Adams House is one of the 12 undergraduate houses at Harvard University, located near the Charles River in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Named after John Adams, the second president of the United States, Adams is often regarded as Harvard's most historic House. Its former residents include Franklin Roosevelt, Buckminster Fuller, William Burroughs, William Randolph Hearst, Jr., Henry Kissinger, Bernard Law, Martin Feldstein, and William Weld. John F. Kennedy met with his senior thesis adviser in the Coolidge Room. Aaron Copland lived in the House as a guest. More recently, Fred Gwynne, Peter Sellars, John Lithgow, and Donal Logue have lived in Adams and added to its reputation as a haven for the performing arts. Harvard University is a private university in Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA, and a member of the Ivy League. ... Cambridge City Hall Cambridge is a city in the Greater Boston area of Massachusetts, United States. ... John Adams (October 30, 1735 – July 4, 1826) was the first (1789–1797) Vice President of the United States, and the second (1797–1801) President of the United States. ... Franklin Delano Roosevelt (January 30, 1882–April 12, 1945), often referred to as FDR, was the 32nd (1933–1945) President of the United States. ... In the U.S. postage stamp commemorating Buckminster Fuller and his contributions to architecture and science, some of his inventions are visible. ... William S. Burroughs. ... William Randolph Hearst Jr. ... Henry Kissinger Dr. Henry Alfred Kissinger (born May 27, 1923 in Fürth as Heinz Alfred Kissinger) is a German-born Jewish American diplomat and statesman. ... Bernard Francis Cardinal Law (born November 4, 1931 in Torreón, Mexico) became archbishop of the Catholic Churchs Boston archdiocese in 1984. ... Martin Stuart Feldstein (born November 25, 1939) is an American economist. ... William Weld William Floyd Weld (born July 31, 1945) was the Republican Governor of the U.S. state of Massachusetts from 1991 to 1997, resigning to pursue the ambassadorship to Mexico. ... For other uses, see JFK (disambiguation) or John Kennedy (disambiguation). ... Aaron Copland Aaron Copland (November 14, 1900 – December 2, 1990) was an American composer of concert and film music. ... Frederick Hubbard Gwynne (July 10, 1926 – July 2, 1993) was a 6 ft 5 in (1. ... Peter Sellars Peter Sellars (born 1957) is a leading American theater director, renowned for his modern stagings of classical operas and plays. ... John Lithgow John Lithgow (pronounced lith-go) was born on October 19, 1945 in Rochester, New York. ... Donal F. Logue (born on February 27, 1966, in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada) is an actor. ...

Most of the buildings of Adams House were originally private "Gold Coast" dormitories built around the turn of the century to provide luxurious accommodation for rich Harvard undergraduates. They and Apthorp House are older than the rest of Harvard's Houses and are among the most interesting and architecturally significant structures in the House system.

The House was founded in 1931. Its coat-of-arms is derived from the seal ring of John Quincy Adams. James Finney Baxter, the House's first master, made the background gold to symbolize the Gold Coast and the five sprigs of oak leaves stand for the five buildings of Adams House. The House motto, "Alteri Seculo," is from Cicero's "he who plants trees labors for the benefit of a future generation." House residents and athletic teams are called "Gold Coasters." John Quincy Adams (July 11, 1767 – February 23, 1848) was the sixth (1825-1829) President of the United States. ...

Before Harvard opted to use a lottery system to assign housing to upperclassmen, Adams was considered the risque artsy house. Vestiges of that reputation still stand in the House's two theaters (one a converted swimming pool) and its Bow and Arrow Printing Press. Adams has also upheld its most beloved traditions, including Halloween's Drag Night and Masquerade, a Winter Feast that features a black tie reading of Winnie-the-Pooh, the Spring Waltz, and Friday afternoon Master's Teas that are considered the best in the University. Effusive house spirit, architectural beauty, and convenient location (the closest of the upperclass houses to campus) make Adams a highly desirable residence.

The current masters of Adams House are Dr. Judith Palfrey and her husband Dr. Sean Palfrey Judith Palfrey is the T. Berry Brazelton Professor of Pediatrics at Harvard Medical School and the author of Community Child Health: An Action Plan for Today (1995) and the co-author of the Disney Encyclopedia of Baby and Childcare (1999). ...

External link

• Adams House official site