Home › Massachusetts › Lowell

Lowell, Massachusetts

Located in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, Lowell was founded in 1653. Lowell was America's first planned industrial city. Jack Kerouac, author of On the Road, was born and raised in Lowell.
Trending in Lowell
Latest updates coming soon
2 hours ago
More local news on the way
5 hours ago
Founded 1653 | Population 114,700 | Peak 114,700 (2024) | County Middlesex County

Top 10 Most Important Events for Lowell, Massachusetts

undefined
1822 Planned Mill City: America's first planned industrial city; textile mills on Merrimack River.
undefined
1836 Mill Girls Movement: Female workers strike for better conditions; early labor activism.
undefined
1912 Bread and Roses Strike: Nearby Lawrence strike influences Lowell labor movement.
undefined
1978 National Historical Park: Lowell NHP preserves industrial heritage.
undefined
2010 Immigrant Gateway: Large Cambodian, Brazilian, and African communities.
🧠
How Well Do You Know Lowell?
5 questions • 2 minutes
Take the Quiz →

Complete Historical Timeline

1822 Industry
Planned Mill City
1836 Labor
Mill Girls Movement
1912 Labor
Bread and Roses Strike
1978 Culture
National Historical Park
2010 Culture
Immigrant Gateway

Did You Know?

1
Lowell was America's first planned industrial city.
2
Jack Kerouac, author of On the Road, was born and raised in Lowell.
3
Lowell has one of the largest Cambodian communities in the U.S.
4
Lowell is located in Middlesex County, Massachusetts.
5
Lowell was founded in 1653.

Famous People from Lowell, Massachusetts

BD
Bette Davis
Actor, Musician · Born Apr 5, 1908 · Died Oct 6, 1989 (age 81)
JK
Jack Kerouac
Screenwriter, Writer · Born Mar 12, 1922 · Died Oct 21, 1969 (age 47)
JW
James McNeill Whistler
Writer, Illustrator · Born Jul 10, 1834 · Died Jul 17, 1903 (age 69)
OD
Olympia Dukakis
Actor, Pedagogue · Born Jun 20, 1931 · Died May 1, 2021 (age 89)
MC
Michael Chiklis
Actor, Television Producer · Born Aug 30, 1963 · Age 62

Other Cities in Massachusetts

View all Massachusetts cities →
B
Boston
Pop. 675,647
W
Worcester
Pop. 215,691
C
Cambridge
Pop. 118,977
B
Brockton
Pop. 105,000
NB
New Bedford
Pop. 101,000
Q
Quincy
Pop. 101,000
See something that needs correcting?
We take accuracy seriously. Help us keep Lowell's history right.