Was this mill where your ancestor worked in the mid-1850s? For over 100 years many mills in Lowell, Massachusetts operated with laborers from all over New England and Canada. If you want to look back in time, I've included some photos from the 1930s.
The banner above is for the Lowell National Historical Park. What you are looking at is the popular Boott Cotton Mill Museum. It is one of two Park centers in the city, both have National Park Service (NPS) staff, gift shops, restrooms, and lots to see. The largest museum, with a huge display of old, looms with quite a few operating to make dish towels to sell.
There are several ways to get to the Boott Cotton Mill in Lowell, Massachusetts. One is to walk from a multi-level parking lot across the street, for which you pay, or you could go to the Visitors Center about 5 blocks away, park for free and take the free trolley. I suggest the latter, especially if walking isn't your thing or if you have children.
Above is the view, if you walk from the garage. If you took the trolley, you would get off in front of the entrance.
A door leads to Museum. The sign above and below is about the steps, which is shown below.
In the Steps of Mill Workers
For almost a century, streams of Boott Mills
workers-men, women and children, immigrants
and native-born Americans climbed this stair
tower each morning to start another day in
the mill.
For almost a century, streams of Boott Mills
workers-men, women and children, immigrants
and native-born Americans climbed this stair
tower each morning to start another day in
the mill.
Park rangers are here to assist with questions, sell admission tickets or items from the gift store.
Towels made inside the mill.
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| Distance photo, closeup is below.
I'm not sure of the exact year these were taken, but I do know the buildings were still standing when I lived in Lowell in the 60s. As a matter of fact, I walked through that middle door for about four months during the fall, when I had a part-time job to earn Christmas money. I loved that job.
The skywalks were removed, but the framework remains and flags are draped from them (see 2nd and 3rd photos). |
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| Entry to the National Park Historic Museum is to your right. |
When the looms are running, earplugs are nearby. There are usually a few people watching the looms and making repairs. Cotton is woven to make towels, and several colors with different patterns are made, and sold in the gift shop (see example below).
Looking out at the canal below. Notice how thick the walls are.
Below you'll see the row of red fire buckets!
The second floor displays various exhibits to explain the cotton manufacturing business.
The photo in the background is shown below.
When you want to return to your car via the trolley, check out the timetable schedule and enjoy a ride through Lowell.
Another staircase took me up to a different tower where I could view the courtyard. This was from a special tour.
Other views from the ground level and from a nearby parking lot roof.
The skywalks below may be seen above, in the center. The entrance to the museum is on your right.
The skywalks below may be seen above, in the center. The entrance to the museum is on your right.
The Eastern canal, and Boott Mill on the left. I took this photo last week, and on Friday, the canal was drained (as it is every year for several weeks).
You can walk around the huge complex. The buildings are occupied by renters, condos, businesses, and NPS training rooms. The photos above show open windows and a view of the Merrimack River. From here, you can walk along the side of the river and the distance of the mill onto another mill, go under a bridge, and see some interesting things along the way.
