John Adams Birthplace Cordwainer's Shop

Cordwainer's shop in the lean-to of the John Adams Birthplace

NPS Photo

Quick Facts

Location:

133 Franklin Street, Quincy, MA

Significance:

The cordwainer's shop is in the lean-to of the John Adams Birthplace. It represents Deacon John Adams's profession as a cordwainer.

This small room is part of the lean-to addition in the John Adams Birthplace. The function of this room when the Adams family lived here is unknown. During restoration of the house in the 1980s, the National Park Service found sixty pairs of nineteenth-century shoes in the walls of the house. Inspired by this find, the National Park Service decided to stage this room as a cordwainer shop. Deacon John Adams, the father of John Adams, was a farmer. When farming slowed down in the winter, he also worked as a cordwainer. A cordwainer makes new shoes out of new leather. The current cordwainer shop is an homage to Deacon John.