Lowell, Massachusetts (Part 14)

Miscellaneous - Summer 2007

Finally caught up! These are without a theme, so I'll just throw them all together.

An alley that runs between the buildings facing Merrimack Street and those facing Middle Street. I think it is technically named City Hall Ave, since it runs behind the old city hall (although we are facing the other way, to Central Street). Either way, this addition connects buildings facing each street and was clearly built in 1874. My understanding is that a lot of Middle Street was warehousing for what were the big stores on Merrimack Street.

Just another shot of the ruins of the Appleton Mills. Part of the Hamilton Canal District

Public art in the visitor's lot for the National Park. I love this picture - like many of these, Jen took it. Art and the artist community, although something that doesn't really interest me, is a large draw for both residents and visitors to Lowell. This was part of Lowell ArtVentures which is connected to The Revolving Museum. All of which is overseen by The Cultural Organization of Lowell (COOL).

Canal Place One. This building was a Worsted Mill. I don't know what that means, but this must be about the height limit for brick construction.

An alley at Canal Place. Building one is on the right, two on the left, and three straight ahead.

The outside of the Canal Place coal shed.

A look into the shed. This would make a great Half-Life map. The bigger openings used to have a train running through them it looks. I wonder if this building was used as a way to load coal into trains, or just for coal-fired steam generators? Jen asked me to point out the "houses for kitties" that people placed in here. There are a few cats that do live in here.

The Pawtucket Canal, separating Canal Place from the old Joan Fabrics plant, now apartments.

The cotton storehouse of the Boott Mills. Cotton I think doesn't do well in bright light or something, and besides, it's just a warehouse. Hence, the small windows. No idea what they do with it now.

This small gate must've controlled the flow of the Merrimack Canal to the old Merrimack Manufacturing Company. Those mills were torn down in 1960.

The old main firehouse. I always knew that this was a bell tower, but I didn't know that it was also used to dry hoses.

The Ladd & Whitney monument. It's actually a grave site. Ladd, Whitney, and Taylor, who is also buried here, were among the first Union deaths in the Civil War during the Baltimore Riots.

The city seal on the monument. Note the inverted cornucopia, the steam locomotive with the bales of cotton in front, and the old-fashioned gabled rooved mills with the bell towers and smokestacks.

Our District Courthouse. This poor old building looks and feels like an old school. It will be replaced in a few years, along with the Superior Court on Gorham Street, and later the Juvenile Court on Appleton Street, with the new court facility in the Hamilton Canal District.

I guess they try out or empty out the city line painters here. This is behind the Lower Locks Garage. Downtown Lowell got new lines on the roads a few months ago, so people no longer have to guess how many lanes there are, which direction they go, and which one goes where. I feel that driving here is all based on tribal knowledge anyhow.

Market Street, looking to Central.

Middle Street.

Mill Girls Monument on Market Street.

I have no idea where I heard the name 'Sunscraper' but it amuses me. The Sun is no longer located within sight of this building even, but the neon signs stay lit (at least partially!). I wonder if the newspaper or the current owners have the job of getting those bulbs replaced.

A statue of James McNeill Whistler on Worthen Street. Whistler, of Whistler's Mother fame, was born in the house next door, but didn't stay here long. His father was the Chief Engineer of Locks and Canals at the time, and as such was the boss of James B. Francis. While the elder Whistler is credited with the development of early American locomotives, his son clearly wasn't into the family business. In fact, Whistler appeared to not even want to admit he was from Lowell. Yet, for over 100 years, the house he was born in has been home of the Lowell Art Association and the Whistler House Museum of Art.

The backside of the Old Worthen House. What an odd-shaped building. While Whistler might've been born on Worthen Street, the Worthen House a little further up the road was home to Edgar Allen Poe for a year or so. Hey, it is a bar - Kerouac hung out here too. The ceiling fans inside are driven by belts - apparently the only remaining belt-driven fans in Massachusetts. But there's a bar in Nashua, just one town into New Hampshire, that has them too.

City Hall and Library from the Cardinal O'Connell Parkway. This single-block 'Parkway' is an extension of the not-much-longer Dummer Street. The bust that is facing away from us is of the Cardinal, and it used to be a fountain a long time ago. As I write this in the middle of winter, I'm envious of the daylight while the clock reads quarter to 8 at night.

City (Pollard) Library. Built in the late 19th century along with next door City Hall, this library was also a monument to the Civil War. Just a few years after opening, there was a huge fire inside, and many of the war artifacts in the top floor (Memorial Hall) were lost.

The Tsongas Arena. This building brings all sorts of acts and recognition to Lowell, and is named after Paul Tsongas, who ran against Clinton for the Democratic Nomination in '92. Tsongas did a lot of work during his time as a Congressman and Senator to bring money to his hometown of Lowell. His wife is now our representative to US Congress. The building loses a good million a year and at 10 years old, needs some improvements and repairs. There is talk about selling the building, or at least the naming rights. I really hope they do neither - but there are many smaller arenas in the area that we compete against. I'm not a big follower of politics, but I've at least heard that former City Manager Cox was an opponent of Tsongas and managed to get the circle out front named after himself. I'm not sure I believe that. I believe I heard it from my dad who propably heard it on local radio station WCAP, who probably sensationalized something.

Pretty full house at a Lowell Spinners game, and UMass Lowell's Fox Hall dorm.

The Spinners are a farm team for the Red Sox. I don't really follow baseball, but I know players like Papelbon were brought up from here.