August 19th, 2010
by DickH
Archeological dig at St Patrick's in Lowell
I joined the steady stream of visitors and well-wishers dropping by St Patrick’s church in Lowell yesterday to get a glimpse of the archeological dig now in progress. Three professors from Queens University in Belfast, Northern Ireland are engaged in a joint venture with UMass Lowell the object of which is to learn more about the lives of the early Irish residents of Lowell. Because the lawn in front of the church is thought to have been undisturbed since before the church’s construction, that spot is most likely to yield artifacts from 19th Century Lowell.
It’s easy for historians to study the upper classes of year’s ago. Their members tended to be literate letter writers and diary keepers and a rich documentary record of their lives and achievements have been preserved. But the men and women of the early Acre were too busy surviving each challenging day to have left words for us to study. That doesn’t mean that we are now deprived of the means of learning about their lives and their world. In his 1977 book, “In Small Things Forgotten,” James Deetz, a professor of historical archeology at the University of Virginia explained the historical importance of yesterday’s household goods:
It is terribly important that the “small things forgotten” be remembered. For in the seemingly little and insignificant things that accumulate to create a lifetime, the essence of our existence is captured. We must remember these bits and pieces, and we must use them in new and imaginative ways so that a different appreciation for what life is today, and was in the past, can be achieved.
Digging for artifacts at St Patrick's
Current Events, History | 
2 Comments »
August 19th, 2010
by Marie
An absolutely gorgeous day on the Cape for the Obama family arrival this afternoon. At 10am temp in the mid-70′s – the sun is shining reflecting like diamonds off the water – there is a wonderfully cool breeze and the light blue sky is clear with a few random clouds. Martha’s Vineyard is just across the Sound – it seems as if you could reach out and touch the land… the ferries are just crossing paths – full of looky-loos hoping for a glimpse while others want to escape the hub-bub. I’ll be happy just to look for the helicopters and see the close-ups on TV. It reminds me of the summer of 1961 when my grandmother Agnes Meehan Kirwin sat all wrapped-up on her favorite spot on Craigville Beach waiting to wave at President Kennedy as he flew over on his way to the Compound. She sported a very large Kennedy button and lots of pride in our Irish Catholic President. The Cape is full of memories… more later.
Culture, Current Events, History, Politics | 1 Comment »
August 19th, 2010
by DickH
Lowell Superior Court elevator construction
Work continues at the Middlesex Superior Courthouse on Gorham Street in Lowell, where an elevator is being constructed to bring the building into full compliance with contemporary rules of accessibility. For the past several decades, as series of chair lifts and ramps have served as an inadequate substitute for an elevator. Even though the state tried to avoid construction of this device due to the imminent (????) construction of the new courthouse in the Hamilton Canal District, the state’s Architectural Access Board required that construction proceed at the existing courthouse. The elevator will be within an external tower and will service the first and second floors of the building. Due to security concerns, the general public will not have access to the elevator (the main entrance will continue to be at the front door on Gorham Street) but folks with mobility limitations will be allowed to enter the building directly from the Elm Street parking lot using this elevator. The job is supposed to be finished in November.
UPDATE: Since writing this post I’ve learned that the elevator will not have access to the ground level outside the building. Instead, those with mobility issues will still have to ascend the unsightly ramp at the front of the building and pass through security at that entrance. Once inside, there will be access to the elevator which will only go between the first and second floors.
Current Events, Lowell | 1 Comment »
Recent Comments