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94-783: Mellen was born in Lowell, Massachusetts , United States , on August 16, 1852. His family soon moved to Concord, New Hampshire where he attended high school, graduating in 1867. Rather than attending college, he began his railroad career as a clerk at the Northern New Hampshire Railroad in Concord in 1870. After a short time at the Central Vermont Railroad and back to the Northern New Hampshire Railroad, he moved to

188-662: A pulp mill. It was joined to the rest of the North American rail network through a connection with the Canadian Pacific Railway at St. Stephen, New Brunswick , and operated through New Brunswick territory for several miles between Calais and Woodland. In order to avoid union agreements that the rest of the rail system was forced to follow, Guilford leased this operation to an obscure B&M subsidiary known as Springfield Terminal Railway , because shortlines operate under different federal rules. Eventually,

282-490: A "back road" through Lewiston , which converged at Waterville into single track to Bangor and points east. Branch lines served the industrial center of Rumford , a resort hotel on Moosehead Lake and coastal communities from Bath to Eastport . At the end of 1970, it operated 921 miles (1,482 km) of road on 1,183 miles (1,904 km) of track; that year, it reported 950 million ton-miles of revenue freight. The Maine Central remained independent until 1981, when it

376-506: A Comprehensive Master Plan which included recommendations for zoning adaptations within the city. The city's original zoning code was adopted in 1926 and was significantly revised in 1966 and 2004, with changes included to respond to concerns about overdevelopment. In 2002, in lieu of updating the Comprehensive Master Plan, more broad changes were recommended so that the land use and development would be consistent with

470-748: A director of the New Haven in 1891. Morgan's bank had become receiver of the Northern Pacific in August 1893. Mellen had an active role in the reorganization and became president of the NP when it emerged from receivership in 1896. During his tenure there, NP's gross revenue increased by 156%, some of the increase at the expense of the Great Northern Railway (GN), part of the same supposedly anti-competitive Northern Securities Company as

564-510: A full-fledged urban center. Many of the men who composed the labor force for constructing the canals and factories had immigrated from Ireland , escaping the poverty and Great Famine of the 1830s and 1840s. The mill workers, young single women called Mill Girls , generally came from the farm families of New England. By the 1850s, Lowell had the largest industrial complex in the United States. The textile industry wove cotton produced in

658-536: A household in the city was $ 51,714, according to the American Community Survey 5-year estimate ending in 2012. The median income for a family was $ 55,852. Males had a median income of $ 44,739 versus $ 35,472 for females. The per capita income for the city was $ 22,730. About 15.2% of families and 17.5% of individuals were below the poverty line , including 24.5% of those under age 18 and 13.2% of those age 65 or over. Racial Makeup: In 2010,

752-598: A major industrial center during the 19th century, attracting more migrant workers and immigrants to its mills. Next were the Catholic Germans , followed by a large influx of French Canadians during the 1870s and 1880s. Later waves of immigrants came to work in Lowell and settled in ethnic neighborhoods, with the city's population reaching almost 50% foreign-born by 1900. By the time World War I broke out in Europe,

846-594: A major strike against the company in 1986. Guilford Transportation also moved the Maine Central's headquarters from Portland to North Billerica, Massachusetts, in the mid-1980s. One of the instigating factors which led to the labor strife at Guilford relates to a corporate reorganization at one of the company's former Maine Central properties. After the Calais Branch was abandoned, a small portion of trackage between Calais and Woodland remained in service to

940-531: A northeasterly turn there before emptying into the Atlantic Ocean at Newburyport, Massachusetts , approximately 40 miles (64 km) downriver from Lowell. It is believed that in prior ages, the Merrimack continued south from Lowell to empty into the ocean somewhere near Boston . The glacial deposits that redirected the flow of the river left the drumlins that dot the city, most notably, Fort Hill in

1034-643: A part of the University of Massachusetts Lowell system, established in 1971 to assure the safekeeping, preservation, and availability for study and research of materials in unique subject areas, particularly those related to the Greater Lowell Area and the University of Massachusetts Lowell. Located downtown in the Patrick J. Mogan Cultural Center at 40 French Street, the center is committed to

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1128-610: A reemergence of their use. Downtown Lowell includes the UMass Lowell East Campus which consists of university housing, recreation facilities, research and the university's sports arena , as well as the Middlesex Community College . Pawtucketville , the University of Massachusetts Lowell , North Campus; and the Acre make up the 01854 ZIP Code. The northwestern portion of the city includes

