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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.

Tuesday, May 22, 2012

Read and Reed of Lowell, Massachusetts -- Tombstone Tuesday

ELIJAH M. READ
DIED
DEC. 31, 1878.
AGED 79 YEARS.
 _____

BETSEY P.
HIS WIFE
DIED
FEB. 13, 1873
AGED 81 YEARS
 RUFUS REED
1818 --  1886
 ____

MARTHA S. DODGE
HIS WIFE
1924  --  1902
Left side of monument.
ELIZABETH
REED
1850  - 192_

WILLIAM
REED
1862 - 1905

WILLIAM I.
SON OF
W. L. AND M. P. REED
1885 - 1886

Buried at the Lowell Cemetery, Lowell, Massachusetts
(They are not related to me.)

Heritage Museums and Gardens -- Sandwich, Cape Cod, Massachusetts


My photos were taken at Heritage Museums and Gardens, Sandwich, Massachusetts on May 22, 2012.

Even though we had a rainy day, the weather was warm and all the rhododendrons were in full bloom. There was a special exhibit by Norman Rockwell. In addition we saw a collection of antique cars.







 





Monday, May 21, 2012

Pollard / Lowell Memorial Library, Lowell, Massachusetts


Pollard Memorial Library
401 Merrimack St.
Lowell, MA. 01852

(978) 674-4120 (press 5)

Genealogy overview: https://lowelllibrary.org/research/genealogy/


All reference materials are located on the second floor.
Genealogies are located in this section. Reference books are in another area, and the city directories are near the reference librarian. There is a genealogist librarian, and if you are lucky, she might be working the time you are there. On September 17, 2017, the Lowell Sun newspaper wrote an article about the above painting, Lee's Surrender.





Hallway and stairs.

There is a separate room with readers, I believe there are 2-3.
(Reflection on screen shows the street behind.)
The film is located in the above file cabinets.

Permission granted to take the photos above. (April 2012, June 2014)

Birth index from 1915-1955; Marriage Index from 1901-1950; Death Index from 1876-1934 from local newspapers were prepared by a dedicated genealogist/volunteer Shirley E. (Johnson) Rathbun in 1999 and are stored on the above shelf.


Stained glass window looks quite different with light shining on it at night.


Photos below taken from the 2nd floor.





















In 2016 I wrote another blog about doing Lowell research at another location in the city. I wrote: "Patrick J. Mogan Cultural Center) is maintained by the University of Massachusetts Lowell. The building is owned by the Lowell National Historical Park. In the building are also office space, restrooms, and the entrance to the Mill Girls and Immigrants Exhibit (see 3rd picture for a full picture of the building). There is no close parking, but a block away there is on-street parking with meters and a parking garage on John Street. During the summer and class breaks is the very best time to use this library because school is out (a 4,000 student high school is a block away), and parking could be tight." To see my photos and read more information, see: Doing Genealogy in Lowell, Massachusetts? Here is Help.