This Tuesday night, January 28, 2014, I will lead a discussion at the UMass Lowell O’Leary Library on the topic of Lowell history using the book Legendary Locals of Lowell. The event begins at 7 pm and continues until 9 pm. The O’Leary Library is on the UML South Campus.…
Last Tuesday, several Lowell City Councilors outed themselves as vindictive bullies in their handling of the appointment of Salmira Mitchell to the Library Board of Trustees. Here’s the context of what happened: City Manager Lynch presented four board appointments to the city council. The first, of Dr. Julia Hans to…
For those of us interested in the history of Lowell and particularly the role of the Catholic Church and the Oblates of Mary Immaculate in that history, the publication of the history written by Rev. Richard Santerre, OMI as translated by Rev Lucien Sawyer, OMI is a welcome and long-awaited…
The MassMoments reminder today of Lowell girls recruited to “go west” and teach continues to fascinate. The spirit and sense of adventure needed to take this risk seemed motivated by economic need for many and religious zeal for others. They were pioneers of a different sort as were the farm girls who came…
In the 1980s I played some serious softball with the Burgess Construction team in the Dracut Softball League. “Richie” Burgess, as I knew him, played on some of those teams, including the championship team in 1988. I wrote a poem, “Bragging Rights,” to commemorate that winning season, and following is…
The politics and history of Lowell often dominate our discussions here, but sometimes it’s the little things around us that make this city such a fascinating place to live. From time to time, we’ve urged people to write about or photograph the things in Lowell that make this a unique…
Real estate sales in Lowell for the past week: January 20, 2014 – Monday Martin Luther King Jr. holiday January 21, 2014 – Tuesday 24 Bigelow St for $165,000. Prior sale in 1977 January 22, 2014 – Wednesday 67-69 Burtt St for $189,900. Prior sale in 1995 for $80,000 20…
OK, so every time I mention this to someone, he/she thinks I’m crazy…but, what the heck, I going to say it again. I find Netflix’s release of its video “Mitt” showing a more human side of Mitt Romney to be conveniently timed. Timed with what? Why Bridgegate, of course…the presidential…
Readers of this blog know that I’ve been writing a book about the origin and impact of Lowell National Historical Park. Titled Mill Power, the book is expected to be available this coming summer. Following are a few paragraphs about the roots of the park, discussed in much greater detail…