1222-544: A significant increase in the number of residents between the ages of 50-69 while the percentages of residents under the age of 15 and over the age of 70 decreased. In 2010 the city's population had a median age of 32.6. The age distribution was 23.7% of the population under the age of 18, 13.5% from 18 to 24, 29.4% from 25 to 44, 23.3% from 45 to 64, and 10.1% who were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females, there were 98.6 males; while for every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 97.6 males. Median Income: for

1316-801: Is a part of the Merrimack Valley Library Consortium . Currently, circulation of materials averages around 250,000 annually, with approximately one-third deriving from the children's collection. In fiscal year 2009, Lowell spent 0.35% ($ 885,377) of its budget on the library—approximately $ 8 per person, per year ($ 9.83 adjusted for inflation in 2021). As of 2012, the Pollard Library purchases access for its patrons to databases owned by: EBSCO Industries ; Gale , of Cengage Learning ; Heritage Archives, Inc. ; New England Historic Genealogical Society ; OverDrive, Inc. ; ProQuest ; and World Trade Press. The Lydon Library

1410-461: Is a part of the University of Massachusetts Lowell system, and is located on the North Campus. The building is named in honor of President Martin J. Lydon, whose vision expanded and renamed the college during his tenure in the 1950s and 1960s. Its current collection concentrates on the sciences, engineering, business management, social sciences, humanities, and health. The O'Leary Library

1504-460: Is a part of the University of Massachusetts Lowell system, and is located on the South Campus. The building is named in honor of former History Professor and then President O'Leary, whose vision helped merge the Lowell colleges during his tenure in the 1970s and 1980s. Its current collection concentrates on music and art. The Center for Lowell History [special collections and archives] is

1598-554: Is a point in the middle of the Concord River where Lowell and Billerica meet Tewksbury and Chelmsford. The ten communities designated part of the Lowell Metropolitan area by the 2000 US Census are Billerica , Chelmsford , Dracut , Dunstable , Groton , Lowell, Pepperell , Tewksbury , Tyngsborough , and Westford , and Pelham, New Hampshire . See Greater Lowell . Lowell has eight distinct neighborhoods:

1692-488: Is an urban area south of downtown, toward the mouth of River Meadow Brook. South Lowell is the area south of the railroad and east of the Concord River. Other minor neighborhoods within this ZIP Code are Ayers City, Bleachery, Chapel Hill, the Grove, Oaklands, Riverside Park, Swede Village, and Wigginville. Although the use of the names of these smaller neighborhoods has been in decline in the past decades, there has been recently

1786-487: Is elected every two years and is composed of eight district seats and three at-large seats. The School Committee is elected for two-year terms and is composed of four district seats, two at-large seats, and the mayor. City Council and School Committee elections are non-partisan. In 1957, Lowell voters repealed a single-transferable-vote system, which had been in place since 1943. The City Council chooses one of its members as mayor , and another as vice-mayor. The role of

1880-660: Is home to two institutions of higher education . UMass Lowell , part of the University of Massachusetts system, has three campuses in the city. Middlesex Community College 's two campuses are in Lowell and in the town of Bedford, Massachusetts . Arts facilities in the city include the Whistler House Museum of Art , the Merrimack Repertory Theatre , the Lowell Memorial Auditorium , and Sampas Pavilion . In sports,

1974-542: Is in use by Amtrak (now spelled Downeaster ), which began passenger service between Boston and Brunswick, Maine, in 2001. The Conway Scenic Railroad ( reporting mark CSRX ) is a heritage railroad in North Conway, New Hampshire , United States, owned by Profile Mountain Holdings Corp. The railroad operates over two historic railway routes: a line from North Conway to Conway that was formerly part of

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2068-756: Is operating these state-owned lines as the Maine Eastern Railroad . Prior to M&E, the Rockland Branch had been operated by Safe Handling , and before that, the Maine Coast Railroad . Several railroad preservation and promotion groups are seeking to have the state-owned Calais Branch and Mountain Division routes reactivated for use by short line or tourist rail operations. In March 2006, Guilford Transportation Industries changed its name to Pan Am Railways (PAR), reflecting

2162-779: Is the official entrance to the Lowell-Dracut-Tyngsborough State Forest , the site of an historic Native American tribe, and in the age of the Industrial Revolution was a prominent source of granite used in canals and factory foundations. Population Density: According to the 2010 Census , there were 106,519 people living in the city. The population density was 7,842.1 inhabitants per square mile (3,027.9/km ). There were 41,431 housing units at an average density of 2,865.5/sq mi (1,106.4/km ). Household Size : 2010, there were 38,470 households, and 23,707 families living in Lowell;

