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…
“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…
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.…
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…
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…
Sleepers, or A Long Night’s Journey into Day By Malcolm Sharps In my time living in the Baltic I discovered the joy of sleeper trains. And, once discovered, I could not think of them ever again as just another form of transport. Why travel by sleeper? The best night’s sleep…
This essay by Henri Marchand was first heard as a radio essay on the “Sunrise” program of WUML, 92.5 FM, at UMass Lowell. Today we continue our tradition of reposting the essay each year at Christmas. The Christmas Fruitcake: An Ageless Tradition By Henri Marchand I think there…
In December 2012, fifty-six people from Lowell, Massachusetts combined to recite “A Visit From St. Nicholas” by Clement Clarke Moore. Here’s the result:
Living Madly: The God of Doors By Emilie-Noelle Provost One of my father-in-law’s favorite sayings was: There’s always the unexpected. No matter how carefully our plans are laid out, or how much we might want a particular thing to happen, or not, the possibility that something unforeseen will derail our desires…
Joyeux Noël (PIP #12) By Louise Peloquin A meeting takes place in the long rectangular room where jacks-of-all-printing trades feed linotypes with a cornucopia of lead letters. They are working on important December issues – important because the holidays bring an abundance of ads, important especially because local events, duly…