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Henry David Thoreau (1817 – 1862) One of America’s most famous writers – Henry David Thoreau – author, philosopher, naturalist was born on this day July 12, 1817 in Concord, Massachusetts. He began writing nature poetry in the 1840s, with poet Ralph Waldo Emerson as a mentor and friend. In…
Read More »History is not a set story inscribed on stone tablets that last forever. Instead, history is a series of inferences that are based on evidence. As new evidence is discovered, those inferences change and so history is constantly evolving. An amazing example of that process has been taking place right…
Read More »In honor of the gardens all over the city, a summer composition from the 1980s. “Tomatoes Box” by Richard Marion (c) 2012. See more artwork at www.richardmarion.net
Read More »“The Worker” by Brian Herrmann At the forefront of Lowell’s historical gateway downtown resides a sculpture titled “The Worker.” This work, constructed in 1985 by Elliot and Ivan Schwartz, depicts an Irish canal worker widening the canal ways of Lowell. This work, along with several others, was placed into the…
Read More »NYTimes opinion writer David Brooks keeps me reading his column because I appreciate his thoughtfulness if not his core analysis. Today’s column deals with inequalities among American children as described in recent scholarly research. After painting a picture that should worry everyone, he winds up with a cliche ending that blames President…
Read More »Tourists listen to LNHP ranger Cathy Neveux as they venture forth on a “Mill and Canal” tour Photo from today’s Globe North section (Joanne Rathe/Globe Staff) The Lowell National Historical Park is the star in Globe North feature story this Sunday morning with a terrific photo above the fold! Touting…
Read More »Congratulations to the Bread & Roses Centennial committee in Lawrence for a massive success in the use of social media. On Facebook, the organization’s page has 1,081 followers (LIKES), which is an extraordinary number for a local history initiative. This is not Ashton Kutcher in Hollywood, but all the folks working…
Read More »On this day July 4, 1776, the Continental Congress – meeting in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania – adopted the Declaration of Independence, declaring the freedom of the 13 colonies from Great Britain and its king. Written primarily by Thomas Jefferson, the Declaration is a formal explanation of why Congress had voted on July…
Read More »On August 31, 1837, an important man from the Greater Merrimack River Valley spoke to members of the Phi Beta Kappa Society of Harvard College in Cambridge, Mass. His address that day is considered by some to be ‘America’s Declaration of Intellectual Independence.’ Here is Ralph Waldo Emerson’s ‘The American…
Read More »“Blue Carnival” by Richard Marion (c) 2012 For carnival, fireworks, and festival season, an image from downtown Lowell in the 1980s. See more artwork at www.richardmarion.net Prints of all artwork are available from the artist.
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