Abigail Adams Park Quest
The Abigail Adams Park Quest is located at 770 Bridge St (3A), Weymouth, MA 02188. Drive down the hill to the parking lot following the parking area around to the far right.
This quest is handicap accessible via paved paths. It is a boxless quest. You will be directed at the end of the quest via clues how to fill in your stamp page at the back of your booklet.
The park was developed as a conservation area to honor Mrs Abigail Adams, a figure of great importance in local and national history. Although she shares with Barbara Bush, the honor of being the wife of one president and the mother of another, her accomplishments have earned her a place in history in her own right.
A majority of the clues in this quest will be found on bronze plaques mounted to boulders. The selections are portions of correspondences Abigail shared with her husband and others.
The quest begins off to the right at a small grassy island where paths intersect. On it there is a plaque telling us to whom the park is dedicated. The last letter of the last name of this person is CLUE #11.
From the dedication rock go left to the benches which overlook the harbor. There should be a variety of water birds in sight, but each season brings its own species. Common birds for each season can be found on the South Shore Quest website. On the boulder look at the quotation from Mrs. Adams’ writing. One capitalized noun appears 3 times. The last letter of that word is CLUE #10.
Continue along the path. You will notice stag’s horn sumac growing along the bank. The branches velvety texture and forking pattern is responsible for the plant’s name. A short distance down on your left you will see a small boulder. Great necessities call out what? The third letter of the answer to that question is CLUE #9.
Pass the handicap parking on your left. Enter through the gate, staying right where the paths intersect. The next boulder on your right read which country Abigail would choose over any other. The 6th letter of that Country is CLUE #12. As you continue along the path you come to a boulder where Abigail talks of her sacrifice. The first letter of the number of years she and John have been separated is CLUE #1.
Continue on the path turning right at the picnic bench symbol. You will pass several sets of large stone benches before you come to the next boulder with a plaque. In this excerpt Abigail complains of neglect of what in regard to daughters? The second to last letter of this noun is CLUE #8.
The path makes a slow loop to the left. You will pass the entrance to the Kibby Property. There are no clues on this property but it does have paved, shaded paths that go along the river. Feel free to interrupt the quest for a break from the sun. Returning to quest, the next boulder you come to gives Mrs’ Adam’s account of what happened when the Declaration of Independence was read to a Boston crowd. She does not use the word Declaration. The third letter of the word she does use is CLUE #2.
The next boulder is on your left. Abigail Adams suggests to her husband that the new Constitution of the United States should be founded upon three things. The last letter of the second of these is CLUE #5.
The quest continues to the right. You will come to a fork in the road where you will stay right. On the next plaque, in a letter to Mercy Warren, Mrs Adams tells her of three things, which are the lessons of the day. The fifth letter of the second thing is CLUE #6. Are you curious about Abigail Adams’ practice of capitalizing nouns in mid-sentence by now?
English is a Germanic language. In German, it is customary to capitalize ALL nouns, even when they are used in the middle of a sentence. This was done in English also, when Abigail Adams was alive; but was abandoned afterwards.
Back to the quest, one more clue on this side of the park. At the next boulder read Abigail’s plea to remember the ladies and not place unlimited power in the hands of whom? The first letter of those named is CLUE #7.
Head back toward where you parked your car. Turn right at the bike rack. The metal posts of the bike rack look like what upside down letter. This letter is CLUE #3. Staying on the path stop at the sixth tree in the island and look up toward route 3A. You will notice flags flying up on the hill. The first letter of the number of flags is CLUE #4.
You now have your clue phrase revealed. If you look ahead you should see what it is referencing. Draw a picture of the flag found on the clue phrase sign in the stamp portion of your quest booklet.
For more information on Abigail Adams you can visit the Abigail Adams’ Birthplace. 180 Norton St, Weymouth. For scheduled hours and additional information call 781-335-4205 or visit- abigailadamsbirthplace.com
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The Egrets and Cormorants are there (usually) from August till the end of the Quest season. The Great Egret is larger, has a yellow bill, black legs and feet, and usually holds its neck straight out in front; while the Snowy Egret is smaller, has a black bill and sometimes a crest, has black legs and contrasting yellow feet, and has its neck in an “S” shape. Abigail Adams park is a good place to compare the two, as they are both usually present. The Cormorants you can’t miss; they’re all over the sandbars. In the spring and early summer there are the usual land birds, nothing special. There may be gulls, Mallard, or Black Ducks (they look like female Mallards) in the water.