Timeline of Lowell, Massachusetts facts for kids

Lowell, Massachusetts, is a city with a rich and exciting past! From its beginnings as a small town to becoming a major center for factories and new ideas, Lowell's history is full of important moments. This timeline will take you on a journey through the key events that shaped Lowell, showing how it grew, changed, and became the vibrant city it is today. You'll learn about the people, businesses, and big changes that made Lowell famous, especially for its textile mills and the brave women who worked in them.

Lowell's Early Years: The 1800s

Building a New City (1822-1830)

• 1822
  • The Merrimack Manufacturing Company started. This was a big textile company.
  • Hugh Cummiskley led 30 Irish workers to the Pawtucket Falls. They helped build the canals that powered the mills.
• 1824
  • St. Anne's Church was built.
  • The Lowell Daily Journal and Courier newspaper began.
• 1825 - The Hamilton Manufacturing Company, another large mill, was created.
• 1826
  • The town of Lowell was officially formed from land in Chelmsford. It was named after Francis Cabot Lowell, who helped start the American textile industry.
  • The Central Bridge opened, making it easier to cross the river.
• 1828 - The Appleton Company and Lowell Manufacturing Company, more textile mills, were started.
• 1829 - The Lowell Fire Department was created to keep the city safe.
• 1830
  • More big textile companies like Lawrence Manufacturing Company and Middlesex Company were formed.
  • Lowell's population was 6,474 people.

Growth and New Ideas (1831-1850)

• 1834
  • Women workers went on strike to protest unfair conditions. This was an early example of workers standing up for their rights.
  • The famous painter James Abbott McNeill Whistler was born in Lowell. His childhood home is now a museum.
• 1835
  • The Boston and Lowell Railroad started running, connecting Lowell to Boston. This helped transport goods and people.
  • The Boott Cotton Mills began, becoming one of Lowell's most famous mill complexes.
  • Lucy Larcom, a teacher, poet, and writer, moved to Lowell. She was one of the "mill girls" who worked in the factories.
• 1836 - Lowell officially became a city!
• 1840
  • The Lowell Museum opened.
  • The Lowell Offering, a magazine written by the mill girls, began publication. It shared their stories and poems.
  • Over 8,000 Lowell mill girls were working in the factories.
  • Lowell's population grew to 20,796.
• 1842 - The famous writer Charles Dickens visited Lowell.
• 1844 - The Lowell Female Labor Reform Association was formed by mill girls to fight for better working conditions.
• 1846 - Jefferson Bancroft became Lowell's mayor.
• 1847 - U.S. President Polk visited Lowell.
• 1850
  • The Lowell Gas Light Company started providing gas for lighting.
  • Lowell's population reached 33,383.

Lowell in the Mid-1800s (1851-1900)

• 1852 - Lajos Kossuth, a Hungarian freedom fighter, visited Lowell.
• 1853 - St. Patrick's Church was built.
• 1864 - The Lowell Horse Railroad began operating, making it easier to get around the city.
• 1867 - St. John's Hospital and the Young Men's Christian Association (YMCA) were established.
• 1876
  • The popular drink Moxie was invented in Lowell.
  • The Lowell Art Association was founded.
• 1883 - The Public Library opened, providing books and resources for everyone.
• 1890 - Lowell's population was 77,696.
• 1891 - Lowell General Hospital was founded.
• 1893 - The Lowell Post Office building was completed.
• 1897 - The Lowell Textile School opened. This school taught people how to work in the textile industry.
• 1900 - Lowell's population grew to 94,969.

Lowell in the 20th Century

A Changing City (1901-1970)

• 1902 - The Lowell Historical Society was started to preserve the city's history.
• 1909 - Lowell hosted a big motor racing festival with championship car races.
• 1910 - Lowell's population reached 106,294.
• 1917 - Demoulas Market, a grocery store, opened.
• 1922 - The Lowell Memorial Auditorium was built. It's still a place for concerts and events today.
• 1925 - Edith Nourse Rogers became a U.S. representative for Massachusetts. She was an important woman in politics.
• 1942 - The Lowell Ordnance Plant was active, helping with the war effort.
• 1946 - The New England Golden Gloves boxing tournament began in Lowell.
• 1951 - WCAP (AM) radio started broadcasting.

Revitalization and New Beginnings (1971-2000)

• 1971 - The Lowell Historic District Commission was approved, helping to protect the city's historic buildings.
• 1974 - The Lowell Regional Transit Authority was created to help people get around.
• 1975
  • The University of Massachusetts Lowell was established.
  • Paul Tsongas became a U.S. representative for Massachusetts. He later became a U.S. Senator.
• 1976 - Wang Laboratories, a big computer company, moved to Lowell.
• 1978 - The Lowell National Historical Park was created. This park helps tell the story of Lowell's industrial past.
• 1980 - Lowell's population was 92,418.
• 1987 - Middlesex Community College opened a campus in Lowell.
• 1989 - Lowell became a sister city with Saint-Dié-des-Vosges, France.
• 1990
  • The Lowell Folk Festival began. It's a popular event celebrating different cultures.
  • The Baystate Marathon started.
• 1992 - Wang went bankrupt, which was a big change for Lowell's economy.
• 1996 - The Lowell Spinners baseball team was founded.
• 1997 - The Merrimack Valley Textile Museum moved to Lowell.
• 1998
  • Edward A. LeLacheur Park (for baseball) and the Paul E. Tsongas Center at UMass Lowell (for sports and events) opened.
  • The Lowell Lock Monsters hockey team was formed.

Lowell in the 21st Century

• 2001
  • Winterfest, a popular winter festival, began.
  • Lowell established sister city relationships with Phnom Penh and Siem Reap, Cambodia.
• 2006 - Lowell became a sister city with Bryansk, Russia.
• 2007 - Niki Tsongas became a U.S. representative for Massachusetts.
• 2010
  • Lowell became a sister city with Winneba, Ghana.
  • Lowell's population was 106,519.
• 2014 - Kevin Murphy became Lowell's city manager.

Images for kids

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  Lowell Bleachery, a factory that cleaned and whitened cloth, started in 1832.

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  A map of Lowell from 1834, showing how the city looked in its early days.

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  The jail in Lowell, built in 1856.

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  Advertisements from Lowell in 1875, showing local businesses.

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  A detailed map of Lowell from 1876, showing the city from above.