Sunday morning, I got up early and went back to downtown Freeport for breakfast at Isabella's Sticky Buns. It was the best sticky bun I've ever had, and so good I ate it all before I remembered to take a picture!
I wanted to make one more stop in Maine before heading to Boston... Kennebunkport. I wasn't there for long, but I have definitely put it on my "go back and spend more time" list. It was so quaint. Everything you expect a New England beach town to be. It set out for Walker's Point so I could see the Bush Compound.
After I got a couple of pics, it started to pour down, so I got in the car. I got one last pic from my car window.
Since it was raining so hard, I didn't get out and walk through Kennebunkport, I just drove through before I continued my drive down to Boston. The rain was coming and going, but it was pretty heavy when it was raining, so I decided to scrap my plan of walking the Freedom Trail that afternoon. As I drove, on a whim, I decided to go on to Quincy.
Quincy is very close to Boston, but I think it is often overlooked. I wanted to go to Quincy to walk in the steps of John and Abigail Adams, and I'm so happy I did!
The set up of the Adams National Historical Park is different than any other National Park I've ever been to. The Visitor Center is in an office building, and you have to take their trolley to the 3 historic locations. When I got there at around noon, the next tour didn't begin until 1:15. I was totally bummed because I didn't want to burn that much time just waiting around. Luckily, the Park Rangers gave me some guidance, and it turned out that it was just enough time to check out the other sights in the area that are not part of the Historic Park.
The United First Parish Church was my first stop.
They had copies of two pages of the church's records...
The first were notations made by Rev. John Hancock marking the birth of two of the signers of our Declaration of Independence. On the left, it notes the birth of John Adams, and on the right, he noted the birth of his son, John Hancock.
This is the church record marking the death of John Adams on July 4, 1826. I love at the bottom of the entry where it notes "he died in a good old age, full of days...".
#54 was the Adams pew
After leaving the church, I walked over to Hancock Cemetery.
I took a few more shots of the church as I headed back to the visitor's center to catch the trolley...
The first stop on the tour is the location of the first two homes of the tour. The first is the birthplace of John Adams. It was built in 1680 and back in it's day, it was located on the main road between Plymouth and Boston.
Unfortunately, they wouldn't allow any pictures inside. Before marrying Abigail, John moved back into this house and operated his first law office out of the room with the window located to the left of the door.
The next house was difficult to get a good picture of. This was John and Abigail's home, and also the birthplace of John Quincy Adams. It is the oldest existing presidential birthplace in America because it was built in 1663. This is the home where John and Abigail lived during the Revolution. The one from where Abigail, after hearing the cannon fire, walked to the top of Penn's Hill and witnessed the burning of Charlestown during the Battle of Bunker Hill.
I snuck one pic! this was John's law office and also the room where he drafted the Massachusetts constitution.
The final stop was Peacefield. This is a home that Abigail and John purchased in 1787. Originally it was a 75 acre farm and home with 7 rooms. Additions were made by Abigail and subsequent generations of the Adams family. Everything inside the home is original to the Adams family.
This home served as the summer home for two Presidents, and is the home where John Adams died.
There is a detached library that is beautiful, but the garden, oh my the garden!
I know these are similar, but I couldn't choose just one. So beautiful.
The library is detached and made of stone because they wanted a fire-proof library. One of the many contents is the Mendi Bible that was gifted to John Quincy Adams after he successfully represented the mutineers of the Amistad before the Supreme Court.
As I sat on the porch as I waited for the trolley to take us back to the Visitor's Center, I had a moment where I totally geeked out and had to take this pic. I was sitting on John & Abigail Adams' porch watching it rain! I'm sure they had done the exact same thing countless times.
I'm so happy I made the detour to Quincy. I know there was plenty to do in Boston to fill my two half days, and one whole day there, but I'm not sure I enjoyed anything more than this.
After the tour, I headed to the hotel. As I drove, my phone alerted me that there was a Flash Flood Warning. I couldn't believe it! After all the flooding back home, it had followed me to Boston!
At the last minute before the trip, I decided to stay at the Residence Inn Backbay/Fenway, instead of the original hotel I had booked in Beacon Hill. I decided to stay there, because I thought it would be convenient to get back tot he hotel after the Monday night Red Sox game I was suppose to attend.
This is the terrace on the top floor. As you can see, it was rainy, but that is Fenway Park.
The hotel was great, and is a wonderful location if you are going to a game.
I was tired, it was rainy and cold (40's), so I decided to be boring that evening. I walked to Yard House for dinner and had the best cider I've ever had. It's called Downeast and of course is only available back east. I'm hopeful it makes it's way to Texas! I then walked a couple of blocks to a theatre where I saw "Aloha".
Stay tuned for Day Five!
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