If New England were a country, would mill towns like Lowell exist?
What would New England be without its mill towns? In what universe would mill towns like Lowell never have developed here?
Read MoreTag: Lowell
Then and Now: Merrimack Mills’ New Block and LHS
Lowell’s New Block boardinghouse stood on Dutton Street for over 120 years before it fell to mid-century ‘progress’ in 1966.
Read MoreLowell in the Civil War: Gorham Street’s Camp Chase
Nearly 160 years ago, Civil War General Benjamin Butler built Camp Chase on the site of the Lowell middle school that now bears his name.
Read MoreLaunching Today: FNE’s Guide to Lowell’s Neighborhoods
Today, we’re publishing our new guide to the history of Lowell’s neighborhoods! Get the link here.
Read MoreThe Real Ghost Story Behind Lowell Cemetery’s Witch Bonney
There’s a witch in Lowell Cemetery, ‘they’ say. As the legend goes, when the bodice of her dress slips below her waist, her ghost roams the streets of Lowell.
Read MoreAnother First in Lowell History: The Soda Fountain
Whether you call it pop, tonic, soda, or just plain Coke, the soda fountain owes its modern form to one Gustavus D. Dows who ran a drugstore with his brother at 213 Central Street in Lowell in the mid 1850s.
Read MoreLike Lazarus, the Rialto Rises from the Verge of Oblivion
How you know Lowell’s Rialto Building is largely determined by when you grew up. To the oldest among us, the Victorian-era building that has dominated Towers Corner for 140 years is the Rialto Theatre – famous for first trips to the movies, to movies that have long since become classics.
Read MoreHow would you redesign Lowell’s Flag?
In November 2014, the inspiration came to Mark. He was listening to the 99% Invisible podcast, which was running a story on how the city of Portland, Oregon wanted to redesign its municipal flag. Proponents of the change complained that the city’s flag was, basically, a city seal on a bed sheet. Mark thought about that, and wondered what Lowell’s flag looked like.
Read MoreMerrimack Valley Magazine Feature! A Peek into Lowell’s Past
An article by Lowell Historical Society Curator Ryan W. Owen appears in the May/June 2016 issue of Merrimack Valley Magazine, which hits Greater Lowell newsstands soon. Lowell has lots to see, and do! Some of Lowell’s best history-related points of attraction are featured in the article, A Peek into Lowell’s Past. The list includes the downtown […]
Read MoreFrom the Curator’s Desk: Old Timepieces – The Pocketwatch
At the Lowell Historical Society, we run across some interesting items in our collection of historical artifacts. Recently, we came across this pocketwatch, dated 1900, with its old-timey reference tag still attached.
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Forgotten New England 