Embark on a Canal Boat Adventure

If you’ve been searching for a way to enjoy this beautiful weather and learning about Lowell’s rich history, you absolutely need to go on a canal boat tour! The tours are provided by the Lowell National Historical Park and are a great way to see how the waterways have supported Lowell’s historical development and growth throughout the years. I just so happened to go on the Working the Water Tour on one of the hottest days of the year (so far,) and it was nice to be on the water for a bit with a nice breeze!

The tour starts on the platform outside the visitor’s center at 246 Market Street. The park ranger who is leading your tour will give an introduction about what you will be experiencing and some background information before heading to the trolley which brings you to the boat.

Allison was the Park Ranger who led the tour I was on, and she was answering questions right from the start. Throughout the tour, Allison passed around pictures of how the canals appeared in their early years, maps of the canal system, and of the men who dug the canals or had important roles in canal history.

Not only was the tour filled with historical facts, but we also got to see a reenactment of how the Swamp Lock gate was manually opened and closed for those passing through.  A sign with the toll prices was another piece that was really cool to see; for some reason it never occurred to me that boats paid tolls too!

One of the interesting visuals that Allison pointed out as we were going through the canal was that one side was made with stones fitted together and the other side was made with cement blocks. The cement, a more recent improvement, was breaking apart while the stones were solid and looked like they could be just a few years old.

The tour did not end when we stepped off the boat. Allison continued to give information about canal history and the influence and impact that it has had on Lowell. The tour ended with a trolley ride back to the visitor’s center on Market Street, which is just a short walk away from many unique cafes and restaurants, a perfect way to wrap up your day in the Canalway Cultural District. Check out the dining guide here.

Lowell Opens its Doors and Lights Up A Bridge

Doors Open Lowell takes place this Friday and Saturday, May 4th and 5th. In its 17th year, this event allows the community to experience Lowell’s history in a whole new way. We typically are only able to admire the outside architecture of the different buildings that gives Lowell its historic character. Open doors provide an inside view to 31 buildings, as well as many “Doors Open XTRAS” open from 6-9 PM on Friday and from 10 AM- 1 PM and 1 PM- 4 PM on Saturday. There will be shuttle stops on May 5th connecting the different locations. Click here for the map.

---

A new addition this year is the Swamp Locks Gatehouse located on Dutton Street. This gatehouse began operating in 1796 and was the second of three locking locations built on the Pawtucket canal. There have been many reconstructions of the gatehouse over the years and the current one is a restoration of the 1859 version. Swamp Locks will be open for tours on May 5th from 10 AM – 1 PM.

---

From 6 PM- dusk on May 4th, you can climb aboard the New Orleans “streetcar named Desire,” a Doors Open XTRA The streetcar will depart from Dutton Street, behind the National Street Car Museum. Lowell’s first electric streetcar system began operating in 1889, and their final run was in 1935. The streetcar, New Orleans No. 966, currently in Lowell as part of the “On Track” exhibit, is one of the famed cars that transported people through the French Quarter and inspired Tennessee Williams’ play “A Streetcar Named Desire.” Built by Perley-Thomas of High Point, North Carolina in 1924, it ran throughout the city until 1964.

---

Photo courtesy of Barbara Poole

 Another XTRA this year is the Spalding House. Built in 1760 and located at 383 Pawtucket Street, the Spalding House is the third oldest surviving house in Lowell. The house was purchased in pounds and schillings because at this time we were still under the rule of England. The Spalding House was also known as the Moses Davis Inn and was a refuge for barge keepers bringing lumber down the Merrimack River before the canals were built. This historic site also features a lighting collection representing lighting sources throughout its history. The house will be open on May 5th from 1-4 PM

---

The Franco American School will also be one of the buildings open for tours. Dating back to the 1870’s, the Franco American has been home to prominent Lowellians, an orphanage and a school. The building is currently being converted into residences, but the character and the history will be preserved. The estate has 14 Stations of the Cross and a Grotto reflecting its history as a Catholic orphanage and school. After 108 years, the Franco American has found yet another purpose to serve to the community of Lowell. Franco American will be open on May 5th from 1-4 PM.

---

Photo courtesy of GLCF

Don't miss it! The Cox Bridge Lighting is happening on May 5th! Thanks to the generosity of donors at the Greater Lowell Community Foundation, the Cox Bridge has been outfitted with LED lighting that will highlight the architecture of the bridge and create a colorful display on this Lowell landmark, announcing holidays and special events. Come join us for fun, food, and entertainment before the switch is officially flipped. More info here. 

Spring into Art

There is no better way to celebrate the arrival of spring than seeing beautiful art around the city! The upcoming months will have great opportunities to view inspiring artwork that will make you want to keep coming back! Stretch your legs after this long and exhausting winter and see the superb exhibits up on display.

