Browse Collections (13 total)

This collection contains late 19th- through early 20th-century pictures of mill workers, at work and rest, and the machines they used. Modern…

These photographs show the machinery developed for use in Lowell’s mills. Along with the generators and turbines that converted potential energy to…

In the 19th century, the Merrimack River provided the energy that stimulated the rapid growth of the textile industry in Lowell and the surrounding…

These maps of Lowell provide a fascinating look at the city’s evolution since its early 19th-century founding. The maps are a window into how an…

This collection contains numerous visual representations of Lowell, such as postcards, photographs, and newspaper engravings. The items, dating from…

This collection of street views includes an 1856 engraving of Merrimack Street, black and white photos from the late 19th and early 20th centuries,…

This collection provides examples of how 19th-century writers and artists responded to changes brought about by the rise of industrialization.…

Life in an industrial city brought opportunities and hardships and did not always live up to the rosy picture painted by the mill owners who recruited…

The considerable number of churches and temples around the city are representative of Lowell’s various religious denominations. This collection…

These photographs highlight the environmental impacts that industrialization had on Lowell. From the air pollution emitted by the mills’ smokestacks…