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National Historical Parks - Massachusetts
Adams National Historical Park
9/3/1999 Drove up to Quincy, MA to Adams NHP. Got on a trolley at the visitor center a short
ways to the birthplace homes of John and John Quincy Adams [both NHLs]. These two smallish saltbox houses are next
to each other. Took a tour of the two homes, both from the 1600s. Back on the trolley to the "Old House", a very pretty,
much larger home lived in by four generations of Adams. Took a tour of this home - all original furniture, paintings, etc.
Saw the chair where JA died on July 4, 1826. Back to visitor center, walked over to the church where JA and Abigail, and
JQA and wife are buried [United First Parish Church (Unitarian) of Quincy NHL].
A park sign on the trolley
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John Adams birthplace
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John Quincy Adams birthplace
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"Old House"
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Beautiful library
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John Adams grave
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John Quincy Adams grave
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Boston National Historical Park
7/8/1989 Walked to [USS] Constitution [NHL], up Bunker Hill [Monument NHL]. Ken and I climbed 294
steps of monument. ... followed Freedom Trail [NRT] to Paul Revere House [NHL], Old North Church [NHL, Boston NHP].
The USS Constitution
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A view of the rigging
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Me relaxing on board
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Bunker Hill Monument
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A view from the Monument
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Paul Revere House
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Old North Church behind Revere
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4/24/2016 Our trek [often on the Freedom Trail NRT] covered (* indicating part of Boston NHP):
*Old South Meeting House NHL - A historic church that gained fame as the organizing point for the 1773 Boston Tea Party.
*King’s Chapel NHL - Formerly called "Stone Chapel", this 1754 structure of architectural significance is one of the finest designs
of the noted colonial architect Peter Harrison.
*Old State House NHL - Built in 1713, it was the seat of the Massachusetts General Court until 1798, and is one of the oldest public buildings in the U.S.
*Faneuil Hall NHL - A marketplace and a meeting hall since 1743, it was the site of several speeches by Samuel Adams,
and others encouraging independence from Great Britain.
*Boston Common NHL – 50 acres comprising the oldest city park in the U.S.
We wandered around for a while getting a flavor of the park, having a drink and pretzel snack while doing so.
*Massachusetts Statehouse NHL - A masterpiece of Federal architecture, it is the state capitol and seat of government for the Commonwealth.
The sign for ...
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... the Old South Meeting House
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King's Chapel
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Some chapel detail
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The chapel graveyard
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The sign for ...
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... the Old State House
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Cool detail
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The other side
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The sign for ...
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... Faneuil Hall
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The other side
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A sign ...
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... and info for ...
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... Boston Common
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The Frog Pond
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The State House from the Common
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A little closer
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A close panoramic shot
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Lowell National Historical Park
9/9/1995 … and stopped in Lowell, Mass. ... then walked around Lowell National Historic Park. The
town was important in the Industrial Revolution, containing many textile mills. Very interesting tour of mill/museum.
Bottom floor was set up like original mill with scores of weaving machines all running. Even with earplugs provided by
park service, noise was incredible. Rest of museum had great displays, and video interviews with actual mill workers.
The park sign
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One of the mills
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Lots of noisy machines!
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One of the many weaving machines
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6/14/2021 We headed to Lowell and parked in a garage, then walked over to near the Concord River at the Lower Locks on
the Pawtucket Canal for a great view of a lock, canal, and spillway, with a large structure overhead. This is part of the Lowell Locks and
Canals Historic District NHL (and in the Lowell NHP [and on the Lowell Canal Heritage NRT]). The Historic District includes all of Lowell’s
5.6-mile canal system, associated dams, locks, gatehouses, millyards, and corporation boardinghouses.
Where exactly am I?
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A wide view of the locks and canal
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The locks ...
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... and some of the canal
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Me and the Concord River
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A look at the canal spillway
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The Lower Locks Gatehouse
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Mom and the Gatehouse
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Minute Man National Historical Park
11/1978 Toured Lexington and Concord in Minute Man National Historic Park.
Mom on North Bridge
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The Minute Man statue
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11/7/2005 Stopped at main visitor center at Minute Man NHP. Gorgeous day – clear, warm, breezy,
lots of leaves. Saw part of a musket firing demo, then saw an excellent multi-media presentation on the start of the
Revolution. We were the only ones in the theater; the show used filmed actor inset into a life-sized room setting, map with LEDs,
video screen, 3-D surroundings, etc. – very effective. Continued to the North Bridge and saw the bridge, monument and statue ...
Me and the park sign
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Ken making like a Minute Man
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And me being equally silly
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North Bridge
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The Minute Man monument ...
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... and statue
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7/14/2019 We went to The Wayside (in Minute Man NHP) and signed up for the 3:00 tour. This was the hottest (and stillest)
part of the day, so Mom hung out on a screened porch while I walked up the road to Orchard House. ... then walked back and waited with Mom outside
on a bench for the tour at The Wayside. This is the 1717 house which from 1845 successively became the home of young Louisa May Alcott and her
family, author Nathaniel Hawthorne and his family, and children's writer Margaret Sidney. The tour was very good, learning about the events of 1775
and the families that lived. There was some air conditioning, so it was more tolerable, although some of the top-level spaces were pretty stifling.
... We walked the very short distance over to the NHP North Bridge area on the way back to the car and listened to a recorded description of the
fight, on a little box I had to wind up to power.
Interpretive signage ...
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... including NPS info
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Wayside sign
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The Wayside
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Can you see Mom staying cool?
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Me taking a photo of ...
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... the NHL plaque
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Drawing of original home
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Living room ...
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... and library
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Nice watercolor
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NPS sign near North Bridge
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Interpretive sign near speaker
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New Bedford Whaling National Historical Park
7/4/1999 Parked in New Bedford Whaling NHP [Historic District]. Not much in the visitor center,
so over to the whaling museum. Nice exhibits including a whale boat and a half-scale whaling ship. Across the street is the
Seaman’s Bethel, mentioned in “Moby Dick”, which was set here.
A beautiful whale boat
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Me on the scale ship
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Seaman's Bethel
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A view of the historic district
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5/27/2019 William Rotch, Jr. House. Now the Rotch–Jones–Duff House, the three families whose names are
attached to it were all closely tied to the city's 19th century dominance of the whaling industry. This is also in the New Bedford Whaling NHP.
... United States Customhouse. The 1834 Greek Revival style structure has been used by the U.S. Customs Service ever since, and today serves
as a port of entry. This too is in the NHP.
Interpretive signage about ...
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Rotch House
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View from the front
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Me photoing ...
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... the NHL plaque
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U.S. Customhouse
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3/4 view
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Park signage
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