2256-670: Is the section of Centralville east of Bridge Street. The Highlands , ZIP Code 01851, is the most populated neighborhood, with almost a quarter of the city residing here. It is located in the southwestern section of the city, bordered to the east by the Lowell Connector and to the north by the railroad. Lowellians further distinguish the sections of the Highlands as the Upper Highlands and the Lower Highlands,

2350-631: The Bangor and Piscataquis Railroad in Bangor. As a result of its connection with the Grand Trunk, the Maine Central initially operated on a track gauge of 5 ft 6 in ( 1,676 mm ) known as " Canadian " or " Portland gauge ". Maine Central purchased the Portland and Kennebec Railroad, which ran from Portland to Augusta and was built to standard track gauge, since it connected with

2444-665: The Boston and Lowell Railroad (B&L) where he was promoted to Superintendent. The Boston and Lowell enjoyed revenues from leasing use of its lines into Boston to the Boston and Maine Railroad . Its policies led the B&;M to build its own line into Boston and to fight with the B&L to the New Hampshire courts. Mellen was the President of the B&L when it lost its court case, and ceased independent operations in 1887 when it

2538-541: The Boston and Maine Railroad at Portland. By 1871, the Maine Central completed its conversion to standard gauge to facilitate interchange of cars. The MEC established rail service to the Penobscot Bay in 1871 by leasing (for fifty years) the then just-completed 33-mile (53 km) of track built by the Belfast and Moosehead Lake Railroad (B&ML). The B&ML's grade ran the length of Waldo County from

2632-576: The Bridgton and Saco River Railroad in 1912, and operated both as narrow gauge branch lines. The Maine Central was at its height by 1917 when it became nationalized during World War I under the United States Railroad Administration , having trackage which extended over 1,358 miles (2,185 km). It ran from Vanceboro , Calais and Eastport in the east, to Portland in the south, St. Johnsbury, Vermont in

2726-553: The Canadian Pacific Railway purchased trackage rights from the Maine Central on the portion of the former E&NA from Mattawamkeag to Vanceboro. This Maine Central trackage formed part of the CPR's Montreal - Saint John mainline, upon completion of the International Railway of Maine . This line was an important rail route for Canadian war material heading to the port of Saint John for shipment overseas to Europe. In

2820-486: The Great Depression worsened. At this time, more than one third of its population was "on relief" (government assistance), as only three of its major textile corporations remained active. Several years later, the mills were reactivated, making parachutes and other military necessities for World War II . However, this economic boost was short-lived and the post-war years saw the last textile plants close. In

2914-764: The Industrial Revolution . The city became known as the cradle of the American Industrial Revolution because of its textile mills and factories. Many of Lowell's historic manufacturing sites were later preserved by the National Park Service to create Lowell National Historical Park . During the Cambodian genocide (1975–1979), the city took in an influx of refugees, leading to a Cambodia Town and America's second-largest Cambodian-American population. Lowell

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3008-617: The Lowell National Historical Park , founded in the late 1970s. Although Wang went bankrupt in 1992, the city continued its cultural focus by hosting the nation's largest free folk festival, the Lowell Folk Festival , as well as many other cultural events. This effort began to attract other companies and families back to the urban center. Additional historic manufacturing and commercial buildings were adapted as residential units and office space. By

3102-519: The Merrimack and Concord rivers. The Pawtucket Falls , a mile-long set of rapids with a total drop in elevation of 32 feet, ends where the two rivers meet. At the top of the falls is the Pawtucket Dam, designed to turn the upper Merrimack into a millpond , diverted through Lowell's extensive canal system. The Merrimack, which flows southerly from Franklin, New Hampshire to Lowell, makes

3196-591: The National Register of Historic Places including many buildings and structures as part of the Lowell National Historical Park . In the early years of the 1840s when the population quickly exceeded 20,000, Lowell became very active as a cultural center, with the construction of the Lowell Museum , the Mechanics Hall , as well as the new City Hall used for art exhibits, lectures , and for

3290-619: The Southern United States . In 1860, there were more cotton spindles in Lowell than in all eleven states combined that would form the Confederate States of America . Many of the coarse cottons produced in Lowell eventually returned to the South to clothe enslaved people, and, according to historian Sven Beckert, "'Lowell' became the generic term slaves used to describe coarse cottons." The city continued to thrive as

3384-536: The United States Census Bureau , the city has a total area of 14.5 square miles (38 km ) of which 13.8 square miles (36 km ) is land and 0.8 square miles (2.1 km ) (5.23%) is water. Lowell features a four-season Humid continental climate , with long and very cold winters, which typically experience an average 56 in (1,400 mm) of snowfall, with the highest ever recorded seasonal snowfall being 120 in (3,000 mm) in

