65-633: Quincy Center is an area of Quincy, Massachusetts , centered along Hancock Street and covering the downtown area of the city. The area is a retail shopping locale and also includes the City Hall, the Thomas Crane Public Library , several churches, including the United First Parish Church , where John Adams and John Quincy Adams were buried, and numerous office buildings, including the headquarters of Stop & Shop . A memorial to
130-700: A National Historic Civil Engineering Landmark by the American Society of Civil Engineers in 1976. A centennial historic plaque from 1926, an original switch frog, a piece of train track, and a section of superstructure from the Granite Railway are in the gardens on top of the Southeast Expressway (Interstate 93) as it passes under East Milton Square. The frog had been displayed at the World's Columbian Exposition at Chicago in 1893. The commemorative display
195-642: A block party. A portion of Hancock Street is blocked off, and many local stores and business set up canopies along the street to conduct business with the patrons. Thanksgiving Day Parade - takes place the Saturday morning before Thanksgiving and features various local groups, marching bands, and Thanksgiving themed floats. Christmas Parade - takes place the Sunday afternoon after Thanksgiving and features various local groups, marching bands, Christmas themed floats, and concludes once Santa Claus has passed, riding on top of
260-649: A city rather than by the state . It is one of only two colleges in the United States organized this way. Public education at the primary and secondary levels is managed by Quincy Public Schools , a system that includes one early childhood center, eleven elementary schools, five middle schools and two high schools. Private and alternative education institutions for children in preschool through 8th grade include Quincy's three Catholic parochial schools — Sacred Heart, St. Ann, and St. Mary. The Archdiocese of Boston decided to merge these three schools to form
325-552: A fire truck. Quincy is one of the few cities/towns outside of Boston to have a Christmas Parade. Quincy First Night - takes place on the night of December 31 and carries over into January 1. There are numerous ice sculptures located outside of City Hall. Quincy First Night 2009 was canceled due to budget constraints. Flag Day Parade - takes place on Flag Day afternoon with numerous non-profit organizations and school children marching through Hancock Street with American Flags Quincy College , Quincy's two-year community college ,
390-558: A higher Asian population than the Boston Chinatown. The overall Asian population increased by 64% in the following decade, to 22,174 in 2010. Quincy's Chinese population increased by 60% during that time period. Historically, Quincy residents traveled to shops in Chinatown, Boston , but by 2003 Asian shopping centers became established in Quincy. By 2003, New York City-based Kam Man Food
455-662: A lack of trust within the Asian-American community. The City gradually increased its outreach to its Asian-American communities and developed multicultural programming showcasing immigrant cultures to help familiarize the larger community with its new neighbors and promote community integration. Racial tensions gradually diminished, and by 2003, the Quincy Police Department had prioritized the diversification of their force, employing multiple Asian-American officers . In 2003, Quincy Asian Resources Inc. planned to establish
520-582: A new section of the railway, called the "Incline", was added to haul granite from the Pine Ledge Quarry to the railway level 84 ft (26 m) below. Wagons moved up and down the 315-foot (96 m) long incline in an endless conveyor belt. The incline continued in operation until the 1940s. The railway introduced several important inventions, including railway switches or frogs, the turntable , and double-truck railroad cars . Gridley Bryant never patented his inventions, believing they should be for
585-491: A newsletter for Asian residents. In 2011, Boston Chinatown Neighborhood Center, Inc. (BCNC; 波士頓華埠社區中心 ) began offering services in Quincy. Quincy is divided into numerous neighborhoods with individual histories and characteristics. During its history Quincy has been known as a manufacturing and heavy industry center, with granite quarrying dominating employment in the 19th century and shipbuilding at Fore River Shipyard and Squantum Victory Yard rising to prominence in
650-624: A peninsula), and Raccoon Island in the Boston Harbor Islands National Recreation Area . According to the United States Census Bureau , the city has a total area of 26.9 square miles (70 km ), of which 16.8 square miles (44 km ) is land and 10.1 square miles (26 km ) is water. The total area is 37.60% water. Although Quincy is primarily urban, 2,485 acres (3.9 sq mi; 10.1 km ) or fully 23 percent of its land area lies within
