Life From The Roots: There Is A Lot to Like About Lowell -- Trolleys, Trains and Tracks

The Life From The Roots blog topics have changed several times since I began this blog in 2009. I initially wrote only about the family history I had been working on for 20 years. Years later, I was into visiting gardens, historical homes, churches, libraries that had genealogical collections, historical societies, war memorials, and travel/tourism places. I also enjoy posting autographs and photos of famous people I've met or have seen.

Along with my New England roots, other areas include New York, New Jersey, Michigan, Illinois, Wisconsin, and the Eastern Townships of Quebec, Canada.

Please check out the labels on the right side for topics (please note, they need work). Below the labels and pageviews is a listing of my top nine posts, according to Google. Four of them pertain to Lowell, MA. These posts change often because they are based on what people are reading.

Wednesday, October 1, 2014

There Is A Lot to Like About Lowell -- Trolleys, Trains and Tracks

"There is A Lot to Like About Lowell" is the city slogan.

(See tab on right side called "Lowell Series" for many more articles about Lowell.)

Trolleys, Trains and Tracks

1830 1930

STEAM RAILROADS IN NEW ENGLAND

HAD THEIR BEGINNINGS

IN THE CHARTER GRANTED THE

BOSTON AND LOWELL RAILROAD CORPORATION

JUNE 5, 1830

FIRST TRAIN OPERATED JUNE 24, 1835

THIS CENTENNIAL TABLET

PLACED OPPOSITE THE SITE OF

THE FIRST DEPOT BY THE

BOSTON AND MAINE RAILROAD

(Below shows where the site would have been.)

An old restored mill building houses the yellow trolleys. Underneath this rail is a canal, the renovated mills across the street are condos or apartments.

Locomotives in Lowell

Signs like this are all over the historical area.

Above trolley just left Boott Cotton Mills Museum and is going to the Lowell National Park Service Visitor's Center. The trolleys typically run from March through November, and the ride is free. Planning has begun to expand trolley service into other parts of the downtown.

From the National Park Service's flyer on Lowell Trolleys, "By 1935 electric trolleys made their last run in Lowell--that is, until 1984. As part of the development of Lowell National Historical Park, trolley service was reestablished in Lowell's downtown to transport park visitors in the city."

Actual train tracks, on the sidewalk. I love this feature. This track went directly to where I used to work. There are others in the city.

National Streetcar Museum (below)

City Hall in the background.

Our train station doesn't look like this, but I love this photo. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to crop it for posting. Currently our station's multi-level parking lot is being renovated, and there is other construction as well. When it is completed next year, I will post a photo. The train leaves for North Station in Boston, and stops in towns* along the way.

*North Billerica, Wilmington, Woburn, Winchester, Wedgemere, West Medford

UPDATE: For October 11, 2014.

The above train, Desire #966, is an original 1924 New Orleans street car that ran on the St. Charles Streetcar Line. This car is housed in Lowell and is run by volunteers from the Seashore Trolley, on certain days. It takes visitors, free of charge, from the Visitor Center to the Boott Mill. I was finally able to see it and take a double ride. Below are photos, three through the window.