3478-502: The United States Railroad Administration assumed control in 1917. The main line extended from South Portland, Maine , east to the Canada–United States border with New Brunswick , and a Mountain Division extended west from Portland to St. Johnsbury, Vermont , and north into Quebec . The main line was double track from South Portland to Royal Junction, where it split into a "lower road" through Brunswick and Augusta and

3572-646: The White Mountains of New Hampshire via Crawford Notch , and into St. Johnsbury, Vermont , where it connected with the Southeastern Railway (owned by the Canadian Pacific Railway ). Maine Central also operated a line southeast from Bangor along the coast through Machias to Calais , with branches to Bucksport , Bar Harbor and Eastport . Maine Central gained stock control of the Sandy River and Rangeley Lakes Railroad in 1911 and

3666-440: The performing arts . The Lowell Museum was lost in a devastating fire in the early morning of January 31, 1856, but was quickly rehoused in a new location. The Lowell Art Association was founded in 1876, and the new Opera House was built in 1889. Continuing to inspire and entertain, Lowell currently has a plethora of artistic exhibitions and performances throughout a wide range of venues in the city: The first Lowell public library

3760-743: The 1820s as a planned manufacturing center for textiles , Lowell is located along the rapids of the Merrimack River , 25 miles (40 km) northwest of Boston in what was once the farming community of East Chelmsford, Massachusetts . The so-called Boston Associates , including Nathan Appleton and Patrick Tracy Jackson of the Boston Manufacturing Company , named the new mill town after their visionary leader, Francis Cabot Lowell , who had died five years before its 1823 incorporation. As Lowell's population grew, it acquired land from neighboring towns, and diversified into

3854-646: The 1930s it began to change its locomotives from steam -powered to diesel -powered. Beginning in 1933, Maine Central entered into a "joint management" agreement with the Boston and Maine Railroad , with which it shared the Portland Terminal Company (a switching railroad in Portland). Faced with increased competition from cars, trucks and buses, Maine Central operated its last passenger train on September 5, 1960, and continued to reduce its freight business to reflect changing traffic. In 1980,

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3948-545: The 1970s, Lowell became part of the Massachusetts Miracle , being the headquarters of Wang Laboratories . At the same time, Lowell became home to thousands of new immigrants, many from Cambodia , following the genocide at the hands of the Khmer Rouge . The city continued to rebound, but this time, focusing more on culture. The former mill district along the river was partially restored and became part of

4042-667: The 1990s, Lowell had built a new ballpark and arena, which became home to two minor league sports teams, the Lowell Devils and Lowell Spinners . The city also began to have a larger student population. The University of Massachusetts Lowell and Middlesex Community College expanded their programs and enrollment. During the period of time when Lowell was part of the Massachusetts Miracle, the Lowell City Development Authority created

4136-476: The 1990s, and while the likelihood of becoming a victim of violent crime in Massachusetts are 1 in 265, the odds in Lowell are 1 in 289, making Lowell (approximately) 10% safer than the rest of the state, on average. Lowell's violent crime rate is comparable to Honolulu, HI and is less than one-quarter that of Washington, D.C. Among the many tourist attractions, Lowell also currently has 39 places on

4230-468: The Acre, Back Central, Belvidere, Centralville, Downtown, Highlands, Pawtucketville, and South Lowell. The city also has five ZIP codes : four are geographically distinct general ZIP codes, and one (01853) is for post-office boxes only. The Centralville neighborhood, ZIP Code 01850, is the northeastern section of the city, north of the Merrimack River and east of Beaver Brook . Christian Hill

4324-771: The American Civil War. In 1981, the library was renamed the Pollard Memorial Library in memory of the late Mayor Samuel S. Pollard. And, in the mid-2000s the century-old National Historic building underwent a major $ 8.5m renovation. The city also expanded the library system to include the Senior Center Branch, located in the City of Lowell Senior Center. In fiscal year 2008, the city of Lowell spent 0.36% ($ 975,845) of its budget on its public libraries, which houses 236,000 volumes, and

4418-403: The Belvidere neighborhood. Other large hills in Lowell include Lynde Hill, also in Belvidere, and Christian Hill, in the easternmost part of Centralville at the Dracut town line. The Concord, or Musketaquid (its original name), forms from the confluence of the Assabet and Sudbury rivers at Concord, Massachusetts . This river flows north into the city, and the area around the confluence with