715-550: A private liberal arts and sciences college that is currently in the process of closing after the 24-25 school year, and Quincy College , a public community college, two public high schools , five public middle schools , and 12 public elementary schools . In the 19th century, the city became an innovator in progressive public education with the Quincy Method , developed by Francis W. Parker while he served as Quincy's superintendent of schools . Four years after its implementation,
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#1732854882180780-615: A state survey found that Quincy students excelled at reading, writing, and spelling, and ranked fourth in their county in math. The city is home to Eastern Nazarene College , a former college of the liberal arts and sciences located in Wollaston Park . The college relocated to the area in 1919 from its original location in Saratoga Springs, New York , where it was established as a " holiness college" in 1900. In June 2024, The Board of Trustees of Eastern Nazarene College announced that
845-636: Is at the approximate site of the railroad's right-of-way as it went through Milton on its way to the Neponset River. In Quincy, visitors can walk along several parkland trails that reveal vestiges of the original railway trestle and the Incline. These trails connect to the quarries, most of which are now filled for safety purposes with dirt from the massive Big Dig highway project in Boston. In years past, many persons were injured – and some killed – while diving into
910-530: Is located in the Quincy Center neighborhood. 42°15′05″N 71°00′13″W / 42.251425°N 71.003652°W / 42.251425; -71.003652 This Massachusetts -related article is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Quincy, Massachusetts Quincy ( / ˈ k w ɪ n z i / KWIN -zee ) is a city in Norfolk County, Massachusetts , United States. It
975-560: Is still preserved at Fore River as the main exhibit of the United States Naval Shipbuilding Museum . John J. Kilroy, reputed originator of the famous Kilroy was here graffiti, was a rivet inspector at Fore River. Quincy was also an aviation pioneer thanks to Dennison Field. Located in the Squantum section of town it was one of the world's first airports and was partially developed by Amelia Earhart . In 1910, it
1040-455: Is the largest city in the county. Quincy is part of the Greater Boston area as one of Boston 's immediate southern suburbs. Its population in 2020 was 101,636, making it the seventh-largest city in the state . Known as the “ City of Presidents ,” Quincy is the birthplace of two U.S. presidents — John Adams and his son John Quincy Adams — as well as John Hancock , the first signer of
1105-593: The 2020 United States Census , there were 101,636 people and 46,789 households, making it the eighth-largest city in the state. The population density was 6,137.6 inhabitants per square mile (2,369.7/km ). There were 51,156 housing units. The racial makeup of the city was 56.2% White (non-Hispanic), 6.4% African American alone, 0.1% Native American alone, 28.9% Asian alone (15.6% Chinese , 3.2% Vietnamese , 2.6% Indian ), 0.1% Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander , 0.85% from other races, and 5.3% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 5.4% of
1170-602: The Declaration of Independence and the first and third governor of Massachusetts. First settled in 1625, Quincy was briefly part of Dorchester before becoming the North Precinct of Braintree in 1640. In 1792, Quincy was split off from the Town of Braintree and was incorporated separately as the Town of Quincy; the new town was named after Colonel John Quincy , maternal grandfather of Abigail Adams and after whom John Quincy Adams
1235-582: The Massachusetts House of Representatives represent Quincy: Bruce Ayers ( 1st Norfolk district ), Tackey Chan ( 2nd Norfolk district ), and Ronald Mariano ( 3rd Norfolk district ). Each representative is a Democrat, and Mariano is the speaker of the House. Quincy is home to various educational institutions, public and private, including a Montessori school , a Catholic academy, and one independent college-preparatory school . Eastern Nazarene College ,
1300-429: The Quincy Method , an influential approach to education developed by Francis W. Parker while he served as Quincy's superintendent of schools . Parker, an early proponent of progressive education , put his ideas into practice in the city's underperforming schools; four years later, a state survey found that Quincy's students were excelling. Many of Quincy’s teachers were recruited by districts in other states, spreading
