Peacefield facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
|
|
Peace Field
|
|
|
U.S. Historic district
Contributing property |
|
The Old House at Peacefield at Adams National Historical Park
|
|
 Location in Massachusetts
|
|
| Location | 135 Adams st , Quincy, Massachusetts |
|---|---|
| Built | 1731 |
| Part of | Adams National Historical Park (ID66000051) |
Peacefield, also known as the Old House, is a very old and important home in Quincy, Massachusetts. It was once owned by the famous Adams family. This house was home to two United States presidents: John Adams and his wife, First Lady Abigail Adams. Later, it was also home to their son, President John Quincy Adams, and his wife, First Lady Louisa Adams. Today, Peacefield is part of the Adams National Historical Park, a place where you can learn about American history.
Right next to the main house is the Stone Library. This library was built by John Quincy Adams' son, Charles, after both presidents had passed away. Charles also lived at Peacefield.
Contents
History of Peacefield
Peacefield was the beloved home and farm of John Adams and his wife, Abigail Smith Adams. It later became the home for several generations of the Adams family. This included their son, John Quincy Adams, and his wife, Louisa Catherine Adams. Their son, Charles Francis Adams, also lived there, as did Charles' sons, who became famous historians, Henry Adams and Brooks Adams.
Early Owners of the House
The oldest part of Peacefield was built in 1731. It was first a summer house for a wealthy man named Leonard Vassall. He owned large sugar plantations in Jamaica. When Vassall passed away in 1737, his estate in what was then called Braintree included 60 acres of land. This land had orchards, meadows, and forests.
The property was later owned by Vassall's daughter, Anna Vassall Borland. During the American Revolution, she was a "Loyalist," meaning she supported the British King. She leased out the property during the war. In 1787, she sold the estate to agents who were buying it for John Adams. At that time, John Adams was living in England, serving as the U.S. Minister.
The Adams Family Moves In
The Adams family returned to America in 1788 and moved into the house. After living in England, Abigail Adams was surprised by the house. She thought it looked like a "wren's nest" and felt like a "barracks." They often called it the "Old House."
Over the next 12 years, while John Adams was busy in Philadelphia as Vice President and then President, Abigail Adams took charge of the house and farm. She made many improvements and greatly expanded it. She added what is now the right side of the house, which includes a beautiful hallway and a large living room on the first floor. Above that, she added a big study.
John Adams returned to Peacefield full-time in 1801 after he was not re-elected for a second presidential term. His son, John Quincy Adams, also came back to the house after finishing his work as an ambassador in Berlin. Later, more parts were added to the house by John Quincy's son, Charles Francis Adams.
Peacefield Becomes a National Park
Brooks Adams, the youngest son of Charles Francis, was the last family member to live at Peacefield. After he passed away in 1927, the house became a museum. It was managed by the Adams Memorial Society until 1946, when it became part of the National Park Service.
The park later grew to include other important places nearby. These include the John Adams Birthplace and the John Quincy Adams Birthplace. These homes, along with the visitor center, make up the Adams National Historical Park. The United First Parish Church, where both presidents and their wives are buried, is also nearby, but it is not part of the park itself.
The Adams family and their home are very important to understanding the history of the United States. On the property, there are also two older, smaller houses. The 1870 Gothic Revival Stone Library is also there. It holds about 14,000 books that belonged to John Quincy Adams. The property also has an old apple orchard and beautiful 18th-century flower gardens.
Furnishings and Collections
The house is filled with many valuable items and furniture that belonged to the four generations of the Adams family who lived there. These items help tell the story of the family and their lives. For example, you can see John Adams' law desk and the bed that John and Abigail Adams used.
The Stone Library
The Stone Library is a separate building located on the Peacefield grounds. It was built in 1870 by Charles Francis Adams. He built it because his father, John Quincy Adams, wanted to protect his many books from fire.
The library holds a large collection of books from different family members. The biggest part of the collection belonged to John Quincy Adams. Some special books in the library include the Mendi Bible. This Bible was a gift to John Quincy Adams after the famous Amistad court case. There is also an early copy of the Book of Mormon that Joseph Smith himself gave to Charles Francis Adams.
The library building is made from Quincy Granite. The city of Quincy is well-known for its granite quarries. In November 1996, some valuable items were stolen from the library, including the Mendi Bible. Luckily, these items were later found and returned.
The Grounds and Gardens
Peacefield was originally a large farm. Over time, later generations of the family sold off much of the farmland because they were no longer interested in farming. Today, the National Park Service takes care of a beautiful decorative garden. This garden has been restored to look much like it did in the 1880s, during Charles Francis Adams' time.
The park grounds also include the historic apple orchard behind the house. There is also a greenhouse and a carriage house. The carriage house was used to keep horses and carriages. It also had an apartment for the coachman or other male servants who worked for the family.
See also
