City Hikes: Field Notes by Paul Marion

Review by Richard P. Howe Jr.

A city is more than a collection of streets and buildings; it’s a shared space we call home. The concept of “place” is central to building a strong community. When we feel a deep connection to the physical environment we inhabit, we forge stronger bonds with our neighbors. This connection doesn’t happen by accident; it’s nurtured through shared experiences.

In-person events like guided historical walks transform abstract history into a tangible reality. Walking the same paths as the Mill Girls or standing where pivotal events occurred creates a powerful, collective memory. Similarly, written accounts provide the stories and descriptions that color our daily landscape. They give us a new lens through which to see a familiar street corner or an old factory building. By exploring our city through both footsteps and stories, we deepen our personal and shared sense of place, reinforcing the very fabric of our community.

That is why the newest book by Paul Marion, City Hikes, is such an important addition to Lowell’s literature. The book captures written accounts of nearly 20 walks around the city that Paul took, sometimes alone but more often with a companion, that capture the look, sound, and feel of each place. That Paul is such a superb writer elevates the prose to a higher level.

Here is a sampling of the hike topics, most written between 2009 and 2011, usually with several different walks for each neighborhood:

• Hamilton Canal District
• Downtown
• Back Central
• Christian Hill
• Lower Highlands
• South Common Historic District

Anytime I’ve led an urban walk around Lowell, inevitably someone will say about a place I’ve pointed out, “I’ve driven past here hundreds of times but never noticed that.” While everyone should get out of their car and walk the city with open eyes, the business of life can make that difficult to do. In City Hikes, Paul becomes our proxy on walks in sections of the city perhaps distant from our home neighborhoods, or since many of the essays were written a decade or more ago, revives memories of landmarks and institutions that exist no more.

****

City Hikes is available from Loom Press.