1365-867: The 20th century. The recent decades have seen a shift in focus to several large employers in the professional and service sector of the economy. Quincy is the location of the corporate headquarters of several firms, including Boston Financial Data Services , the Stop & Shop supermarket chain, Arbella Insurance Group and The Patriot Ledger , the publisher of the South Shore 's largest regional newspaper. Other major employers with offices in Quincy are State Street Corporation , Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts , Harvard Pilgrim Health Care and Boston Scientific . TACV , national flag carrier airline of Cape Verde , has its United States corporate office in Quincy. Icelandair has its North American headquarters in
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#17328548821801430-581: The Asian immigrants coming in the 1980s originated from Hong Kong and Taiwan. In 1990, Quincy had 5,577 persons of Asian origin, with 143 of them being of East Indian origin. The number of Asians increased to 13,546 in 2000, with about 9,000 of them being ethnic Chinese, and 1,127 of them being ethnic East Indian. The latter group grew by 688%, making it the fastest-growing Asian subgroup in Quincy. Around 2003, most Asian immigrants were coming from Fujian instead of Hong Kong and Taiwan . At that time, Quincy had
1495-578: The Chinese were homeowners, while only 10% of the East Indians were homeowners. As of 2003, slightly more than 2,500 Asian Americans in Quincy were registered to vote, making up almost 25% of Asians in the city who were eligible to vote. In the 1980s, the city experienced significant racial tensions and violence directed toward Southeast Asian and Chinese residents. At this time, the Quincy Police Department did not employ any AAPI police officers, which led to
1560-629: The City's library network, which is part of the regional Old Colony Library Network . Several Chinese community organizations in Quincy have offered after-school and weekend instruction in Mandarin and Cantonese to local youth over the years. The Quincy Chinese Language School and The Chung Yee School are no longer in operation. In 2016, The South Shore Chinese Language School began offering popular weekend classes in Mandarin and Cantonese to children ages 5 and up at
1625-489: The Neponset River. Its wagons had wheels 6 ft (1.83 m) in diameter and were pulled by horses , although steam locomotives had been in operation in England for 13 years . The wooden rails were plated with iron and were laid 5 ft ( 1,524 mm ) apart, on stone crossties spaced at 8-foot (2.4 m) intervals. By 1837, these wooden rails had been replaced by granite rails, once again capped with iron. In 1830,
1690-526: The Plymouth settlement, who maligned the colony and accused it of debauchery with Indian women and drunkenness . Morton renamed the settlement Ma-re-Mount ("Hill by the Sea") and later wrote that the conservative separatists of Plymouth Colony to the south were "threatening to make it a woefull mount and not a merry mount", in reference to the fact that they disapproved of his libertine practices. In 1627, Morton
1755-477: The Quincy Catholic Academy, which opened in 2010 on the site of the former Sacred Heart school. The Woodward School for Girls , opened in 1894, is an independent school offering a college-preparatory education to girls in grades 6–12. The Adams Montessori School is open to children of preschool through elementary school age. The Thomas Crane Public Library serves as the flagship library of
1820-570: The Quincy City Council announced they would defer sizable raises passed in June until after the 2028 election cycle. The Quincy Police Department was formed in 1888, currently headquartered at the original Quincy Police Station which was built in 1925 as the city's first purpose-built police station and added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1990. In 2010, the city of Quincy
1885-723: The Quincy Fire Department, which was founded in 1889 and includes the Central Fire Station , which is on the National Register of Historic Places and is still active as of 2023. The city's Emergency Medical Services are privately contracted, with ambulance response being handled by Brewster Ambulance Service since 2015. Quincy is represented in the Massachusetts State Senate by Democrat John F. Keenan ( Norfolk and Plymouth district ). Three members of
1950-623: The Quincy YMCA. Granite Railway The Granite Railway was one of the first railroads in the United States , built to carry granite from Quincy, Massachusetts , to a dock on the Neponset River in Milton . From there boats carried the heavy stone to Charlestown for construction of the Bunker Hill Monument . The Granite Railway is popularly termed the first commercial railroad in
2015-485: The Quincy method beyond Massachusetts to New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, Vermont, Florida, Minnesota, and other places. Quincy was additionally important as a shipbuilding center. Sailing ships were built in Quincy for many years, including the only seven-masted schooner ever built, Thomas W. Lawson . The Fore River area became a shipbuilding center in the 1880s; founded by Thomas A. Watson , who became wealthy as assistant to Alexander Graham Bell in developing