4512-501: The Boston and Maine Railroad. His goal, along with the New Haven's financier J. P. Morgan, was to consolidate, electrify and modernize all the main railroads of New England, so as to lower competition and produce higher profits. The result of his abrasive tactics alienated public opinion, led to high prices for acquisitions and costly construction; the accident rate soared when efforts were made to save on maintenance costs. Debt soared from $ 14 million in 1903 to $ 242 million in 1913, when it

4606-546: The City Council and despite numerous changes to the 2004 Zoning Code, it remains the basic framework for resolving zoning issues in Lowell to this day. The Hamilton Canal District (HCD) is the first district in Lowell in which regulation and development is defined by Form-Based Code (HCD-FBC) and legislated by its own guiding framework consistent to the HCD Master Plan. The HCD is a major redevelopment project that comprises 13 acres of vacant, underutilized land in downtown Lowell abutting former industrial mills. Trinity Financial

4700-401: The Merrimack was known as Wamesit. Like the Merrimack, the Concord, although a much smaller river, has many waterfalls and rapids that served as power sources for early industrial purposes, some well before the founding of Lowell. Immediately after the Concord joins the Merrimack, the Merrimack descends another ten feet in Hunt's Falls. There is a ninety-degree bend in the Merrimack partway down

4794-422: The NP. Furthermore, Mellen made acquisitions that enabled the NP to reach the Pacific and thereby compete with the GN over its entire route. James J. Hill , founder of the GN and part of the Trust, called Mellen and his Morgan-appointed predecessor there "overrated underachievers". But by this time Mellen had become a staunch Morgan man. He told reporters, "I wear the Morgan collar, but I am proud of it." But yet he

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4888-593: The Pawtucket Falls. At this point, the river briefly widens and shallows. Here, Beaver Brook enters from the north, separating the city's two northern neighborhoods, Pawtucketville and Centralville. Entering the Concord River from the southwest is River Meadow, or Hale's Brook. This brook flows largely in a man-made channel, as the Lowell Connector was built along it. Both of these minor streams have limited industrial histories as well. The bordering towns (clockwise from north) are Dracut , Tewksbury , Billerica , Chelmsford , and Tyngsborough . The border with Billerica

4982-514: The annual New England Golden Gloves tournament, which featured fighters such as Rocky Marciano , Sugar Ray Leonard , and Marvin Hagler . Micky Ward and Dicky Eklund both began their careers in Lowell, the subject of the 2010 film The Fighter . Arthur Ramalho's West End Gym is where many of the city's boxers train. * =current mayor **=former mayor Lowell has a Plan-E council-manager government . There are eleven city councilors and seven school committee members. The City Council

5076-409: The attempted takeover of the Boston and Maine Railroad , brought him into public contention with antitrust lawyer Louis Brandeis in Massachusetts. In May 1908 Morgan's partner George Walbridge Perkins wrote to Morgan: "I still feel, as I have for couple of years, that Mr. Mellen is getting the New Haven into considerable of a muddle by his financial methods and this, I think, is becoming more or less

5170-451: The average household size was 2.66 and the average family size was 3.31. Of those households, 34.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 35.9% were married couples living together, 14.7% had a female householder with no husband present, 38.4% were non-families, 29.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. Age Distributions: Lowell has also experienced

5264-459: The city (south of the Merrimack River and southeast of the Lowell Connector). Belvidere is the mostly residential area south of the Merrimack River, east of the Concord River, and north of the Lowell and Lawrence railroad. Belvidere Hill Historic District runs along Fairmount Street. Lower Belvidere is the section west of Nesmith Street. Rogers Fort Hill Park Historic District , Lowell Cemetery , and Shedd Park are this side of town. Back Central

5358-406: The city had reached its economic peak. In 1922, it was affected by the 1922 New England Textile Strike , shutting down the mills in the city over an attempted wage cut. The Mill Cities' manufacturing base declined as companies began to relocate to the South in the 1920s. The city fell into hard times, and was even referred to as a "depressed industrial desert" by Harper's Magazine in 1931, as

5452-480: The city has a long tradition of boxing, hosting the annual New England Golden Gloves boxing tournament. The city has a baseball stadium, Edward A. LeLacheur Park , and a multipurpose indoor sports arena, the Tsongas Center , both of which have hosted collegiate and minor-league professional sports teams. Cawley Stadium, home of the Lowell High School Red Raiders, also played host to the Boston Patriots during their first season. The Pawtucket Falls , which provided

