Lucius Beebe Memorial Library / Wakefield Library, Wakefield, Massachusetts -- History and Genealogy Room

Lucius Beebe Memorial Library

345 Main St, Wakefield, MA 01880

Phone: (781) 246-6334

https://www.wakefieldlibrary.org/

The Lucius Beebe Memorial Library in Wakefield, Massachusetts was the most recent library I visited this summer and was the closest to where I live, plus the most beautiful of all I've seen. From the minute I walked in, I was in awe. The library is similar to many of the other libraries that I've visited, in that it has part of its original brick building and has been enlarged from its original structure. For a Saturday in August, this library was rather busy. After introducing myself to the librarian, he took me to the closed room where the genealogy and local histories are held. There were two people in there, but I've no idea if they were researching. As you go through the pictures, I think you'll agree that the original red room is outstanding, as is their collection. Can't wait to go back to work on the many lines I have in that town.

From The Library History at http://www.wakefieldlibrary.org/about/about-the-library/
The building has a large skylit entrance hall flanked by two reading rooms, each up a short flight of marble stairs. The north reading room is graced by fourteen medallions depicting famous literary figures. Both reading rooms include working marble fireplaces, built-in wooden bookshelves, and elegant Adam-style plaster detailing on the walls and ceilings. The central lobby has a black and white marble floor and cast iron stair railings with urn motifs that echo the stone urns on the building’s facade. The beehive, a symbol of the Beebe family, is used throughout the building as a decorative motif and was chosen in 1998 as the Library’s logo.

The original front room is now used as a reading room (opposite the red room below).

This is where the genealogy and history books are held. Great room for quiet research. I didn't want to disturb the two people, so I didn't walk around...next time I will.

  

Original upstairs room.

The back of the original building where it joins the new (above).

Remembering the University of Massachusetts at Lowell Former Students who died on 9/11

Unity Memorial

"In remembrance of those from the University of Massachusetts Lowell community who lost their lives on September 11, 2001."

The Memorial is across the very dry Merrimack River and the University of Massachusetts in Lowell.

John A. Ogonowski    1972

Robert J. Hayes   1986

Brian K. Kinney    1995

Patrick J. Quigley IV

Douglas A. Gowell    1971

Christopher Zarba    1979

Jessica Leigh Sachs

To Remember "Homage to Women" and "The Worker" on this Labor Day

"Homage to Women" by Mico Kaufman (See link for his education and works.)

Located in the Market Mills Courtyard

Market Street, Lowell, Massachusetts

"This sculpture is a tribute to Lowell's nineteenth

century 'mill girls.' The intertwined figures also

represent the struggles and aspirations of all

women throughout time."

During the annual Folk Festival in July, the courtyard is used for music and fun. You can see the sculpture on the below left picture.

The Worker

Located in downtown Lowell, MA.

Corner of Shattuck and Market Streets

This work, constructed in 1985 by Elliot and Ivan Schwartz, depicts an Irish canal worker widening the canal ways of Lowell.

The Worker

In 1821 Hugh Commisky led a 

band of laborers on a trek from

Charlestown to Lowell. With muscle

and sweat they dredged canals in

the soil of rugged farmland. As

others joined in their toil a complex

waterpower system evolved, creat-

ing a new era of textile production.

When one generation had endured

and the clamor of manufacturing

increased, immigrants came by

the thousands seeking labor and

a better life. This fountain cele-

brates workers and their contribu-

tion to industrial and human heritage.

Lowell Heritage State Park

Lowell National Historical Park

ARTIST(S): Elliot Schwartz, sculptor; Ivan Schwartz, sculptor.

DATE: Installed 1985.

From the Lowell Historical Society,

Hugh Commiskey died at his home on Adams Street, at age of 82, December 12, 1871.

 

The above photo was taken Sept. 5, 2015 (a few days after it was repaired) and shows the complete sculpture (with trolley on the right). The pry bar had been sawed off just below this worker's lower hand (see previous photo). The photo below shows the water and stone boulders at a different angle.

 

This courtyard is also a place for people to mingle or wait, as the people below are doing during the Folk Festival in July.

Castle Hill at the Crane Estate

Castle Hill at the Crane Estate 

(everything you want to know)

Ipswich, Essex Co., Massachusetts

This estate is where my husband likes to visit the most, as a matter of fact, he took me here almost 50 years ago. We subscribe to the organization, Trustees of Reservations, that maintains the house, thus, free admission. If the house isn't open for touring, you usually can walk the grounds any time. You may have seen the mansion in a movie before.

After these photos, there are two links, each for a year we went to see the house decorated at Christmas.

From this point, you can walk straight down to the ocean.

The above photo was taken many years earlier. A huge storm took down many of the trees. You can clearly see the difference in the above photos.

Very old photo I found in images from The Trustees for this castle.

  

https://lifefromtheroots.blogspot.com/2017/12/castle-hill-at-christmas-which-of-17.html

https://lifefromtheroots.blogspot.com/2015/12/the-crane-estate-at-christmas-no.htm

Taking a Break, but not From Summer

After five and a half years of blogging, and writing 1,133 posts, plus have 69 drafts in the can, I've decided to take a break. Genealogy research will continue, but no blogging about it, perhaps I'll do some posts about Lowell. My decision was made last week, and that is the reason I haven't posting anything this past week. Even with the lovely surprise of having my recent post selected by four fellow blog writers as one of their weekly favorites, I still decided to stop for a while.

My gratitude to those four women is shown by my putting their blog links below. It is my hope you will click on them and search around their sites. For my readers, I appreciate knowing many are still reading my posts, so with my time off, you are getting time off as well...I'm not cluttering your email box. Have a great summer. The photos on this post were taken last week.

Gail Dever of Genealogy à la carte

Jo Henn of Climbing My Family Tree

Jana Last of Jana's Genealogy and Family

Linda Stufflebean of Empty Branches on the Family Tree