Lowell, Massachusetts

Lowell is a city in Massachusetts, United States. It is one of the two main cities in Middlesex County and was the fifth most crowded city in the whole state as of the last count. Many people live there, about 115,554, making it a busy place.

The city started in 1826 as a place for mills and factories. It became very important for the early factories in America, especially for making clothes. Some of these old factory places are now kept safe as part of Lowell National Historical Park by the National Park Service.

During a hard time for people from Cambodia between 1975 and 1979, Lowell welcomed many who needed a new home. This helped create a special area called Cambodia Town and made the city have one of the biggest groups of people from Cambodia in America.

Lowell also has places for learning, like UMass Lowell and Middlesex Community College. There are also fun places such as museums, theaters, and sports places like Edward A. LeLacheur Park and the Tsongas Center. The city has a strong history with boxing and even helped the Boston Patriots team play their first games at Cawley Stadium.

History

Main article: History of Lowell, Massachusetts

For a chronological guide, see Timeline of Lowell, Massachusetts.

Indigenous and colonial history

The Pawtucket Falls helped power Lowell's factories in the 1800s. Long before that, it was an important fishing spot for native people when Europeans first arrived. The area was later called a "praying town" named Wamesit, but few people lived there by the time wars changed things between settlers and native groups.

Founding and early industry

Lowell was created in the 1820s as a place to make textiles. It grew along the Merrimack River, about 25 miles from Boston. Wealthy business leaders named it after Francis Cabot Lowell. Workers came from many places, including Ireland, and many young women from farms helped run the mills.

By the 1850s, Lowell had the biggest factories in the United States, making cloth from cotton grown far away. Later, many people from France and other places moved there for jobs. The city boomed until tough times hit in the 1920s and 1930s.

Zoning, development and the Massachusetts Miracle

In the 1970s, Lowell became part of a time of growth in Massachusetts. New people from far away settled there, and old factory areas became places for culture and history. Even when a big company failed, the city kept growing, adding schools, sports teams, and new homes.

New plans helped shape how the city grew, making sure new buildings fit with older ones. A big project along a canal brought new homes and shops to downtown.

The Hamilton Canal District is a new area being built with homes, shops, and ways to get around easily.

Anti-crime efforts

In the 1990s, Lowell worked hard to reduce crime, and by 2009 it was safer than many other cities its size.

Geography

Lowell is found at 42°38′22″N 71°18′53″W / 42.63944°N 71.31472°W / 42.63944; -71.31472 (42.639444, −71.314722). The city covers 14.5 square miles (38 km²), with 13.8 square miles (36 km²) of land and 0.8 square miles (2.1 km²) of water.

Lowell has cold, snowy winters and warm, humid summers. Snow can be very heavy, with a record of 120 inches (3,000 mm) in one winter. Summer temperatures usually range from 64 to 84 °F (18 to 29 °C), while winter temperatures range from 2 to 33 °F (−17 to 1 °C). The average yearly temperature is 49 °F (9 °C).

Lowell is where the Merrimack and Concord rivers meet. The Pawtucket Falls, a mile-long set of rapids dropping 32 feet, ends where the rivers join. The Pawtucket Dam at the top of the falls helps create a millpond, feeding into Lowell's many canals.

The Merrimack River flows south from Franklin, New Hampshire to Lowell, then turns northeast before reaching the Atlantic Ocean at Newburyport, Massachusetts. Long ago, the river may have flowed further south toward Boston. The Concord River, also called Musketaquid, starts at the meeting of the Assabet and Sudbury rivers in Concord, Massachusetts and flows north to meet the Merrimack.

Lowell has eight neighborhoods: the Acre, Back Central, Belvidere, Centralville, Downtown, Highlands, Pawtucketville, and South Lowell. Each neighborhood has its own ZIP code, with some areas sharing the same code. Centralville is north of the Merrimack River, while the Highlands is the most populated area in the city's southwest. Downtown, Belvidere, Back Central, and South Lowell lie southeast of the city. Pawtucketville and the Acre are in the northwest, where the University of Massachusetts Lowell's North Campus is located.

Demographics

Lowell, Massachusetts, is a city with many people from different backgrounds. In 2010, about 106,519 people lived there. The city had many homes, with an average of about 2.7 people in each home.

