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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 29, 2014

There Is A Lot to Like About Lowell -- Gotta Love the Name of Swamp Locks

"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.)

Gotta Love the Name of Swamp Locks 

Swamp Locks in October 2014.

Swamp Locks in 1975* (above).

The photo above was taken this morning in the fog (Oct. 29, 2014). The canals are emptied several times during the year, and I was glad to get this picture.

Behind the Locks is the American History Textile Museum and Lowell Sun building.
Tourists arriving back from a trip to the Francis Gate, along the man-made Pawtucket Canal. The tour is given by the National Park Service from spring to fall. Per Dick Howe, "The canal was one and one-half miles long and used four locks to accommodate the 32 foot difference in elevation between the upper Merrimack and the Concord. One of the four locks was eventually deconstructed leaving the three we have today." Please enjoy the rest of his article about the history of this canal by reading it at http://www.richardhowe.com/2011/10/13/the-pawtucket-canal/

This tour was taken during the last weekend for the year, and it was very cold. They began in rain, and ended in sun. They then boarded a waiting trolley for a short ride back to the Visitors' Center.

* PAWTUCKET CANAL: SWAMP LOCKS, TAKEN WHILE CANAL SYSTEM DRAINED: W. Richard Ansteth, Photographer 1975 - Lowell, Middlesex County, MA

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