Be advised that the NPS has issued alerts for this park.
Tour Season Scheduled to Begin June 5
The 2025 tour season will begin June 5. Tours of the historic homes will be available Thursdays through Sundays on a first-come, first-served basis. Schedule and availability are subject to change.
Visitor Center Currently Open - Historic Homes Closed
The Visitor Center at 1250 Hancock St., Quincy, is open 11am-4pm Monday-Friday, except federal holidays. The historic homes are closed and unavailable for tours. The 2025 tour season will begin June 5.
Parking on Adams Street Temporarily Limited/Unavailable
Due to construction on Adams St, street parking at the Old House may be limited or unavailable. Validated parking is available at 44 Saville Ave, 0.5 miles from the Old House. The historic homes remain closed. Park grounds are open.
From the sweet little farm at the foot of Penn’s Hill to the gentleman’s country estate at Peace field, Adams National Historical Park is the story of “heroes, statesmen, philosophers…and learned women” whose ideas and actions helped to transform...
The park offers tours of the historic homes. A reservation is required to attend a guided tour. It is strongly recommended to make reservations in advance on Adams National Historical Park's Recreation.gov page. A limited number of reservations will be available day-of for free on a first-come, first-served basis at the Visitor Center.
Entrance - Per Person
$15.00
Entrance into the historic homes at Adams National Historical Park requires an entrance pass. Entrance passes cost $15 per person. Children under the age of 16 are free. If you have an America the Beautiful Interagency Pass, you do not need to pay the entrance fee. Tours can be reserved online in advance at recreation.gov or in-person on the day of your visit at the park’s visitor center. Tour reservations are required in addition to entrance passes.
A large, stone cairn on top of a Penn's Hill in a residential Neighborhood. The cairn has three plaques on it: First: "The Day, perhaps the decisive day has come, on which the fate of America depends. My bursting heart must find vent at my pen," Abigail Adams, June 18, 1775. This cairn, rebuilt with the original stones, rededicated by grateful citizens, as a symbol of the indomitable human quest for freedom July 11, 2009. Second: The Adams Chapter of Quincy Mass. of the Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution have Caused this Memorial to be Erected June 17, 1896. Third: From this spot, with her son, John Quincy Adams, then a boy of seven, by her side, Abigail Adams watched the smoke of the burning Charlestown, while listening to the guns of the Battle of Bunker Hill. Saturday, June 17, 1775.
The Adams Farm at Penn's Hill was once a farm but today, the area consists of a small triangle-shaped plot of land with two homes on it. The land is boxed in by two modern-day roads and it is an urban environment with other buildings in the surrounding area. The two homes are New England salt-box style homes which are two stories tall in the front and one story tall in the back. A long sloping roof covers both houses. Both houses have a front door in the center of the front facing side, surrounded by two windows on the ground floor and three windows on the second floor. One house is gray and the other house is brown. The surrounding land at the modern-day Adams Farm at Penn's Hill is grassy and has some trees and shrubs. There are stone paths connecting the houses and leading to the roads. There is a stone fence and a wooden fence around most of the property.
The boxwood hedges line the entire pathway of the garden. They are short, roughly-knee high, trimmed bushes. When they are in bloom they are green with small leaves.
8 wooden poles lined up in a square, each with a pointed top. A rope is tied up to each post and connecting to the next one to make a large, square roped area. There is nothing in the rope square other than grass. Behind the drying yard is a short, white with a pointed roof of 20 windows. This is the greenhouse.
The John Adams Birthplace is one of two saltbox style homes on this property. The home is two stories tall in the front and one story tall in the back with a sloping roof. The John Adams Birthplace is wood colored with a darkened wooden door. The entry to this home is through the front door. The home faces the John Quincy Adams Birthplace.
The Cordwainer's shop is an eighteenth-century style room. It is a small room with wooden floors, white walls, and wooden trim around the walls. There is one window on the right side of the room. The wall on the left is lined with shelves and wooden shoemaking supplies. There is a workbench in the center of the room with a stool and cordwainer's supplies.
The Hall is an eighteenth-century style room. It has wooden floors, painted white walls, wooden trim around the walls and a wooden beam in the center of the ceiling. There is a wooden rocking chair and a wooden bench with a high back near the fireplace. Cooking implements surround the fireplace.
The Kitchen is an eighteenth-century style room. It is a long room with wooden floors and white painted walls. There is a dining table, two wooden chairs, and a bench on the left wall against two windows. On the right, there is a large fireplace with eighteenth-century cooking implements on the floor around it. In the back of the room is a spinning wheel and shelves with pottery on them.
