An Irish passport circa 1924 – from the City Hall Attic treasure trove.

In today’s Lowell Sun writer Jen Myers and photograher Dave Brow give us a glimpse into the treasures locked away in the attic of Lowell’s City Hall. From my perspective and interest in Lowell history, I see tackling the chore of cleaning, culling and curating the vast collection of records, artifacts, curiosities and artwork – the perfect project to celebrate the extraordinary history of  Lowell as the City commemorates its 175th birthday in 2011.

Kudos to Manager Bernie Lynch for taking on this situation as a personal project and building on the work started by former City Manager Brian Martin. Indeed, the resources of the City need the combined efforts of the Lowell National Historical Park, the UMass Lowell/Center for Lowell History, the Lowell Historical Society and the Lowell Heritage Parnership as well as the attention and resources of the Commonweath through the Secretary of State, the Mass Historical Commission and the Governor if need be – to finally finish the project, dust out that attic and make way for study, display, reseach and preservation.

I will be serving on the 175th Anniversary Committee and attending the first meeting later this week. I plan to propose the City Hall Attic as an official  “to do” project of the 175th committee.

Read the full article and view the phographs here in the Lowell Sun. There will be more stories to come on this project – in the Sun and here on this blog.

BTW – it seems that nearly 25 years have passed since I was appointed  by the Manager as Vice-chair of the Sesquicentennial Commission to serve with now-Mayor Jim Milinazzo, Mary Bacigalupo, Walter Bayliss, Kevin Coughlin, Bob Malavich, George Tsapatsaris, Lew Karabatsos, Florence Marion, Zenny Speronis, Sandi Walter and others. Tme passes.