Trusted writing on history, travel, food and culture since 1949. Lowell mill girls and the factory system, 1840 gilder. The lowell mill girls were young female workers who came to work in industrial corporations in lowell, massachusetts, during the industrial revolution in the united states. After lowells death, his partners took on a more ambitious project. The mbta commuter rail system also connects lowell and boston. Conquest of new england by the immigrant 1926 online. The daring ladies of lowell by kate alcott, north and south by elizabeth gaskell, lyddie by katherine paterson, mary barton.
After 1823 a factory town grew up along the banks of the merrimack river at pawtucket falls in chelmsford, massachusetts, which by 1836 had become the mill town of lowell. Lowell, massachusetts, named in honor of francis cabot lowell, was founded in the early 1820s as a planned town for the manufacture of textiles. In 1821, lowell, massachusetts, was a tiny village with only five farm families. Almost everything in the town was owned or run by the factory owners. The concord river runs through the center of the neighborhood. With an estimated population of 111,640 in 2018, it was the fourthlargest city in massachusetts as of the last census and is estimated to be the fifthlargest as of 2018, and the.
Bagley, american labour organizer who was active in trying to institute reform in the mills of lowell, massachusetts. Hi, recently discovered this adult book and video store in down town lowell, ma. Francis cabot lowell returned from a trip to england in 1812 determined to establish a britishstyle textile factory in the united states. When textile companies built factories in lowell, massachusetts, and. Books that are about lowell, ma or by local authors.
In the early 19th century, francis cabot lowell, a merchant from boston, visited factories in england to. The only known image of francis cabot lowell, visionary founder of the boston manufacturing company francis cabot lowell 17751817, son of john lowell distinguished jurist and delegate to the continental congress inherited the mantle of the lowell cabot dynasty, like so many of his siblings and cousins. Lowell mill girls and the factory system, 1840 gilder lehrman. In june 1833 president andrew jackson, visiting the brandnew factory town of lowell, massachusetts, watched as 2,500 female mill workers marched past the. Here comes author nina sankovitch with an epic saga centered on the lowell family of massachusetts. The back story, a love affair, keeps the reader wondering if the depths of love can surmount the depths of a rich mans pockets. They also have seafood appetizers and other great items. A history of lowell, massachusetts new hampshire publishing company, 1976 gross. In 1836 she went to work in a cotton mill in lowell, massachusetts, then widely considered a model factory town. After 1823 a factory town grew up along the banks of the merrimack river at. Report to the directors of the proprietors of the locks and canals on merrimack river on the measurement of the water power used by the manufacturing companies at lowell.
The employment of women in a factory was novel to the point of being revolutionary. The daring ladies of lowell are as complicated and flawed as any contemporary heroines, and they shine in this gripping 19th century tale about a small group of factory girls who refuse to be silenced when one of their own is murdered. A crossroad of commerce and creativity, the city of lowell is a diverse urban environment. Adelbert ames, governor 18681870,18741876 and senator from mississippi 18701874, union general in the civil war and the spanishamerican war, soninlaw of benjamin franklin butler. Please call the court department at 2196964077 with. The lowell mills were 19thcentury textile mills that operated in the city of lowell, massachusetts, which was named after francis cabot lowell. The city of lowell has adopted a new system for electing city councilors and school committee members. The richly researched history is an important microcosm for books like mccolloughs john adams, kearns goodwins the fitzgeralds and the kennedys. Located in middlesex county, lowell along with cambridge was a county seat until massachusetts disbanded county government in 1999.
The lowell mill girls were young female workers who came to work in industrial corporations in lowell, massachusetts. From the irish fleeing from the potato famine to the cambodian immigrants of today, a promise of a better. They once were the future, then the lowell, massachusetts. The workers initially recruited by the corporations were daughters of propertied new england farmers, typically between the ages of 15 and 35. By 1840, the height of the industrial revolution, the lowell textile mills had. Question 6 needs grading imagine yourself in lowell.