5546-464: The confluence of the Concord and Merrimack Rivers in what is today Lowell, however the population of Wamesit was reckoned at only 75 people just prior to King Phillip's War , which significantly altered relations between English colonists and indigenous groups in New England, and led to the abandonment of many praying towns. By the 1800s, the area that would become Lowell was part of the farming community of East Chelmsford, Massachusetts. Founded in

5640-401: The corporate reorganization under Springfield Terminal would extend to the full extent of Guilford operations, and attempting to run a class 1 under short line rules would lead to years of union troubles. The former Maine Central locomotive shops in Waterville continue as Guilford's main repair shops. In the early 1990s, Guilford ended its practice of putting the full "Maine Central" name on

5734-423: The current master plan. The most significant revision to the 1966 zoning code is the adoption of an inclusion of a transect-based zoning code and some aspects of a form-based code style of zoning that emphasizes urban design elements as a means to ensure that infill development will respect the character of the neighborhood or district in question. By 2004, the recommended zoning changes were unanimously adopted by

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5828-542: The design and implementation of historical, educational, and cultural programs that link the university and the community in developing an economically strong and multi-culturally rich region. Its current collections and archives focus on historic and contemporary issues of Lowell (including: industrialization, textile technology, immigration, social history, regional history, labor history, women's history, and environmental history). Boxing has formed an important part of Lowell's working-class culture. The city's auditorium hosts

5922-420: The ethnic diversity of the city was 60.3% White (49.3% Non-Hispanic White ), 20.2% Asian American (12.5% Cambodian, 2.0% Indian, 1.7% Vietnamese, 1.4% Laotian), 6.8% African American , 0.3% Native American , 8.8% from other races , 3.6% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 17.3% of the population. The largest Hispanic group was those of Puerto Rican ancestry, constituting 11.3% of

6016-409: The first Cambodian-American mayor in the United States, Sokhary Chau . According to current FBI Crime Data Analysis, Lowell is the 46th most dangerous city in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, for all sizes. In 2018, the violent crime rate for Lowell was less than half of the violent crime rate in Boston, with no murders compared to 49 in Boston. Lowell's crime rate has dropped tremendously since

6110-401: The franchise for the New York, Westchester and Boston Railway and resolving a franchise dispute with the New York and Port Chester Railroad . Lowell, Massachusetts Lowell ( / ˈ l oʊ ə l / ) is a city in Massachusetts , United States. Alongside Cambridge , it is one of two traditional seats of Middlesex County . With an estimated population of 115,554 in 2020 , it

6204-399: The general opinion." The failed Morganization of the New Haven was among the great embarrassments to the Morgan interests. The Mellen-Morgan policies led to the New Haven's future financial troubles, culminating in bankruptcy in 1935. Mellen's Morganization efforts in New England also put him in executive positions at the Maine Central Railroad , the New York, Ontario and Western Railway , and

6298-411: The hydropower for Lowell's industry in the 1800s, also served as an important seasonal fishing site for native people at the time of European colonization in the 1600s. The Pawtucket people are named for this location, literally meaning "at the falls" in Massachusett . In the mid-1600s, English efforts to convert native people to Christianity led to the founding of the " praying town " of Wamesit at

6392-405: The job, but Morgan needed him at the NP. By 1903 Morgan's priorities had changed. Upon assuming the New Haven presidency Mellen undertook a program of "Morganization" of transportation in New England that extended from railroads to steamship lines and street railways. The New Haven even bought control of the chronically unprofitable New York, Ontario and Western Railway . His efforts, in particular

6486-403: The latter being the area closer to downtown. Middlesex Village, Tyler Park, and Drum Hill are in this ZIP Code. The Upper Highlands also includes the University of Massachusetts Lowell, South Campus (Fine Arts, Humanities, Social Sciences, Health Sciences & Education). Downtown , Belvidere , Back Central , and South Lowell make up the 01852 ZIP Code, and are the southeastern sections of

6580-415: The long hoods of MEC locomotives. Instead, the locomotives would wear the "Guilford Rail System" moniker, with small "MEC" reporting marks underneath the cab windows. On November 1, 2003, the Morristown and Erie Railway (M&E) took over the former Maine Central "Lower Road" (main line) and Rockland Branch routes (aided by significant public funding from the state Department of Transportation). M&E

6674-404: The mayor is primarily ceremonial. The mayor runs the weekly meetings under the guidance of the City Clerk. In addition, the mayor serves as the Chairperson of the School Committee. The administrative head of the city government is the City Manager , who is responsible for all day-to-day operations, functioning within the guidelines of City Council policy, and is hired by and serves indefinitely at

