Lowell is considered the birthplace of the United States Industrial Revolution, and there is so much to learn about our nation’s history at family-friendly sites right here in Lowell. Get out and explore four of our favorite historic sites in Lowell that celebrate the American Industrial Revolution.
-
Boott Cotton Mills Museum
Any history-focused visit of Lowell should start at the Lowell National Historical Park, operated by the National Park Service and located in downtown Lowell. Market Mills hosts the park’s visitors center, where you can pick up a map, book-guided tours, and learn more about what there is to see and do in the park.
The main attraction of the Lowell National Historical Park is the Boott Cotton Mills Museum, an especially fun destination for kids and families. The museum includes a “weave room” and other interactive videos and exhibits about the American Industrial Revolution. Just down the street at the Boott Mill boardinghouse, learn more about the history of immigrants and “mill girls” who came to work in Lowell through an interactive exhibit at the Patrick J. Morgan Cultural Center.
-
Tsongas Industrial History Center
The Tsongas Industrial History Center is an educational partnership between the National Park Service and the University of Massachusetts Lowell Graduate School of Education providing hands-on learning experiences for more than 50,000 student groups, educators, and more.
Students have the opportunity to participate directly in history by role-playing a town meeting, working on an assembly line, and weaving. The center also helps participants to learn more about the science behind industrial engineering by using the engineering design process, discovering river cleanup techniques, or creating canal systems and testing water quality.
-
Whistler House Museum of Art
The historic Whistler House has been home to many of the leaders of the American Industrial Revolution since it was built in 1823. James Abbott McNeill Whistler, born in the house in July 1834, became one of America’s most famous artists, painting well-known works like “Whistler’s Mother.” In addition to preserving the history of some of Lowell’s most prominent families, the house is also home to an art museum that displays and promotes 19th-century American art, with periodic exhibitions related to Lowell, Whistler, and other artists from the region.
-
Lowell Cemetery
Lowell Cemetery, located on the banks of the Concord River, was founded in 1841. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is one of America’s oldest garden cemeteries. Many of Lowell’s wealthy industrialists and their families are interred here, and the cemetery features a wide array of styles of funerary art, from ornate Victorian tombstones to Art Deco and Egyptian Revival styles.
The cemetery’s walkways were designed to enhance the natural terrain, creating the perfect venue for a respectful, peaceful stroll punctuated by the occasional vista.
Enjoy these historic sites as you celebrate the background of the area and learn more about the Industrial Revolution and its leaders.
Image via Dick Howe Jr | Licensed under CC BY 2.0
Connect with us