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2080-399: The Quincy site as the source of stone for the proposed Bunker Hill Monument. After many delays and much obstruction, the railway itself was granted a charter on March 4, 1826, with right of eminent domain to establish its right-of-way . Businessman and state legislator Thomas Handasyd Perkins organized the financing of the new Granite Railway Company, owning a majority of its shares, and he
2145-575: The US developed their own Narcan-dispensing programs based on the model pioneered by the Quincy PD. In 2017, overdose deaths in the city and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts had declined, it was thought, due to the use of naloxone by the police and others. The state legislature, in 2018, required all pharmacies to keep Narcan in stock and available to anyone, without a prescription. Fire emergencies are handled by
2210-550: The United States, as it was the first chartered railway to evolve into a common carrier without an intervening closure. The last active quarry closed in 1963; in 1985, the Metropolitan District Commission purchased 22 acres (8.9 ha), including Granite Railway Quarry, as the Quincy Quarries Reservation . In 1825, after an exhaustive search throughout New England , Solomon Willard selected
2275-399: The benefit of all. The novelty of the new railroad attracted tourists who journeyed out from Boston to witness the revolutionary technology in person. Notable visitors such as statesman Daniel Webster and English actress Fanny Kemble were early witnesses to the new railway. Miss Kemble described her 1833 visit in her journal. On July 25, 1832, the Granite Railway was the site of one of
2340-413: The city as well. Data is from the 2009–2013 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates. Quincy has a strong mayor government . The incumbent mayor, Thomas P. Koch , has served since 2008; he is the 33rd mayor of the city . Mayors in the city were elected to two-year terms. In 2013, the city's voters opted to extend the mayoral term to four years, beginning after the 2015 election. In addition to
2405-516: The city was $ 53,082. About 7.3% of families and 9.8% of the population were below the poverty line , including 15.2% of those under age 18 and 11.1% of those age 65 or over. As of 2010, Quincy has the highest per capita concentration of persons of Asian origin in Massachusetts. As of 2003 about 66% of the Asians in Quincy are ethnic Chinese , giving the city one of the largest Chinese populations in
2470-410: The city's Wollaston neighborhood in 1996. Quincy is also home to the United States' longest-running Flag Day parade, a tradition that began in 1952 under Richard Koch, a former director of Parks and Recreation, who started the "Koch Club" sports organization for kids and had an annual parade with flags. Quincy shares borders with Boston to the north (separated by the Neponset River ), Milton to
2535-464: The city. The road that eventually became the Old Coast Road from Boston to Plymouth , going through Quincy and Braintree, started out as a native american trail. Massachusett sachem Chickatawbut had his seat on a hill called Moswetuset Hummock prior to the settlement of the area by English colonists, situated east of the mouth of the Neponset River near what is now called Squantum . It
2600-418: The first fatal railway accidents in the United States, when the wagon containing Thomas B. Achuas of Cuba derailed as he and three other tourists were taking a tour. The accident occurred while the wagon, empty of stone but now carrying the four passengers, was ascending the Incline on its return trip and a cable broke. The occupants of the car were thrown over a cliff, approximately 35 ft (11 m). Achuas
2665-569: The grandfather of Abigail Adams and was made a city in 1888. Quincy, Massachusetts, is the only one of 17 cities named Quincy in the United States whose residents pronounce the name as "KWIN-zee" rather than "KWIN-see". In 1845 the Old Colony Railroad opened; the Massachusetts Historical Commission stated that the railroad was "the beginning of a trend toward suburbanization ". Quincy became as accessible to Boston as
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2730-538: The institution was preparing a plan to take steps toward closure, with the goal of closing the College at the end of the 2024-2025 school year. The future of its campus is uncertain as of November 2024. Quincy College , a community college in Quincy Center , operates under the auspices of the City of Quincy. The college is unusual in this respect, as it is the only one of Massachusetts' 16 community colleges to be run by
2795-433: The mayor, the city has a nine-member city council, with Ian Cain serving as president as of 2024. Six councilors are elected to represent Quincy's wards, and three are elected at large. Councilors serve two-year terms. The city also has a school committee with seven members—the mayor and six members elected to staggered four-year terms. In the fall of 2024, responding to public pressure, Mayor Thomas Koch and nine members of