6768-413: The mid-1980s, Guilford began to rationalize its system and fully one-third of Maine Central's trackage was eliminated, including the "Mountain Division" from Portland to St. Johnsbury, Vermont; the "Rockland Branch" from Brunswick to Rockland ; the "Calais Branch" from Bangor to Calais; and the "Lower Road" from Augusta to Brunswick . Guilford also forced many management and salary changes, resulting in

6862-540: The months before the United States entered World War I , a German Army lieutenant attempted to blow up the railway bridge which crossed the St. Croix River at the international boundary . The lieutenant was arrested by Washington County sheriff Still Woodman, who later became chairman of Maine's Highway Department. In 1888, the Maine Central leased the Portland and Ogdensburg Railroad , which ran from Portland, through

6956-547: The neighborhood where Jack Kerouac resided around the area of University Avenue (previously known as Moody Street). The North Campus of UMass Lowell (Colleges of Engineering, Sciences and Business) is in Pawtucketville near the Lowell General Hospital. The older parts of the neighborhood are around University Avenue and Mammoth Road , whereas the newer parts are around Varnum Avenue. Pawtucketville

7050-536: The new shop site, but the railroad decided to remain in Waterville and constructed new, modern shops north of the old ones along the Kennebec River . By 1915 about 2,000 people were employed at the roundhouse, shops, and yards. Following World War I, Maine Central began retracting. It sold or abandoned lines such as the narrow gauge and logging branches, as well as its hotels, ferries and steamships. In

7144-600: The pleasure of at least 5 of 9 City Councilors. As of April 2017, the City Manager is Eileen M. Donghue replacing Kevin J. Murphy . Maine Central Railroad The Maine Central Railroad ( reporting mark MEC ) was a U. S. class 1 railroad in central and southern Maine . It was chartered in 1856 and began operations in 1862. By 1884, Maine Central was the longest railroad in New England . Maine Central had expanded to 1,358 miles (2,185 km) when

7238-640: The population. Cambodian-American Population: In 2010, Lowell had the highest proportion of residents of Cambodian origin of any place in the United States at 12.5% of the population. The Government of Cambodia opened up its third U.S. Consular Office in Lowell, on April 27, 2009, with Sovann Ou as current advisor to the Cambodian Embassy . The other consular offices are in Long Beach, California , and Seattle , Washington , which also have large Cambodian communities. In 2022, Lowell elected

7332-581: The port town of Belfast inland to Burnham Junction , where its single track connected with the MEC's Portland to Bangor mainline. Maine Central operated the road as its "Belfast Branch" for the next 55 years, but on June 30, 1925, MEC President Morris McDonald — after repeated public denials — gave the B&ML (and the city of Belfast as its majority owner) the required six months notice that it would not renew its by then year-to-year lease when it expired on December 31, 1925. The reason eventually given

7426-465: The purchase of Pan American World Airways brand in 1998. PAR began repainting locomotives in the sky-blue Pan Am colors shortly thereafter. Pan Am was acquired by CSX Corporation in 2022. The MEC passenger trains, often advertised as "M.C. R.R." in the early 20th century, were essential to the sporting camp movement as early as the 1880s when people from Boston , New York , Philadelphia , and Detroit would make their way north to hunt and fish in

7520-532: The railroad was purchased by U.S. Filter Corporation and was then sold in 1981 to Guilford Transportation Industries , which later purchased the Boston and Maine Railroad (and thereby the Portland Terminal) in 1983 and the Delaware and Hudson Railway in 1984. Initially Guilford operated the system intact, although the system now permitted run-through traffic between central Maine and Boston . By

7614-459: The west, and to Lime Ridge, Quebec in the north. It also operated resorts and coastal steamships and ferries. The main repair facilities for locomotives and cars were located in Waterville, Maine . The first primitive shops were built in the 1850s, but by the 1880s it was apparent that these could no longer handle modern equipment. The city of Portland, Maine vied with Waterville to become

7708-658: The western mountains and the Maine North Woods . From Portland's Union Station , the MEC had unnamed trains to Bangor via Lewiston , to Bangor via Augusta, to Rockland, to Calais via Ellsworth , to Farmington and to Montreal via North Conway . Among the named trains operated by the MEC prior to ending passenger service in 1960 were the Bar Harbor Express , Down Easter , Flying Yankee , Gull , Katahdin , Kennebec , Mountaineer , Penobscot , Pine Tree , and Skipper . The Down Easter name

7802-416: The winter of 2014–2015. Summers are hot and humid, and of average length, while autumn and spring are brief transition periods between the two. On average, temperature in Lowell ranges from 64 to 84 °F (18 to 29 °C) in the summer months, and between 2 and 33 °F (−17 and 1 °C) in the winter months, with the yearly average being 49 °F (9 °C). Lowell is located at the confluence of

