Quincy Historical Society & Museum

07/15/2026

The Dark Day of 1780:

With smoke from Canadian wildfires darkening our skies, it can feel like we live in strange or even unprecedented times, but did you know that Quincy saw even worse weather during the Revolution?

On May 19, 1780 Quincy, along with much of the Northeast, experienced a meteorological event that became known as "The Dark Day." For several days prior eyewitnesses from New Jersey to Maine reported a sickly yellow cast to the clouds, a vibrant orange sun, and a blood red moon. On the morning of the 19th, darkness fell so thickly that many people thought the Day of Judgement had come, and that the Revolution was doomed.

Abigail Adams, though comparing the weather to a Biblical plague, refused to give in to superstition and sought a logical explanation. Abigail writes in a letter to James Lovell (May 24, 1780) of witnessing "a strange Phenomena in the Natural World" that she called "Egyptian Darkness," but rather than seeing the weather as a portent of doom, she expressed her wish that "some of our Philosophical Geniousess will endeavour to investigate so unusual an appearence...It was the most solemn appearence my Eyes ever beheld but the Philosophical Eye can look through and trust the Ruler of the Sky."

Cotton Tufts, a relative of the Adamses, took an even more scientific approach, writing to John Adams (July 25, 1780) with his observations and deductions. Tufts tells us that in a well-lit room "large Print could not be read by Persons of good Eyes," and that when it was darkest, "some of the Dunghill Fowls went to roost, C***s crowed in Answer to one another as they commonly do in the Night. Wood C***s which are Night Birds whistled as they do only in the Dark—Frogs peeped—in short there was the Appearance of MidNight at Noon Day.”

"A close Attention to what appeared before and during this Event will help us to (at least) a probable Solution of this Matter." Tufts is then quick to add:

"Prior to this, The Woods from Ticonderoga for Thirty Miles downwards had been for some Time on Fire. No Rain for many Days, Winds chiefly at West and N. West. By these the Smoak and Vapours were carried to a great Distance, insomuch that in our Vicinity, the Sky was at Times obscurd, the Air crowded with Smoak and Vapours, a disagreable Smell like what proceeds from Swamps on Fire."

After further recounting the preceding days' wind, rain, and observations from other states, he arrives at the scientifically proven conclusion:

"From this Account Must We not infer, that this extraordinary Darkness was owing to a vast Collection of Smoke and Vapours brought together by a Number of concurring Causes and by Reason of different Currents of Air, conveyed in different Columns or Bodies so that when the Rays of Light struck one, they passed from that to the next with an impaired Force and so on, hence the Feebleness of Rays which reached us."

If you would like to read the letters for yourself, follow the links below to the Adams Papers on the Massachusetts Historical Society website. For a more in-depth explanation of the meteorological factors that caused New England's Dark Day, follow the link below for a video.

Abigail Adams Letter: https://www.masshist.org/publications/adams-papers/index.php/view/AFC03d271
Cotton Tufts Letter: https://www.masshist.org/publications/adams-papers/index.php/view/ADMS-04-03-02-0285-0003
YouTube Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6vEYlGjc8Ww

[Image: The Abigail Adams Statue on the Hancock Adams Common under a smoky yellow sky, July 15th, 2026. Photo credit to Donald Clifford Wheaton III.]

07/08/2026

Here's a clip from our segment at the special Independence Day Broadcast for the The Matt Allen Show on NewsTalk 99.7 & AM 630 WPRO.

It has become an annual tradition for Quincy Historical Society to provide the Massachusetts side of the story during the annual Independence Day broadcast -- particularly focusing on Quincy's hometown patriots, John and Abigail Adams, John Hancock, and the Quincy family. Matt always leads a great conversation, and this year was no different!

You can watch the full interview on YouTube:
https://youtu.be/ki2Xatuzwio?si=YZLEvjF-DLngtz6b

07/03/2026

Quincy Historical Society hits the road!