2860-501: The name Passonagessit ("Little Neck of Land") for the area. ) This settlement was named Mount Wollaston in honor of the leader, who left the area soon after 1625, bound for Virginia . The Wollaston neighborhood in Quincy still retains Captain Wollaston's name. Upon the departure of Wollaston, Thomas Morton took over leadership of the post. Morton's history of conflict with the Plymouth settlement and his free-thinking ideals antagonized
2925-401: The northeast, is part of Boston Harbor and Massachusetts Bay . There are several beaches in Quincy, including Wollaston Beach along Quincy Shore Drive . Located on the western shore of Quincy Bay, Wollaston Beach is the largest Boston Harbor beach. Quincy's territory includes Hangman Island , Moon Island (restricted access, and all land is owned by the City of Boston), Nut Island (now
2990-514: The population. 33.5% were of Irish, 12.7% Italian and 5.0% English ancestry according to the 2000 Census . 58.1% spoke only English, while 8.0% spoke Chinese or Mandarin , 2.6% Cantonese , 1.9% Spanish, 1.5% Vietnamese and 1.3% Italian in their homes. Of the city's 46,789 households, approximately 56.6% were married couples living together, 12.5% had a female householder with no spouse present, 5.2% were male householders with no spouse present, and 25.8% were non-families. 50.1% of Quincy's population
3055-522: The railway was eventually incorporated into much of the Southeast Expressway in Milton and Quincy. In an 1859 letter to Charles B. Stuart, Bryant wrote: The railway's Incline was added to the National Register of Historic Places on June 19, 1973, and a surviving portion of the railroad bed, just off the end of Bunker Hill Lane, was added on October 15, 1973. The Granite Railway was designated as
3120-463: The soldiers of World War I along with various statues of other great figures can be found in the vicinity. It is served by a large Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) station which includes subway access and bus services. Sidewalk Sale - takes place over one weekend in July. This is a very popular event when people come from all around to buy items and enjoy rides and fun events, similar to
3185-440: The state. There is also a community of persons of East Indian origins , with most of them working in information technology and other skilled professions. A growing number of people with Vietnamese origins live in the area as well and make up the second largest Asian American group in Quincy; it is estimated that nearly 4,000 Vietnamese people live in the city. In 1980, there were 750 persons of Asian origin in Quincy. Most of
3250-527: The stone could then be taken by boat to erect the Bunker Hill Monument in Charlestown. Quincy granite became famous throughout the nation, and stonecutting became the city's principal economic activity. Quincy was also home to the first iron furnace in the United States, the John Winthrop Jr. Iron Furnace Site (also known as Braintree Furnace), from 1644 to 1653. In the 1870s, the city gave its name to
3315-468: The telephone, many famous warships were built at the Fore River Shipyard . Amongst these were the aircraft carrier USS Lexington (CV-2) ; the battleships USS Massachusetts (BB-59) , now preserved as a museum ship at Battleship Cove in Massachusetts, and USS Nevada (BB-36) ; and USS Salem (CA-139) , the world's last all-gun heavy warship, which
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#17328548821803380-540: The uninhabited Blue Hills Reservation , a state park managed by the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation . This undeveloped natural area encompasses the southwestern portion of Quincy and includes the city's highest point, 517-foot (158 m) Chickatawbut Hill. Other hills within Quincy include Forbes Hill in Wollaston, Presidents Hill in Quincy Center and Penns Hill in South Quincy. As of
3445-537: The west, Randolph and Braintree to the south, and Weymouth (separated by the Fore River ) and Hull (maritime border between Quincy Bay and Hingham Bay ) to the east. Historically, before incorporation when it was called "Mount Wollaston" and later as the "North Precinct" of Braintree, Quincy roughly began at the Neponset River in the north and ended at the Fore River in the south. Quincy Bay, within city limits to
3510-464: Was Charlestown . The first suburban land company, Bellevue Land Co., had been organized in northern Quincy in 1870. Quincy's population grew by over 50 percent during the 1920s. Among the city's several firsts was the Granite Railway , the first commercial railroad in the United States. It was constructed in 1826 to carry granite from a Quincy quarry to the Neponset River in Milton so that
