The NSCDA-MA stewards three museum properties. Each house is registered as a National Historic Landmark. We invite you to come visit one of our museums and engage with our nation’s history.
Our properties are part of Great American Treasures which include more than 75 historical sites—big and small—that tell the story of how America became America. By visiting these houses, you’ll step back in time and feel the drama, the humanity, the rhythms of everyday life, and the thrill of our greatest triumphs. You’ll never see history the same way again.
William Hickling Prescott House
Prescott House tells the story of Boston in the nineteenth century through the lens of three wealthy Boston families, from the post-Revolution Federal era to the expansion of the city into the Back Bay and beyond.
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Dorothy Quincy Homestead
The Dorothy Quincy Homestead was the country seat of Edmund Quincy IV in the mid-18th century and home to three earlier generations of the influential and well-connected Quincy family, including Dorothy Quincy who married famous patriot and founding father, John Hancock.
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Martin House Farm
Martin House Farm was built c.1728 and lived in for over 200 years by members of the Martin family. The property now consists of the original farmhouse, two barns, and cultivated fields surrounded by dry stone walls and woodlands.
Learn MoreAffiliated Properties
The NSCDA-MA also supports these affiliated historic properties.
Dumbarton House - National Headquarters
Dumbarton House is a Federal mansion located in Georgetown. It was originally built for the Nourse family. Joseph Nourse served as the first ‘Register’ of the United States. Subsequently, it was owned by Charles Carroll who changed the name to Belle Vue. In 1814, as the White House burned, he brought Dolley Madison to Belle Vue to await further instruction. In the early 20th century, the estate, renamed Dumbarton House, was moved from its original location to make way for the Q Bridge connecting Georgetown and Washington DC. In 1928, the estate was purchased by the NSCDA. It has been our National Headquarters ever since.
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Sulgrave Manor & Garden
Sulgrave Manor is the ancestral home of the Washington family. It is a Tudor estate located in the Northamptonshire countryside in England. In the early 20th century, President Roosevelt thought the conservation of the estate would be a good memorial to celebrate a century of peace from the War of 1812. Through fundraising in the UK and US, the estate was purchased. The NSCDA provided endowment funding for ongoing property and grounds maintenance. Dames Day is celebrated every Flag Day, June 14th.
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Gunston Hall
The home of George Mason, author of the United States Bill of Rights and principal author of the Fairfax Resolves and the Virginia Declaration of Rights. Gunston Hall is a National Historic Landmark that is owned by the Commonwealth of Virginia and managed by the NSCDA. The property interprets life in 18th century Virginia and Colonial America. The lives of various residents of the estate including Mason and his family, enslaved and indentured servants.
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Gore Place
A 17th century country estate in Waltham that entertained many luminaries including Lafayette and James Monroe. The estate was in private hands until the early 20th century when it was acquired to become the Waltham Country Club. The club failed with the onset of the Great Depression. The Massachusetts Dames joined with Historic New England and the Trustees of Reservation to save it from being subdivided. They raised funds and created the Gore Place Society to buy Gore Place from the bank. Today, the estate and grounds are open to the public with a well known sheep shearing event each year.
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