Today, July 3rd, QHS Executive Director Alexandra Elliott, and Director Emeritus Ed Fitzgerald are visiting our friends in Bristol, RI to take part in the 4th of July broadcast of the Matt Allen Show on WPRO.

This has become an annual tradition for the Historical Society, and we always enjoy the conversation with Matt about the founding fathers (and mothers) from Quincy.

Tune in between noon and 3pm! (Ed and Alexandra go on at 1pm!)

WPRO Live Broadcast: Bristol Fourth of July Kickoff Join WPRO's Matt Allen as he broadcasts LIVE from 12-3pm o...

07/02/2026

Next Thursday, July 9th at 6:30pm our Executive Director Alexandra Elliott, will be visiting the Thomas Crane Public Library for a special joint program screening selected segments of Ken Burns' new "American Revolution" documentary series.

For more information please see the flyer below.

Registration for this event is recommended: https://thomascranelibrary.assabetinteractive.com/calendar/am250-in-the-city-of-presidents-voices-and-visions-screening-w-q-a/

Join us for a special screening of segments of the exciting new Ken Burns PBS Documentary, AMERICAN REVOLUTION.

President of the Quincy Historical Society and public historian, Alexandra Elliot will host a Q&A with the audience following the 40 minute film preview. Segments shared will highlighting arts, literature and music of the American Revolution.

Registration Recommended. Visit www.t.ly/amrev250 to register.

This program is made possible by the generous sponsorship of the Friends of the Thomas Crane Public Library. To find out more about their work and how you can get involved, visit the Friends of the Library webpage.

07/01/2026

Come say "hi" (and maybe bring us a cold water😜) at our table on the Hancock Adams Common tomorrow night during Quincy's America250 celebrations!

06/22/2026

World Cup Fever comes to Quincy: WE'VE BEEN CONED!

The World Cup has brought good humor (and mischief) to Boston over the past few weeks, and some of these good vibes have reached Quincy as well.

The tradition of putting a traffic cone on the heads of statues originates from a cheeky wee bit of Scottish mischief. In the heart of Glasgow's city center the equestrian statue of the Duke of Wellington has been perpetually crowned with a traffic cone since the 1980s. Over the decades, multiple attempts have been made by local officials to deter the practice but popular public support for the prank has kept the tradition from being banned. These days the Duke of Wellington is seldom seen for more than a few minutes without his orange cap.

When the Tartan Army, Team Scotland's avid fan base, arrived in Boston for the World Cup they brought the tradition with them, and statues of George Washington, Paul Revere, Sam Adams, and others (including, appropriately, the Robert Burns statue here in Quincy) were soon seen sporting traffic cone caps of their own.

Thank you to friend of the Historical Society, Chris Pahud, for capturing these photos of a cone atop the bust of John Hancock in front of the Adams Academy.

06/19/2026

Sending huge kudos to our colleague Bob Damon, the City's Director of Historic and Heritage Resources, for doing the in-depth research necessary to compile this list of names. We are proud to act as a platform to promote this extremely valuable contribution to the study of Quincy's remarkable history!

This Juneteenth, and during the 250th anniversary of the American Revolution, the City of Quincy honors nine Patriots of Color whose service contributed to American independence. Their stories continue to be researched and shared, helping us better understand the diverse individuals who shaped our nation’s founding.

Soldiers listed are attributed to Braintree (now Quincy and Braintree) in Massachusetts military records, 1775–1783. Sources include Massachusetts Soldiers and Sailors of the Revolutionary War and the DAR Forgotten Patriots project.

For more information, contact the Quincy Historical Society at 617-773-1144.

06/18/2026

UPCOMING PUBLIC PROGRAM:

On Thursday, June 25th, at 7pm at the Adams Academy Quincy Historical Society will continue our celebration of America’s 250th anniversary with “Revolutionary Eloquence,” a program of dramatic readings featuring the words of some of Quincy’s most innovative thinkers. While Quincy may be famous for many things - shipbuilding, granite, great food, and grit - its greatest resource has always been the minds of its citizens.

