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Lowell is a city located in Middlesex County, Massachusetts. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 105,167. It and Cambridge are the county seats of Middlesex County 6. Founded as a planned manufacturing center for textiles along the Merrimack River northwest of Boston, it was a thriving industrial center during the 19th century, attracting many immigrants and migrant workers to its mills. With the decline of its manufacturing in the 20th century, the city fell into deep hard times but has begun to rebound in recent decades. The former mill district along the river is partially restored and comprises part of the Lowell National Historical Park.
Lowell was first settled in 1653 and was officially incorporated in 1826. The city was named after Francis Cabot Lowell, an inventor of weaving machines, in 1817. Lowell is considered to have been one of the most important cities in the industrial revolution in the United States. Its textile mills, which line the Merrimack River, were the largest, most modern mills of their time. Lowell's historical mills, locks, and canals have been designated as a National Historical Park.
Lowell was the international headquarters for Wang LaboratoriesWang logo circa 1980. Wang logo circa 1970. Usage restricted. Trademarks on this page belong to their owner. See Image use policy. Wang Laboratories was a computer company founded in 1951 by Dr. The company was successively headquartered in Cambridge (195 until the late 1980sMillennia: 1st millennium 2nd millennium 3rd millennium Centuries: 19th century 20th century 21st century Decades: 1930s 1940s 1950s 1960s 1970s 1980s 1990s 2000s 2010s 2020s 2030s Years: 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 Events and trends. After Wang folded during an economic depression, Lowell had its ups and downs. Lowell was featured in a 1995 HBO documentary called High on Crack Street: Lost Lives in Lowell. However, Lowell's prosperity grew throughout the 1990s and today its reputation has improved dramatically. It offers a campus of the University of Massachusetts, several theaters, and a minor league baseball team called The Spinners (with its own stadium), and there is a thriving new generation of Cambodian Americans who have put down roots there.
Lowell is musically known for the Lowell Folk Festival, the largest free such festival in the US, and for the school of electronic music at the University of Lowell.
Lowell is the birthplace of Moxie, the first mass-produced soft drink in the U.S.
Lowell is located at 42°38'22" North, 71°18'53" West (42.639515, -71.314588) 1.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 37.7 km˛ (14.5 mi˛). 35.7 km˛ (13.8 mi˛) of it is land and 2.0 km˛ (0.8 mi˛) of it is water. The total area is 5.23% water.