People in Lowell come from many places. In 2010, most people were White, Asian American, or African American. There were also many people from Cambodia, Ireland, Puerto Rico, England, France, and Italy. Lowell has a large Cambodian community, with many people of Cambodian origin living there.

The city has seen changes in its age groups over time. In 2010, the average age was about 33 years. Many families live in Lowell, but some people live alone. Some families have less money than others, and about 15% of families and 17% of people were below the poverty line.

Arts and culture

Lowell, Massachusetts, has many special events and places to visit.

In February, there is a big winter celebration called Winterfest. In March, there are events to honor women and Irish culture. Every April, the Lowell Film Festival shows many different kinds of movies. In May, you can visit many old buildings during Doors Open Lowell. June brings a big festival for African cultures. The last weekend of July is the Lowell Folk Festival, where thousands come to enjoy folk music and arts. August celebrates Southeast Asian cultures, and September has a fun race with sculptures. October honors the famous writer Jack Kerouac and there is also a marathon.

Lowell has many important places to see, like the Lowell National Historical Park, which shows how the city used to make things and welcome people from all over the world. There are also parks, old buildings, and special spots connected to famous people. The city has many museums and galleries where you can see art and learn about history. There are also places to see dances, hear music, and read poetry. Libraries in Lowell help everyone learn and explore new ideas. The Pollard Memorial Library serves the whole city, while the University of Massachusetts Lowell has special libraries for different subjects. The Center for Lowell History keeps important papers and stories about the city's past.

Sports

Lowell has a strong boxing tradition, with its auditorium hosting the annual New England Golden Gloves tournament. Famous fighters like Rocky Marciano, Sugar Ray Leonard, and Marvin Hagler have competed there. Local boxers Micky Ward and Dicky Eklund started their careers in Lowell, which inspired the film The Fighter. Many boxers train at Arthur Ramalho's West End Gym in the city.

Lowell is also home to several sports teams. The University of Massachusetts Lowell River Hawks compete in NCAA Division I sports like hockey, soccer, and basketball. The Boston Fleet is a professional ice hockey team in the Professional Women's Hockey League. Other teams that have played in Lowell include the Massachusetts Pirates in indoor football, the former Lowell Spinners baseball team, and several other past teams in various leagues.

Parks and recreation

Lowell has many places where people can play sports and enjoy outdoor activities. Edward A. LeLacheur Park is a baseball stadium owned by the University of Massachusetts Lowell. The Lowell Memorial Auditorium is used for performances and boxing events. The Tsongas Center at UMass Lowell is a big venue for sports and concerts, where the University of Massachusetts Lowell River Hawks play hockey and where many shows are held.

Other spots include Cawley Memorial Stadium, which is used by Lowell High School and for many sports events. Stoklosa Alumni Field is a baseball stadium with seating for 4,000 fans. The Costello Athletic Center is an indoor arena on the UMass Lowell campus. There are also golf courses like the Long Meadow Golf Club and the Mount Pleasant Golf Club for those who enjoy golf. The UMass Lowell Bellgarde Boathouse is a center for rowing and kayaking.

Government

Lowell uses a council-manager style of government. This means the city has eleven city councilors and seven school committee members. The City Council is elected every two years with eight members from different districts and three members chosen by the whole city. The School Committee is also elected every two years with four members from districts, two from the whole city, and the mayor. Elections for both groups are not about political parties.

The City Council picks one of its members to be the mayor and another to be the vice-mayor. The mayor's role is mostly for ceremonies and leading weekly meetings. The real leader of the city's day-to-day work is the City Manager, who is chosen by the City Council to handle operations.

Lowell’s voters tried in 2012 to allow 17-year-olds to vote in local elections, but this effort did not succeed. In 2017, a lawsuit was filed saying the city's voting system did not fairly represent minority groups. By 2019, a plan was made to change the voting system so that more people could have a fair say in elections. Voters chose from several options, and the new system was set to start by the elections in November 2021.

Education

Colleges and universities

Lowell is becoming a popular place for students to live and study. There are about 12,000 students at Middlesex Community College and around 19,000 students at University of Massachusetts Lowell. Together, these schools have more than 31,000 students, including those studying for their first degree, advanced degrees, and doctorates. UMass Lowell is one of the largest public universities in Massachusetts, and MCC is one of the largest community colleges in the state.

