Lowell, MA - Canal boat tours on weekends and a river-related event kick-off the early summer season between Memorial Day weekend through June 19 at Lowell National Historical Park. The Park, one of over 390 units of the National Park Service, preserves and interprets the history of the American Industrial Revolution in Lowell, Massachusetts. The park in downtown Lowell includes historic cotton textile mills, 5.6 miles of power canals, operating gatehouses, and worker housing. The Park offerings from May 29, 2010 through June 19, 2010 are adjusted for the season. An increased schedule, with canal boat tours offered daily, begins Sunday, June 20.
Tours:
Working the Water Tour
Who dug the canals? Who worked the locks and gates? Discover the human force behind the power of the canal system on this 90-minute tour on the Pawtucket Canal. This canal boat tour is offered Saturdays, Sundays, and Memorial Day beginning May 29 through June 19 at 11:00am, 12:00pm, 2:00pm and 3:00pm. Fees: Adults, $8.00; Seniors/students, $7.00; youth (6 -16 years old), $6.00; Children 5 and under, free.
Views of Lowell Tour
Join a park ranger to discover intriguing locations and stories of Lowell. You may learn about the downtown locks and canal structures; explore the relationship of the river to the power and production of the industrial city; or learn about the lives of Lowell’s famous “mill girls." Tour travels primarily by trolley although there may be some walking. This tour is offered at 2:30 pm, Monday -Friday. Free.
Special Events and Exhibits
Preservation Movement Then and Now: Two Centuries of Historic Preservation in Massachusetts
Explore this exhibit at the Boott Cotton Mills Gallery and discover the role of historic preservation in Massachusetts and Lowell. Exhibit is open daily through September 5 from 12:00 to 4:00 pm and weekends through September 26.
RiverFest: Art Goes Green
Saturday, June 12 brings RiverFest:Art Goes Green to Lowell and celebrates the opening of the Concord River Greenway. Visit www.lowellriverfest.org for more information. Rain Date: June 13.
John Whelan and Donna Hébert: The Irish-French Connection
A free concert on Wednesday, June 23rd at 7:30 pm at the school hall of Immaculate Conception School, 218 East Merrimack Street, Lowell, MA. For more information about the array of Franco-American Week events, please visit http://francolowellma.com/.
Additional Visitor Offerings:
In addition to the boat tours and special events, Lowell National Historical Park offers the following opportunities to discover Lowell from May 23 through June 19:
Visitor Center, 246 Market Street
9:00 am - 5:00 pm, Daily
Begin your visit at the Visitor Center in Market Mills, the former Bigelow Carpet Company complex, one of the city’s original textile mills. At the Visitor Center, you can plan your exploration of the major park sites and the city’s rich industrial past. Here “Lowell: the Industrial Revelation", an award -winning multimedia presentation, is available introducing visitors to the story of how people, technology, and capital came together to revolutionize textile production-and a way of life-in Lowell and other American cities. Make reservations for park tours and other programs; visit the Children’s Corner, sign up for the Junior Ranger Program, and shop in the Museum Store. Learn about Lowell’s many cultural institutions and the diverse array of special events that celebrate the city’s rich ethnic heritage. Free admission.
Boott Cotton Mills Museum,
115 John Street
9:30 am - 5:00 pm, Daily.
Don’t miss the roar of a 1920s weave room with operating power looms! The park’s primary exhibit includes the weave room and interactive exhibits and video programs about the Industrial Revolution, labor, and the rise, fall, and rebirth of Lowell. Fees: Adults, $6.00; Youths, 6 -16 & Students $3.00; Senior Discount; Children 5 and under, free. Call to inquire about special group rates.
Mill Girls & Immigrants Exhibit,
4o French Street
1:30 pm - 5:00 pm, Daily.
Explore the history of “mill girls" and immigrants in a Boott Mills boardinghouse. The Mill Girls & Immigrants Exhibit, located in the Mogan Cultural Center, tells the human story of the Industrial Revolution by concentrating on the working people of Lowell. Free admission.
TROLLEYS
Historic replica trolleys operate daily carrying visitors and students from the Visitor Center to the Boott Mills. Schedules vary; please check for the trolley schedule at the Visitor Center Desk. Free.
Look for the expanded summer offerings beginning Sunday, June 20 and other Park information at www.nps.gov/lowe or by calling 978-970-5000.
-NPS-
Source: U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service
