What: Ben Butler Walking Tour

When: Saturday, October 12, 2019 at 1pm

Where: Lowell National Park Visitor Center, 246 Market Street, Lowell

Lowell’s Benjamin Butler was a pivotal figure in American history. Best known as a controversial general in the American Civil War, Butler’s story has many other chapters with layers upon layers of complexity. A former governor of Massachusetts and multi-term member of Congress, Butler was one of the foremost lawyers of his time. He owned mills but was also an advocate for the rights of workers. His 1861 decision to treat escaped slaves as “contraband of war” led to the Emancipation Proclamation. As a member of the House of Representatives in 1868, he was the lead prosecutor in the impeachment trial of President Andrew Johnson.

The lessons of Butler’s life and legacy are more relevant today than ever before. To learn more about this fascinating figure and to visit places central to his life, please join this free walking tour led by Bob Forrant and Richard Howe on Saturday, October 12, 2019, at 1pm, departing from Lowell National Historical Park Visitor Center at 246 Market Street.