Merrymount (Quincy, Massachusetts)

[1] Although it was the site of Quincy's initial settlement, Merrymount was not substantially developed for residential use until the first half of the 20th century, and most of the neighborhood's houses date from that period.

Colonist Thomas Morton wrote that the natives called the area "Passonagessit" and that the inhabitants translated this to "ma-re mount".

The Puritan Separatists at Plymouth were scandalized and made concerted efforts to repress Morton and what they considered to be his pagan leanings.

In 1637 Morton published a book about his experience at Merrymount where he indicated that English colonists may have had relationships with Indian women who bore children whose eyes "were gray.

The area that is now Merrymount remained in the Adams' possession until the early 20th century, at which point it was sold off as housing lots.

View of Mount Wollaston ("Merrymount") as it appeared in 1840, virtually unchanged from the time of initial English settlement in 1625. The central part of this sketch was adopted as the seal of Quincy.