Adams National Historic Site
Also known as: Old House
Why it's listed
Adams National Historic Site occupies 8.45 acres in Quincy, Massachusetts, and preserves the long-term home of four generations of the Adams family. At its center is the Old House, begun in 1731 as a Georgian country villa and enlarged by John Adams, John Quincy Adams and Charles Francis Adams. Other surviving structures include a stone library built in 1870 that holds about 14,000 volumes, a Victorian carriage house completed in 1873, a greenhouse, and a woodshed. An eighteenth-century formal garden, an orchard and a duck pond complete the grounds. The adjoining Beale estate, with a Federal-style house built in 1792, was added in 1972. The site matters because the Adamses lived here from 1788 to 1927 while serving as presidents, diplomats and writers. The house and its furnishings remain as the family left them, showing the changing tastes of each generation rather than a single period.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the site is significant as the home of four generations of the Adams family from 1788 to 1927, who played a leading role in the development of the American nation. The Old House and its furnishings remain as the family left them, showing the changing tastes of its occupants. The grounds and the neighboring Beale property preserve the environment familiar to the Adamses.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 66000051, listed October 15, 1966. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 135 Adams St., Quincy |
|---|---|
| County | Norfolk County |
| Listed | October 15, 1966 |
| Reference number | 66000051 |
| Resource type | District |
| Period of significance | 1788-1927 |
| Architect / builder | Cummings and Sears (Carriage House); Edward Cabot (Library design assistance); Captain Benjamin Beale (Beale House); John Adams (Woodshed) |
| Architectural style | Georgian (Old House); Victorian eclectic (Library, Carriage House); Federal (Beale House) |
| Areas of significance | Landscape Architecture, Literature, Politics/Government, Architecture |
| Level of significance | National |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Owned by the National Park Service; the Library is still used for research and the Carriage House contains park offices. The Old House remains as the Adams family left it in 1927. |
| Acreage | 8.5 |
| Coordinates | 42.26325, -71.01115 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
This is a historic district. Buildings within its boundary are either contributing (they add to the district's significance) or non-contributing. Owners of contributing income-producing buildings can claim the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit; homeowners should look at state credits. National Register districts impose no design review by themselves; a local historic district ordinance, if one exists, does (the difference explained).
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 66000051.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q351941
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.