3575-402: Was also named. Quincy became a city in 1888. For over a century, Quincy was home to a thriving granite quarrying industry; the city was also the site of the Granite Railway , the United States' first commercial railroad. Shipbuilding at the Fore River Shipyard was another key contributor to the city's economy. In the 20th century, both Howard Johnson's and Dunkin' Donuts were founded in
3640-418: Was arrested by Standish for violating the code of conduct in a way harmful to the colony. He was sent back to England, only to return and be arrested by Puritans the next year. The area of Quincy now called Merrymount is located on the site of the original English settlement of 1625 and takes its name from the punning name given by Morton. The area was first incorporated as part of Dorchester in 1630 and
3705-473: Was briefly annexed by Boston in 1634. The area became Braintree in 1640, bordered along the coast of Massachusetts Bay by Dorchester to the north and Weymouth to the east. Beginning in 1708, the modern border of Quincy first took shape as the North Precinct of Braintree. Following the American Revolution , Quincy was officially incorporated as a separate town named for Col. John Quincy in 1792,
3770-405: Was designated its president. The railroad was designed and built by railway pioneer Gridley Bryant and began operations on October 7, 1826. Bryant used developments that had already been in use on the railroads in England, but he modified his design to allow for heavier, more concentrated loads and a three-foot (0.91 m) frost line . The railway ran three miles (4.8 km) from quarries to
3835-549: Was establishing a supermarket in Quincy. In February 2017, City Councilor Nina Liang presented a motion to designate Quincy as a "Sanctuary City". This motion was voted down by the City Council. Quincy has an estimated 8,000 undocumented residents and has the 11th-highest concentration of immigrants in Massachusetts overall. As of 2000, about 50% of Asians in Quincy own their own houses; many who rent do so while saving money for down payments for their houses. Sixty-five percent of
3900-462: Was killed and the three other passengers were badly injured. In 1871, the Old Colony and Newport Railway took over the original right-of-way of the Granite Railway, replacing its track with contemporary construction, and steam trains then took granite from the quarries directly to Boston without need of barges from the Neponset River. This portion of the Old Colony Railroad through Quincy and Milton
3965-512: Was later absorbed into the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad . During the early 20th century, metal channels were laid over the old granite rails on the Incline, and motor trucks were hauled up and down on a cable. Passenger service on the Granite Branch (West Quincy Branch) ended on September 30, 1940; freight service was abandoned in stages from 1941 to 1973. Most of the right of way of
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#17328548821804030-509: Was male, and 49.9% female. The average household size was 2.2 people, and most people (84.3%) were in the same house a year ago. In the city, the age distribution of the population shows 14% under the age of 18, 66.2% from 18 to 64, and 19.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40.8 years. The median income for a household in the city was $ 90,668. Males had a median income of 1.31 times greater than females ($ 97,905 compared to $ 74,737 for females). The per capita income for
4095-412: Was the first in the US to have its police department carry the nasal spray Narcan (Nalaxone) to combat the overdose outbreak associated with the opioid epidemic in the US . When the program first began, the city's officers were reviving an overdose victim every four to five days. By 2014, police officers had administered the opioid antagonist over 300 times. Other cities and police departments throughout
4160-849: Was the site of the Harvard Aero Meet , the second air show in America. It was later leased to the Navy for an airfield, and served as a reserve Squantum Naval Air Station into the 1950s. The Army has also long maintained a presence in the city, with the Massachusetts Army National Guard occupying the Kelley Armory in Wollaston, from 1971 to 1976 it served as headquarters for the 187th Infantry Brigade . The Howard Johnson's and Dunkin' Donuts restaurant chains were both founded in Quincy. Celtic punk band Dropkick Murphys got its start in
4225-465: Was visited in 1621 by Plymouth Colony commander Myles Standish and Squanto , a native guide. Four years later, a party led by Captain Richard Wollaston established a post on a low hill near the south shore of Quincy Bay east of present-day Black's Creek. The settlers found the area suitable for farming, as Chickatawbut and his group had cleared much of the land of trees. (The Indians used
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