Explore Lowell’s history in a new, exciting way! The Branding Lowell exhibit at the Mogan Cultural Center highlights the branding and design used in Lowell since its founding in 1836 up to the present day. There will be merchandise available for purchase and 100% of proceeds go towards Lowell High School’s Visual Arts Program. Branding Lowell will run through the spring and summer daily at the Mogan Cultural Center with a satellite location at Mill No. 5. Follow the link for more information.

---

Other Exhibits Happening Around Lowell

Nancy Bernardo will give a public lecture at UMass Lowell O’Leary Library about her works and current show “Decorative Debris” In this exhibit, Bernardo uses transitory texts from the early 20th Century to show the beauty in everyday imagery. The lecture will begin at 3:30 P.M. followed by a reception at the University Gallery in Mahoney Hall, from 5-6 PM. The exhibit will continue until April 21st.

---

Meanwhile, at the Arts League of Lowell, the exhibit "Honoring Gaia: Mother Earth" has been on display since March 1st and run to April 22nd. This exhibit honors Gaia, Mother Earth in mythology, life, birth, and the regeneration of our planets fragile ecosystems in the face of dangerous climate change. Visit the website for more information.

---

On March 1st, the "Visual Voices" exhibition opened at the Whistler House Museum of Arts Parker Gallery. This exhibit features works by students in grades 9-12 from Lowell High, Greater Lowell Technical High, and Lowell Catholic High. "Visual Voices" was started in 2002 by art teacher and local artist Lolita Demers and has grown into a biennial city-wide art event. A reception and award ceremony will be held on April 7th from 2-4 PM.

---

Emily Sandagata’s mixed media work blurs the boundaries between painting, sculpture and textile art, incorporating found objects, natural materials, and earth-based pigments. Her latest show "Quietus," is on view at UnchARTed Gallery through April 7. Don't miss this terrific exhibit that explores themes of death, survival, transformation, growth and decay.

Looking Back at the Origin of City of Lights

As the annual City of Lights Parade and Celebration approaches, I spent an afternoon at the UMass Lowell Center for Lowell History and looked through Father Armand "Spike" Morissette’s collection of documents from the early days of the City of Lights Parade. What began as a project and symbol of “Faith in Lowell” has now become an honored tradition for the city’s community and the beginning of holiday season festivities.  Below are some of the events’ traditions that began in the 1950s and have evolved into today’s celebration.

---

Lighting the City

The City of Lights organizers wanted to demonstrate the vibrancy and joy of the holiday spirit and decided there was no better way to do so than to light up the city with lights.  Lighting of public buildings, monuments, stores and homes was encouraged.  The lights would not only fill the streets with local residents enjoying the brilliant display, but also bring people from neighboring communities to experience the beauty of a city glowing in light.   After a hiatus and a decline in the number of lighting displays, the City of Lights theme was resurrected in the late 1980s/early 1990s through a partnership between the city and private businesses.  Some 50,000 new lights and unique decorations were installed.  A holiday stroll grew into a holiday parade.  Nowadays, the tradition continues with an estimated 60,000 lights that bring the holidays to life and serve as the official start of the holiday season for many.  The City of Lights program from the 1952-1953 season began this honored tradition, one that is as popular as ever six decades later.

---

Music and Poetry

With holiday singalongs, caroling, concerts, movies and more fun entertainment in the City of Lights Parade this year, it’s no secret that the community loves to be entertained.  The origin of the City of Lights shows that this tradition goes back to the 1950s when music and poetry defined the entertainment of the Parade at the time. Songs like “Lights On In Lowell Town” written about the City of Lights by Paul Bordeleau and Henry Fournier were the embodiment of bringing the holidays alive in the community. Poems were the other big form of entertainment, with a poem called “Christmas Lights” being printed on the back of the City of Lights 1952-53 program book.  Other poems were included in the actual event, with local poets being chosen to have their poem become the “Official City of Lights Poem” every year.

---

Contests and Activities

Nowadays, the Parade includes a multitude of activities such as the Festival of Wreaths, Photos with Santa, Strolling Carolers through Downtown and more. In the 1950s, many of the activities revolved around garnering participation for the City of Lights project. Contests helped do this, especially when it came to decorating. Home decoration contests allowed the community to get involved in the celebration and to show how festive they were in decorating their home. These contests had first, second and third place plaques that were awarded. Today, downtown stores compete in a window decorating contest and eateries compete in the Hot Chocolate Competition.  It’s delightful to see how the activities have grown through the years and how the spirit of the early City of Lights program continues today and displays Lowell’s love for holiday festivities.