	Reagan Library Simi Valley, California	Eisenhower Library Abilene, Kansas

 

Sources:

 "Presidential Libraries and Museums of the National Archives." National Archives and Records Administration. National Archives and Records Administration, n.d. Web. 15 Feb. 2015.