Quincy's rich history includes a number of notable "firsts":
First Father/Son Presidents
First Father/Son Presidents - Until 2001, Presidents John Adams and John Quincy Adams were America's only father/son presidents. Now President George H.W. Bush and President George W. Bush have continued that tradition.
First commercial railway in America
the modern railway system got its start in Quincy in 1826, when the Granite Railway was constructed to transport world-famous Quincy granite to Charlestown for the construction of the Bunker Hill Monument.
First Howard Johnson's
The "Host of the Highways" opened his first ice cream shop and first restaurant here in Quincy, launching a multimillion-dollar business that would become a household name and forever change the restaurant industry through the introduction of the franchise concept.
First Dunkin' Donuts
In 1948, William Rosenberg opened the "Open Kettle" doughnut shop on Quincy's Southern Artery. Two years later, he changed the name to "Dunkin' Donuts" and a legend was born. That very first Dunkin' Donuts on Southern Artery is still in operation today - along with more than 5,000 other shops in such far-flung locales as Tel Aviv, Israel and Bali, Indonesia.
First known occurrence of "Kilroy Was Here"
The World War II catchphrase that swept the nation began right here at Quincy's Bethlehem Steel Shipyard.
First president to live in the White House:
John Adams was the first president to occupy the White House, which was still under construction when Adams moved in. In a letter to his wife, Abigail, written shortly after his arrival in the new executive mansion, Adams wrote, "I pray heaven to bestow the best of blessings on this house and all that shall hereafter inhabit it. May none but honest and wise men ever rule under its roof."