Quincy has been the hometown of many great writers, orators, and thinkers -- from Josiah Quincy Jr.’s principled defense of the soldiers of the Boston Massacre, to Abigail Adams’ graceful prose sharing disruptive ideas about race and gender, to the idealistic social reformers of the 19th and 20th centuries -- like educator Francis Parker and suffragist Adalaide Claflin. This program will celebrate the art of rhetoric, oration, and written composition across Quincy history. Join us for a curated journey through the revolutionary ideas of Quincy’s greatest thinkers, featuring dramatic readings performed by a cast of actors.

The program will explore the diverse and groundbreaking developments the people of Quincy have contributed across numerous fields through the medium of speech and writing. Join us for an evening celebrating the ways Quincy has made its mark on the way the world thinks, from its founding to today.

This event is open to all and free to attend.

As the Historical Society’s Annual Meeting, officers and board members will be elected for the coming year.

For more information see the event page here:
https://www.facebook.com/share/1e4KH8VNrS/

06/12/2026

A huge thank you to all of our friends over at Quincy Access Television for recording and editing this video from our most recent program held on May 28th, "Abigail's "Common Sense"" presented by QHS' Executive Director Alexandra Elliott.

If you were unable to attend this program (or if you'd just like to see it again) the video recording is now available on YouTube!

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When Thomas Paine’s "Common Sense" was published in January 1776 it became an unprecedented bestseller. With its accessible language and compelling arguments, Paine succeeded in shifting popular sentiment in favor of independence. Abigail Adams was immediately impressed by the pamphlet when her husband John sent home a copy in February, and she quickly circulated it around her social circles in Braintree and beyond. Within six weeks of reading "Common Sense" Adams penned her most famous letter urging John and the Second Continental Congress to “remember the ladies” during the formation of the new government.

In this presentation QHS Executive Director Alexandra Elliott breaks down the subtle references hidden within the “Remember the Ladies” letter, and the continued discourse that the letter inspired between Abigail, John, and their fellow patriots Mercy Otis Warren and James Sullivan. Ms. Elliott then discusses how the principles of "Common Sense" are visible within Adams’ later advocacy, especially in her approach to slavery and women’s rights. For Adams these sentiments were obvious to the point of being “beyond dispute,” but they were radical ideas that, if implemented, would have drastically changed the fortunes of more than half the colonial population.

Quincy Historical Society Executive Director Alexandra Elliott brea...

05/27/2026

Tomorrow Night!

Join us Thursday, May 28th, at 7pm, at the Adams Academy, when Quincy Historical Society’s Executive Director Alexandra Elliott will discuss the inspiration Abigail Adams drew from Thomas Paine's pamphlet "Common Sense" and the ways it shaped her approach to politics.

When Thomas Paine’s "Common Sense" was published in January 1776 it became an unprecedented bestseller. With its accessible language and compelling arguments, Paine succeeded in shifting popular sentiment in favor of independence. Abigail Adams was immediately impressed by the pamphlet when her husband John sent home a copy in February, and she quickly circulated it around her social circles in Braintree and beyond. Within six weeks of reading "Common Sense" Adams penned her most famous letter urging John and the Second Continental Congress to “remember the ladies” during the formation of the new government.

Ms. Elliott will break down the subtle references hidden within the “Remember the Ladies” letter, and the continued discourse that the letter inspired between Abigail, John, and their fellow patriots Mercy Otis Warren and James Sullivan. Ms. Elliott will then discuss how the principles of "Common Sense" are visible within Adams’ later advocacy, especially in her approach to slavery and women’s rights. For Adams these sentiments were obvious to the point of being “beyond dispute,” but they were radical ideas that, if implemented, would have drastically changed the fortunes of more than half the colonial population.

This event is open to all and free to attend.