They built an entire factory town on the merrimack river in massachusetts and named it after francis cabot lowell. The system was designed so that every step of the manufacturing process was done under one roof and the work was performed by young adult women instead of children or young men. Together with cambridge, the city shares the role of county seat of middlesex county. Imagine yourself in lowell, massachusetts in 1840 where either you or a close family member works as a factory girl in the textile mill. In the early 19th century, francis cabot lowell, a. The park is looking for a loom repairer to help operate the boott cotton mills museum weave room. In 1959, he was instrumental in the founding of iaabo board 95 in lowell as a charter member, served as the president of the board. It introduced a new system of integrated manufacturing to the united states and established new patterns of employment and urban development that were soon replicated around new england and elsewhere. New england mill towns with a trunk or a few bandboxes con. Malerichs the factory witches of lowell is a riveting historical fantasy about witches going on strike in the historical mill town of lowell, massachusetts. The daring ladies of lowell, lyddie, so far from home. Score a book s total score is based on multiple factors, including the number of people who have voted for it and how highly those voters ranked the book. Life in the factory perspectives on history series 1998 dublin, thomas.
Martins press, 2017 move over david mccullough and doris kearns goodwin. The lowell mill girls were female workers in early 19th century america, young women employed in an innovative system of labor in textile mills centered in lowell, massachusetts. The company was so successful that it continued to expand into other new england towns such as chicopee, mass, lawrence, mass and manchester, nh. Latestnews town of lowell social distance practices through may 24th posted on. The girls in the books are a realistic depiction of my grandmother and her sisters who too were mill girls in lawrence. Francis cabot lowells innovative 19th century lowell girls textile factory work program changed how americans thought of employment. Cape cod, nantucket, marthas vineyard, and southeast massachusetts were the home of the. Pawtucket falls, with a drop of 32 feet, provided most of the power on which lowells industrial development was based. Book your tickets online for the top things to do in lowell, massachusetts on tripadvisor. Lowell offers a unique blend of urban amenities and suburban convenience with the backdrop of. Incorporated as the town of lowell in 1826, by 1840, the textile mills employed almost 8,000 workers.
Francis cabot lowell and the boston manufacturing company. Massachusetts was originally inhabited by tribes of the algonquian language family such as the wampanoag, narragansetts, nipmucs, pocomtucs, mahicans, and massachusetts. Americas company towns, then and now travel smithsonian. Towers news stand inc lowell, massachusetts insider pages. Your response must be at least 200 words in length selected answer. While in manchester, lowell had used his position as a prominent boston importexport merchant to gain access to the world s largest textile mills, which were normally closed to americans out of a well. Shown are the mills on the merrimack river, running between the bridge street and aiken street bridges. The lowells of massachusetts came to america over two centuries ago. They specialize in soups, chowders, stews, and sauces.
The carefully detailed life in the massachusetts cotton mills gives alcotts. The history of lowell, massachusetts, is closely tied to its location along the pawtucket falls of the merrimack river, from being an important fishing ground for the pennacook tribe to providing water power for the factories that formed the basis of the citys economy for a century. Lowell also began annexing neighboring areas, including. Sep 04, 2015 walter bibikowjaicorbis the first truly planned company town was lowell, massachusetts. Discuss what you or your close family member experience and see. Dec 28, 2016 lowell, massachusetts is known as the cradle of the american industrial revolution since it was the first large scale factory town in the country. Lowell, massachusetts height of the mill town boom this photo lets me appreciate the miserable condition my ancestors endured growing up and working in lowell, massachusetts textile mills. Many of the old mill buildings have since been converted into lofts. Walter bibikowjaicorbis the first truly planned company town was lowell, massachusetts. Lowell city library lowell page images at hathitrust filed under. Work and life in the textile mills of lowell, massachusetts, 19101960 1990 bull, webster. Labor day road trip in kerouacs lowell kimberly elliott. The transformation of work and community in lowell, massachusetts, 18261860, columbia university press, 1981 eno, arthur louis. Read more notice of lowell town court cancellation posted on.
