Menu
“So many beginnings…” (PIP #15) By Louise Peloquin I make so many beginnings there never will be an end. – Louisa May Alcott ********* 2024 has begun and is well under way. Will the new year’s resolutions, expectations, aspirations, ambitions, contentions, dissensions, cooperations, evolutions and all of the other…
Read More »January 14, 2024 The Lowell City Council met Tuesday night in the aftermath of Sunday’s big 17-inch snowstorm. Predictably, Councilors talked a lot about snow removal. That’s a topic that everyone has an opinion on; Councilors especially so. City Manager Tom Golden explained that it’s been a while since the…
Read More »Follow Every Rainbow – the Life of the Real Maria and the Von Trapp Family Singers By Malcolm Sharps As an article on this blog of 6 December 2023 records, the Von Trapp Family Singers paid a visit to Lowell on a very unfortunate day, 7 December, 1941, the date…
Read More »Here is another in my series of excerpts from the 1926 Lowell City Directory. This post lists the job titles of Lowell city officials and the names of those who fill them: Mayor – John J. Donovan (salary $5,000) Councilors-At-Large (salary $500 each; two-year terms) James J. Gallagher (president) John…
Read More »Bonne et heureuse année!/Good and happy new year! (PIP #14) By Louise Peloquin How would Louis-A. Biron have welcomed in this new year? At the dawn of 1936, here is an excerpt of his address to L’Etoile readers. (1) ********* Just as the torrent rushes towards the abyss, time…
Read More »On Tuesday, January 2, 2024, at 10 am, the newly elected Lowell City Council took the oath of office at the Lowell Memorial Auditorium. City Clerk Michael Geary chaired the event until the new Mayor was elected. Geary explained that the inauguration ceremony had been moved to the Auditorium when…
Read More »“Lowell is a Great City” (in 1926) On March 1, 1826, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts granted the town of Lowell its initial charter. Consequently, the city of Lowell will soon begin celebrating its bicentennial. I have occasionally posted items about Lowell’s founding, and will continue to do so, but I…
Read More »Food Conservation in Lowell (PIP #13) By Louise Peloquin As we gobble the holiday goodies filling our refrigerators, cupboards, cookie platters and candy dishes, let’s peek at a throwback on food management during World War I. The recommendations below, published without commentary, made L’Etoile’s front page on November 14, 1917.…
Read More »Here are my choices for the most important political events in Lowell in 2023: Turnout in the November city election was historically low with approximately 7500 people voting. Two years ago, nearly 12,000 cast votes. While that seems like a lot compared to the total this year, remember that in…
Read More »This was originally posted on this site on December 31, 2010. Plaque erected in Quebec City marking the spot of American General Richard Montgomery’s death. “Here stood the Undaunted Fifty safeguarding Canada, defeating Montgomery at the Pres de Ville Barricade on the last day of 1775, Guy Carleton commanding at…
Read More »