History of Lowell, Massachusetts

The history of Lowell, Massachusetts, is closely tied to its location along the Pawtucket Falls of the Merrimack River, from being an important fishing ground for the Pennacook tribe[1] to providing water power for the factories that formed the basis of the city's economy for a century. The city of Lowell was started in the 1820s as a money-making venture and social project referred to as "The Lowell Experiment", and quickly became the United States' largest textile center. However, within approximately a century, the decline and collapse of that industry in New England placed the city into a deep recession. Lowell's "rebirth", partially tied to Lowell National Historical Park, has made it a model for other former industrial towns, although the city continues to struggle with deindustrialization and suburbanization.

Lowell is considered the "Cradle of the American Industrial Revolution",[2] as it was the first large-scale factory town in the United States.

  1. ^ "Lowell History". lowell.com. Archived from the original on March 15, 2010. Retrieved January 8, 2010.
  2. ^ Ridgley, Heidi (Spring 2009). "An Industrial Revolution". National Parks Magazine. American National Park Service. Archived from the original on March 22, 2011. Retrieved June 14, 2009.