The system was designed so that every step of the manufacturing process was done under one roof and the work was performed. This factory town was called the lowell experiment. The 15 best things to do in lowell 2020 with photos. The massachusetts city of lowell lies on the banks of the merrimack river, about 30 miles northwest of boston. Mogan was crazy when, during the 1960s, he proposed the creation of a national park in lowell, massachusettsthen one of the most depressed cities in. The lowell system was a labor production model invented by francis cabot lowell in massachusetts in the 19th century. Agendas, minutes and other records regarding the proceedings of all city council meetings. Apr 18, 2017 in the prelude to nina sankovitchs compelling group biography, the lowells of massachusetts, the poet amy lowell has just died and her lover ada dwyer russell builds a bonfire to burn amy. This is the last of the great american family life magazines that i have.
This edition is from march 18, 1957 and covers the lowells of massachusetts focusing on the sixth through the tenth generations. From its birth in 1826, lowell has thrived, declined, and been resurrected as a mill city. Faced with abominable working conditions, unsympathetic owners, and hardhearted managers, the mill girls of lowell have had enough. They built an entire factory town and named it after him. A bicentennial history of massachusetts general hospital, 18112011 2011 brewer, daniel chauncey. Lowell was only the third massachusetts community to be granted city government, after boston and salem. The population at the time was 17,633, and soon, a court, jail, hospital, cemetery, library, and two town commons were established. Mills in lowell had a mixed experience in the 1840s. Nearby towns include tewksbury, billerica, chelmsford, and tyngsboro. In honor of labor day, i visit the mill town where jack kerouac played in the shadows. Since its founding, lowell has been an ethnically diverse town and that tradition continues to this day. Consider how technology has made the town distinct and if women affiliated with the mill were treated better or worse in society than their peers elsewhere. Steve alexakos, lineman for denver broncos 1970, new york giants 1971. Francis cabot lowell s innovative 19th century lowell girls textile factory work program changed how americans thought of employment.
Townhomes for rent in south lowell, lowell, ma the neighborhood of south lowell, steeped in history and once a major player in the industrial revolution, is roughly 30 miles northwest of boston. Residents can also utilize the free streetcar shuttle operated by the lowell national historic park to travel to various sites in the city center. In 1821, lowell, massachusetts, was a village of five farm families. Our goal is to identify all city directories in all repositories. List of people from lowell, massachusetts wikipedia. Together with cambridge, the city shares the role of county seat of middlesex c. Town hall 2196967794 monday friday 8am 4pm 501 east main street lowell, in friendly town with friendly people latest news town of lowell social distance practices through may 24th posted on. The office of the city clerk is responsible as the administrator to the legislative function of the city and is the official record keeper for the city of lowell. The mill city by lowell historical society arcadia.
As you enter this business you walk thru the mini mart store to the. Check out our museum hours and special events calendar to plan your next trip to the spindle city. Lowell is a historic mill town in massachusetts and one of the first industrialized cities in the united states. Jan 25, 2017 the lowell system was a labor production model invented by francis cabot lowell in massachusetts in the 19th century. Chowder factory 9786748353 101 phoenix avenue, lowell, ma 01852 located in south lowell a small gourmet shop located off route 38. Lowell was only the third massachusetts community to be granted city government, after boston. The city of lowell was started in the 1820s as a moneymaking venture and social project referred to as the.
All notifications of meetings and municipal government bodies. History of lowell, massachusetts lowell, located in middlesex county, is 26 miles northwest of boston at the confluence of the merrimack and concord rivers. The history of lowell, massachusetts, is closely tied to its location along the pawtucket falls of. The most notable of the lowells started with the sixth generation and the reverend john lowell. In the prelude to nina sankovitchs compelling group biography, the lowells of massachusetts, the poet amy lowell has just died and her lover ada dwyer russell builds a.
1470 92 1621 931 1079 806 986 524 314 725 1092 1566 1185 1257 1071 1259 222 514 444 945 1278 685 570 31 1433 1695 1438 1624 717 424 1511 614 1183 919 658 1461 636 1173 677 1287