The Parlor has yellow painted wooden floors with wide floorboards, white painted walls, and sage green painted trim around the walls and ceiling. There is a wooden chair and table with a book on top of it in the left corner. In the center, up against a window, is a long wooden table and two wooden chairs. A harpsichord and another wooden chair sits in the right corner. On the wall on the right hangs a reproduction painting of Edward Boylston.
The Law Office is an eighteenth-century styled room. It is located in the John Quincy Adams Birthplace. It has yellow painted wooden floors, white painted walls, and yellow painted trim around the walls and doorway. There is a window on the left side of the photo and a door to the Dining Room on the far wall. Next to the window is a dark wooden bookcase full of books. On the right, is a wooden standing desk and a wooden chair. In the middle of the room is a circular table with carved legs and a large piece of paper on top. The paper is a reproduction of the Massachusetts Constitution.
The John Quincy Adams Birthplace is one of two saltbox style homes on this property. The home is two stories tall in the front and one story tall in the back with a sloping roof. The John Quincy Adams Birthplace has light gray siding with white trim and a beige door. The entry to this home is through the front door. The home faces the street.
The Dining Room is a late eighteenth-century style room. It has yellow painted wooden floors, white painted walls, and gray-blue trim. In the photo, there is a window on the far wall and another window on the left wall. There are reproduction landscape paintings hanging on the left wall and far wall. On the right wall are framed reproduction portraits of John Quincy Adams and Louisa Catherine Adams. There is a dining table against the far wall with three wooden dining chairs. On top of the table are dishes.
The Kitchen is an eighteenth-century style room. It has painted wooden floors, white painted walls, gray-blue painted trim around the fireplace, and gray-blue painted doors. The fireplace is large and made out of dark red bricks. It has an attached beehive oven on the right side of it. Around the fireplace are eighteenth-century cooking tools including a reproduction reflector oven and cast iron pans. In the corner, there is a large wooden dining table and chair. There is a door between the fireplace and table and a door to the left of the fireplace.
The Parlor has yellow painted wooden floors, white painted walls, and yellow painted wooden trim. Along the ceiling is a yellow painted wooden beam. There is one window in the photo in the middle of the far wall. Next to the window hangs reproduction portraits of a young Abigail Adams on the left and a young John Adams on the right. To the right of the John Adams portrait is a large reproduction eighteenth-century style clock, a wooden crib, and a small chair. Underneath the Abigail Adams portrait is a small wooden desk and wooden chair. A geometric floral patterned rug sits on the floor.
Old House at Peace field is a two story, 22 room home. The exterior is grey. The front has a porch with a trellis over it. The trellis grows champagne grapes that bloom in the late summer/early autumn. There are two front doors on the front. The door to the left is accessible via a ramp. There are two steps that lead up to the door on the right. The home has additions that extend beyond the front and back. Each window has two black shudders next to it.
A two story granite and brick library with wisteria running up the sides. There is a ramp leading up to the entry into the Stone Library. Over the door in the granite is written "1870."
A painted grey structure. It has a wooden base with a medal pipe coming up through the middle. The pipe is closed off at the top. Toward the top of the pipe is a wooden lever that can be pumped up and down. Halfway down the pipe is a faucet where the water would come out. This is a reproduction and no longer works.
A trellis of roses. Toward the top is a sign that reads, "Yorkist Rose Tree Set Out By Abigail Adams In 1788." The roses bloom in mid-June and are white. Following the bloom, red berries take up the place where the rose was. The green leaves will remain through the summer.
The wisteria are leafy green vines climbing up the chimney. They can also be seen on the Stone Library to your left. The wisteria blooms into fragrant, purple hanging flowers in May. The green leaves remain throughout the summer into autumn.
The yellowwood tree is a large, leafy tree located in the middle of the garden. One of the branches has a support. The tree blooms around May each year. The leaves are green and will remain for the summer and most of autumn. The flowers are yellow color and hang down off the limbs. The flowers remain for about two weeks.
The Adams National Historical Park Visitor Center is open 11:00 am to 4:00 pm Monday through Friday. The Visitor Center is closed wintertime federal holidays, with the exception of Presidents' Day. Stop by to learn about the park, shop in the bookstore, watch an introductory film, pick up a free Junior Ranger Program booklet and more! We are happy to greet you and assist with your visit. Please drive to 44 Saville Ave in Quincy for free, validated parking.
Explore the Adams Farm at Penn's Hill with an inside peek into the John Adams Birthplace and the John Quincy Adams Birthplace.
The Garden of Old House at Peace field
Walk through the pathway of presidents, first ladies, and diplomats and discover their stunning garden. By the end of this tour you'll understand why John Adams wrote of the "constant Peace and Tranquility" he felt while living here.