• Middlesex Community College
• University of Massachusetts Lowell

Primary and secondary schools

Public schools

Lowell Public Schools runs the public schools in the area, with Lowell High School being the main public high school. Other public schools include Greater Lowell Technical High School, Lowell Middlesex Academy Charter School, Lowell Community Charter Public School, and Collegiate Charter School of Lowell.

The Lowell Public Schools district has about 14,247 students from preschool to 12th grade. The student-to-teacher ratio is 14 to 1. Students at Lowell High School can take Advanced Placement courses, with about 29 percent of students participating. The school has an equal number of male and female students, and around 68 percent of the students come from different backgrounds.

Media

Newspaper

The Sun is a big daily newspaper based in downtown Lowell. It serves the area around Lowell and southern New Hampshire. In 2011, it had about 42,900 readers each day. The newspaper was sold to a big company called MediaNews Group in 1997 after being owned by a family for 119 years.

Radio

• WCAP AM 980, talk radio
• WLLH AM 1400 Spanish Tropical
• WUML FM 91.5, owned by UMass Lowell
• WCRB FM 99.5, Classical music, licensed to Lowell

Infrastructure

Transportation

Lowell can be reached by car using Interstate 495, U.S. Route 3, the Lowell Connector, and several Massachusetts routes, including 3A, (/wiki/Massachusetts_Route_38), (/wiki/Massachusetts_Route_110), (/wiki/Massachusetts_Route_113), and (/wiki/Massachusetts_Route_133). There are six bridges crossing the Merrimack River in Lowell, and four crossing the Concord River.

Public transportation in Lowell is provided by the Lowell Regional Transit Authority (LRTA), which operates fixed-route bus services and paratransit services. OurBus offers daily bus trips to Worcester and New York City. The Lowell station is served by the MBTA's commuter rail Lowell Line, with several daily trips to and from Boston's North Station.

Hospitals

• Lowell General Hospital
• Saints Medical Center

Law enforcement

The city is mainly kept safe by the Lowell Police Department, the University Police at UMass Lowell, and the National Park Service Police. The Massachusetts State Police and Middlesex County Sheriff's Office also help with safety efforts.

Cable

Lowell Telecommunication Corporation (LTC) is a community media and technology center and the first public access television station in Massachusetts to unionize.

Notable people

See List of people from Lowell, Massachusetts

This section lists notable people from Lowell, Massachusetts. You can find more information in the linked article.

Businesses started and products invented

Lowell, Massachusetts, has been the birthplace of many important businesses and inventions. Today, places like the Massachusetts Medical Device Development Center (M2D2) Biotechnology Lab and the UMASS Lowell Innovation Hub (iHUB) help new ideas grow. The iHUB offers space for offices, special equipment, and meeting areas for companies just getting started.

In the past, Lowell saw the creation of many well-known products and companies. William Stickney Lamson invented cash carriers there in 1881, and CVS/pharmacy began as the Consumer Value Store in 1963. Other famous inventions and businesses from Lowell include Father John’s Medicine cough syrup, the Francis Turbine, and Moxie, the first mass-produced soft drink in the United States. The city was also the first in the U.S. to use telephone numbers in 1879. Many banks and financial institutions started in Lowell, including the Lowell Five Cent Savings Bank, founded in 1854, which accepted deposits of less than $1.00.

Twin towns – sister cities

Lowell has special friendly connections, called sister cities, with places around the world. These include:

• Bamenda, Cameroon (since 2002)
• Barclayville, Liberia
• Berdyansk, Ukraine (since 1997)
• Kalamata, Greece (since 2020)
• Nairobi, Kenya
• Limerick, Ireland (since 2013)
• Lobito, Angola
• Phnom Penh, Cambodia (since 2015)
• Saint-Dié-des-Vosges, France (since 1989)
• Winneba, Ghana (since 2010)

Honors

Lowell has received special recognition for its efforts. In 2010, it was named a "Green Community." In 1999, Lowell won the All-America City award, and it was also a finalist for this award in 1997 and 1998.