Hancock Adams Common Dedication Draws Large Crowd In Quincy
QUINCY (CBS) - Filled with music, cannons and a host of patriotic figures, history was unveiled in Quincy on Saturday.
Founding Fathers John Hancock and John Adams took center stage at the dedication of the Hancock Adams Common.
"Here we are today to honor and unveil a work of art that pays tribute to two signers of Declaration of Independence," Pulitzer-Prize winning historian David McCullough said.
The $35 million project located in the heart of Quincy Center at the Old Town Hall is full of gardens, fountains, walkways. It is flanked by monuments of Hancock and Adams, both native sons of Quincy.
"Made of clay, then cast in bronze and installed, I hope people will like them," sculptor Sergey Eylanbekov said.
City officials say the long-awaited green space is more than a decade in the making.
It's more than 3 acres in size and highlights the rich history of John Hancock and John Adams.
"It's about what the founders did for us, the legacy they left, so it's great day and we're proud of our city," Quincy Mayor Tom Koch said.
The park is also part of the state's effort to create and restore parks in urban neighborhoods.
"It's hard for me to imagine how the United States would've happened without John Hancock," Gov. Charlie Baker said.
The Common takes what once was a four-lane road, now uniting a community with an important part of history.
"I am so glad in my lifetime we got this fabulous example to perpetuate for the next generation," Quincy resident Jory Schwartz said.