Adams National Historical Park
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Adams National Historical Park | |
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| IUCN Category V (Protected Landscape/Seascape) | |
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| Location: | Massachusetts, USA |
| Nearest city: | Quincy, MA |
| Coordinates: | |
| Area: | 13.82 acres (9.17 federal) 55,930 m² |
| Established: | December 9, 1946 |
| Total Visitation: | 239,504 (in 2004) |
| Governing body: | National Park Service |
Adams National Historical Park in Quincy, Massachusetts, preserves the home of Presidents of the United States John Adams and John Quincy Adams, of U.S. Ambassador to Great Britain Charles Francis Adams, Sr., and of the writers and historians Henry Adams and Brooks Adams.
The national historical park's eleven historic structures tell the story of five generations of the Adams family (from 1720 to 1927) including Presidents, First Ladies, U.S. Ministers, historians, writers, and family members who supported and contributed to their success. In addition to the "Peacefield," home to four generations of the Adams family, the park's main historic features include: John Adams birthplace (October 30, 1735), the nearby John Quincy Adams birthplace (July 11, 1767); 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. United First Parish Church, where both Presidents and the First Ladies are entombed in the Adams Crypt are not now nor have they ever been administered by the National Park service. The Church is owned by the active congregation of Unitarian Universalists. the congregation has used its own resources including its endowments to to preserve the building. In the past 10 years the congregation has invested almost $2 million to preserve the building for the next several generations of citizens and members of the congregation.
There is an off-site visitor center located within one mile of the historic structures. Regularly scheduled tours of the historic homes, are offered in season (April 19 to November 10). The park provides a trolleybus between sites. Access to the historic homes is by guided tour only. Access to United First Parish Church is provided by the congregation and they ask for a small donation. The National Park Service does not provide trolly service to the church.
[edit] Administrative history
Designated Adams Mansion National Historic Site on December 9, 1946; it was renamed Adams National Historic Site on November 26, 1952. On December 19, 1960, the birthplaces of both presidents were designated as National Historic Landmarks. As with all historic areas administered by the National Park Service, the entire historic site was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on October 15, 1966. On December 30, 1970, United First Parish Church was also designated a National Historic Landmark but is still privately owned. The historic site was redesignated a national historical park on November 2, 1998.
[edit] Reference
- The National Parks: Index 2001–2003. Washington: U.S. Department of the Interior.
[edit] External link
- Official NPS website: Adams National Historical Park