7896-461: The years from 1994 to 1999, crime dropped 50 percent, the highest rate of decrease for any city in America with over 100,000 residents. Within one generation, by 2009, Lowell was ranked as the 139th most dangerous city of over 75,000 residents in the United States, out of 393 communities. Out of Massachusetts cities, nine are larger than 75,000 residents, and Lowell was fifth. For comparison Lowell

7990-564: Was a net loss to the MEC on the Belfast Branch operations of $ 113,230 for the year 1924. The B&ML took over operation of its road on January 1, 1926. It continued to exchange passengers and mail with the MEC at their jointly owned station at Burnham Junction until 1960 and freight interchange traffic until 2002. In 1882, Maine Central leased the European and North American Railway (E&NA) between Bangor and Vanceboro . In 1889,

8084-573: Was elected as the Master Developer to recreate this district with a vision of making a mixed-use neighborhood. Development plans included establishing the HCD as a gateway to downtown Lowell and enhanced connectivity to Gallagher Terminal . In the 1990s, Lowell had been locally notorious for being a place of high drug trafficking and gang activity, and was the setting for a real life documentary, High on Crack Street: Lost Lives in Lowell . In

8178-540: Was established in 1844 with 3,500 volumes, and was set up in the first floor of the Old City Hall, 226 Merrimack St. In 1872, the expanding collection was relocated down the street to the Hosford Building at 134 Merrimack St. In 1890–1891, the City of Lowell hired local Architect Frederick W. Stickney to design the new Lowell City Library, known as "Memorial Hall, in honor of the city's men who died in

8272-573: Was hit by an antitrust lawsuit by the federal government on the charge of monopolizing New England's rail traffic. He was called, "The last of the railway czars." J. P. Morgan was aged and ill when the difficulties of the New Haven and other efforts led him to be summoned to give testimony before the Pujo Committee . Morgan died on March 31, 1913. Mellen shouldered the burden of testifying and faced indictments. He provided testimony concerning nearly $ 10,000,000 disbursed in connection with acquiring

8366-684: Was leased to the Boston and Maine Railroad . From 1888 to 1892 he was purchasing agent, then General Traffic Manager of the Union Pacific Railroad , where he formed a friendship with Diamond Jim Brady . In 1892, he became general manager of the New York and New England Railroad , during a time when it was engaged in a bitter war with the New Haven. Charles P. Clark , the New Haven's president, hired him away from his competitor in November 1892. Mellen later testified that "[Clark] said I

8460-536: Was not fully informed about the machinations of Morgan, Hill, and Harriman concerning stock in his company. On Monday, May 6, 1901, the Morgan interests were buying up NP stock. On Tuesday Mellen wired an NP vice president in New York "Cannot you give me some idea what is transpiring, to explain tremendous movement our stock?". When Charles P. Clark resigned as the New Haven's president in 1900, Mellen made inquiries for

8554-606: Was purchased by Guilford Transportation Industries and became part of what is now CSX Corporation . The Maine Central was created in 1862 through the merger of the Androscoggin and Kennebec Railroad and the Penobscot and Kennebec Railroad , resulting in a line from Danville (now Auburn ) to Bangor . The line connected with the Grand Trunk Railway on its Portland - Chicago mainline at Danville and with

8648-412: Was still rated safer than Boston (104 of 393), Providence, RI (123), Springfield (51), Lynn (120), Fall River (103), and New Bedford (85), but rated more dangerous than Cambridge (303), Newton (388), Quincy (312), and Worcester (175). Lowell is located at 42°38′22″N 71°18′53″W  /  42.63944°N 71.31472°W  / 42.63944; -71.31472 (42.639444, −71.314722). According to

8742-409: Was the fifth most populous city in Massachusetts as of the last census, and the third most populous in the Boston metropolitan statistical area . The city is also part of a smaller Massachusetts statistical area , called Greater Lowell , and of New England 's Merrimack Valley region. Incorporated in 1826 to serve as a mill town , Lowell was named after Francis Cabot Lowell , a local figure in

8836-687: Was too much of a nuisance on the New England." Mellen came to the attention of J. P. Morgan when he drove such a hard bargain with the New York Central that Chauncey Depew complained to Morgan, a director of both the New Haven and the New York Central. Morgan's grandfather was an original investor in the Hartford and New Haven Railroad , one of the two principal predecessors of the New Haven. His interests had led him to become

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