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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.

Monday, November 9, 2015

The City Seal Forowell, Massachusetts

"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.)

The City Seal
"Art is the Handmaid of Human Good"

The city council room. The seal is behind the back chair, just below the middle window. (Sorry I couldn't get a clearer photo of it, I'll try again.) The City Hall was built in 1893, and I'm assuming this room was too, including the handcarved seal.
Seal on the rug and on the door of City Hall.

1893  --  1993
A worn seal attached to the back of a bench in 1993, located inside the lobby of the City Hall.
All pay stations have a picture of the seal.
The above was on the side of an official city parking van.
 Even the Segway has a seal! Another officer in uniform had three seals to his uniform, a patch with seal on his arm, a seal on his hat and a seal on his badge.

Seal above the sign for the Lowell Fire Department, and the one below was from a ladder fire engine.

This seal is located next to the parking garage on Market Street, and has a lovely sitting area, especially in the spring.
Lowell has a city flag, with the seal, shown below with the American and state flags.

Seal on stone marker before entering the Parks and Recreation dept. headquarters, shown below.

Seal is on some of our street signs.

 Seal on the notice located at the reservoir, shown below.

Even on a mural about 10' high, located in the Gallagher Terminal, there is the seal. This was among the first I ever saw, and at that point, I decided to see if there were others.

 The seal is shown on several of the information displays in the National Historical Park visitors center.

I never knew the history of the seal or the actual meaning. Those questions of mine are answered on the web page for the City of Lowell. Part is shared below.

Centered on the Seal is a mill from whose chimneys are rising black clouds of smoke into a “horn of plenty”, intended to signify that Lowell’s mills are the foundation upon which her prosperity rests.  At the bottom is a train and bales of cotton, signifying the cotton trade which led the City to become known as the “Spindle City.” At the left is the Merrimack River across which a bridge has been built; this is the Old Pawtucket Toll Bridge built in 1792. The Seal bears the inscription “Art is the Handmaid of Human Good”, which means that “Skill walks hand in hand with the good of the people.” The actual origin of the motto inscribed is unknown.
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