Quincy, a city full of history, celebrates 400 years

Boston Globe

2 days ago

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Ever since he was a child, John Rahman remembers his parents taking him to see the Abigail Adams statue in Quincy Center every Fourth of July.
Attendees at the Quincy 400 celebration were fascinated by the TEN31 Productions living statues that impersonated John Adams and Abigail Adams on July 6, 2025.
Heather Diehl for the Boston Glo
Rahman, 37, grew up several miles away in Norwell, but he says his parents were diligent about teaching him about the area's history. On Sunday afternoon, he kept the tradition alive by standing in front of the Abigail Adams statue —
'I've always liked that Quincy celebrates its heritage,' Rahman said.
Now a Quincy resident himself, Rahman
also cherishes the city's history. He keeps a three-foot statue of John Quincy Adams in his apartment to remind him of his late father, who received the statue as a gift after working on its life-sized counterpart.
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'It helps me remember my city's history and my own history,' he said.
The afternoon began with a series of American history-themed musical theater songs, including 'Sit Down, John' from '1776,' 'You'll Be Back' from 'Hamilton,' and 'Back to Before' from 'Ragtime,' each preceded by historical facts about Quincy.
Afterwards, the Lexington Minutemen and Boston Alarm Company Fife & Drum took the stage dressed in Revolutionary War-era garb to perform a period-accurate march, and the evening promised entertainment from the Beantown Swing Orchestra and the Boston Lindy Hop Dancers.
For Mary Ryan, 80, the celebration was as much a chance to honor Quincy's history as it was to enjoy the warm weather and slight breeze from her lawn chair.
Richard Davia, Nick D'Amico and Ellen Olivers of TEN31 Productions, dress up as a statues of John Adams, John Hancock and Abigail Adams outside of Quincy City Hall during the 400th anniversary celebration of Quincy, MA on July 6, 2025.
Heather Diehl for the Boston Glo
'I once lived in a house that was built in 1776 in Pembroke, and ever since then I've been interested in history. And Quincy has a lot of it,' said the retiree, who also proudly claimed membership in the Quincy Historical Society.
Hancock Adams Common itself is rich with landmarks that boast Quincy's long history.
As a volunteer tour guide at
Although Tanner originally hails from Ohio, she's lived in Quincy for about 30 years and knows its history like the back of her hand.
'Quincy treasures its past,' she said. 'Living here made me want to learn its history.'
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