Lowell Sights Decked out in Pink

Welcome to Lowell, Central Street.

Last fall, I did a series showcasing Lowell with red trees. I felt readers enjoyed seeing the city, especially those who moved away. So, I decided to do a collection of locations with a variety of pink flowered trees. I began taking them in 2013, and all were  taken the 2nd week of May. If anybody knows of Lowell areas with a group of trees near a familiar site, please share with me, I'd like to include it on this page.

Francis Gate Park, Lowell Heritage State Park (Pawtucket Street).

Marshall Street, headed to the Veterans Clinic.

 View of trees and Merrimack River from Pawtucket Street. (Three photos below.)

Merrimack River walking path, corner of VFW Highway and the end of the Bridge St. Bridge / John E. Cox Memorial Bridge.

Merrimack River, near the Concord River.

  Bridge Street Bridge view from the Frank J. Lyon Memorial Park.

Kirk Street, Lowell High is on the opposite side.

 Central Street, across from Espresso Pizza...yes it is still there.

Market Street had a small seating area surrounded by trees (above) located next to the garage, near Palmer Street. This was a perfect place to relax in the shade and look at the Lowell Motto "Art is the Handmade of Human Good" marker. This photo was taken a few years ago, however, for some unknown reason, the trees have been cut down. The five photos below are now part of Lowell's history.

 

  

Looking towards Market St., Father John's Medicine Co. building and the parking garage.

UPDATE 5/18/19
I discovered the other day that new young trees have been planted in the area where the older ones were removed due to disease.

  The campus of the Middlesex Community College.

Fletcher Street, building next to the Senior Center.

Eastern Canal. Massachusetts Mills complex is straight ahead.

The Jack Kerouac Park is to the left.

Central Street Plaza.

Trees in front of the First United Baptist Church (1826), the second church to be founded in Lowell.               

Lowell location of the Dept. of Parks and Recreation. The building is above, and the view facing Stedman Street is below.

Redbuds. Above is in the Lowell Cemetery, below on upper Merrimack St.

Merrimack Street.

French Street, the High School is on the right.

The old Wang Building now referred to as Cross Point.


The Ayer Lion, Lowell Cemetery.

London and Nova Scotia -- Old Matchbook Collection #11

London and Nova Scotia  --  Old Matchbook Collection  #11

Not many matchbooks for these two locations. I've been to London twice, each trip was 10 days. I tend to eat at restaurants I like more than once. So, yes, I like hamburgers and pizza. Hotel food was okay, but I can't say enough good things about Hotel Russell's breakfasts. I have no idea what I ate in Nova Scotia, but whatever it was, I survived.

A Make-Over for the 1637 Burying Point Cemetery in Salem, Massachusetts

The Burying Point Cemetery or Charter Street Cemetery in Salem, Massachusetts has always been popular with researchers and tourists. It is in the middle of historic Salem and steps away from the Phillips Essex Museum. I have been here many times because I have four ancestors buried there. However, the thing I was always concerned about were the trees, especially the ones about to fall on your head or break a very old cemetery stone. The photos above and below were taken several years ago, in summer. Recently, work was done to remove dead branches, shrubs, and trees, and repair work was done to some stones. My photos were taken on April 14, 2019.

The above stone is for my ancestor, John Marston, and you can hardly see the footstone in the back (I had to move the shrub away for a close-up). Below is a recent photo showing Marston's stone, his footstone and way in the back is an unknown one that was repaired!

 Repaired stones.

Cut trees and branches, above and below.

Large tree stump overlooking the Salem Witch Trials Memorial in the background.


 Salem Witch Trials Memorial with names.

Beyond the wall are museum office buildings, and the museum.

Look at the branches above my ancestor's tombstone of Simon Bradstreet. A 2010 photo is below.

(Photo from several years ago.)

If you have ancestors buried in this cemetery, I'd like to recommend an excellent reference book, complete with all the names and a good amount of genealogical information about the individual (following this paragraph). The quotes of my Miles and Sarah were taken from this book. In addition, there is a map of the layout, including the Witchcraft Memorial. I've used the source below many times because I have six other ancestors buried there (Stephen Daniels, John Marston, Simon Bradstreet, Miles Ward, Sarah Massey, and John Proctor).

Charles Street Cemetery Burial Records

Salem, Massachusetts

Compiled by William C. Carlson

2012

(Copy at NEHGS in Boston)

Graves of Greatest Historical Interest.

Names mentioned:

Nathaniel Silsbee

Mary Cory

Jonathan Ward

Mary Cromwell

Benjamin Lynde

ohn and Anstiss Crowninshield

Clifford Crowninshield

Bartholomew Gardner

William Browne

Hilliard Veren

Habakuk Boditch

Nathaniel Bowditch

Deliverance Parkman

Simon Bradstreet

William Hollingworth

Samuel McIntire

John Hathorne

John Higginson

Richard More

John Turner

Timothy Lindall

Robert Peele

George Heusler

John Swinerton

Nathaniel Mather

Richard Derby

Simon Forrester

William Orne

Dr. Grimshawe

My previous posts with photos:

Miles Ward and his wife Sarah Massey Ward -- Salem, Massachusetts 

Marston of Salem, Massachusetts

Tombstone Tuesday -- Steven Daniel (Massachusetts)

Tombstone Tuesday - SIMON BRADSTREET of Salem, Massachusetts

No post, but a photo taken April 14, 2019, of my 9th great grandfather,  John Proctor.

From: JOHN PROCTOR of Ipswich, Leland H. Procter, Pub. Research Associates: Genealogical Research Group, 1985. Page 7.

"Much has been written concerning John's heroic and stubborn refusal to answer to the charge of witchcraft brought against him in the hysteria of 1692, but rather than confess to a crime he had not committed (which would have saved his life), he faced the awful reality of death by hanging.  His wife, Elizabeth, was also charged but released because she was pregnant."

NERGC, Some Photos

So what is NERGC? It stands for New England Regional Genealogy Conference. It is held every two years, and the past four days it was held in Manchester, New Hampshire. As you can see from the above photo, there were many smiles and a baby! I met at least four people I've known for 15 years or more. My husband Bill knew four. And, in addition he had the ear of Michael, Diane L. and Diane S., Juliana and Christa (both from Ancestry) an ear. I wanted to post them to facebook, but only five would upload, so I'm posting through my blog.

New Orleans, Arizona, Wyoming, Outer Banks in North Carolina -- Old Matchbook Collection #10

New Orleans, Arizona, Wyoming, Outer Banks in North Carolina  --  Old Matchbook Collection  #10

I have decided to part with my matchbook collection, but before I throw them away I thought I'd share them. Hopefully a few will bring back old memories. Some of these books are from the mid-70s. I have been to New Orleans and Wyoming twice. And to the Outer Banks in North Carolina every summer for close to 20 years. The Steve's matchbook is from Buffalo, Wyoming. In future days, I'll be posting matchbooks from all over the United States.

Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, Mississippi -- Old Matchbook Collection #9

I have decided to part with my matchbook collection, but before I throw them away, I thought I'd share them. Hopefully a few will bring back old memories. Some of these books are from the mid-70s. The top two rows are Florida, plus the first one on the last row. The ones from Georgia, South Carolina, and Mississippi follow. The Olive Garden matchbook was from an early restaurant near Stanford, Florida (I wasn't aware then that it was a chain). In future days, I'll be posting matchbooks from all over the United States.