Friday, May 16 (6:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.) 

Opening Reception  (7:30 p.m.  – 9:30 p.m.)

 Lowell National Historical Park Visitor Center
246 Market Street

Come kick off Doors Open Lowell as it celebrates 30 years of preservation and culture in Lowell National Historical Park.  Listen to the music of the Dan Bolton Organ Trio, enjoy light refreshments, and discover Lowell’s preservation successes through Lowell Then and Now.

 Please click on the name of the building to see a detailed history

Please click on Doors Open XTRA to see list of special events

Click here for the Doors Open Lowell 2008 map

1. American Textile History Museum
491 Dutton Street

Located in the former Kitson Machine Shop (1866-1917), this complex houses the country’s foremost museum on textiles and related machinery and is also the home of the Lowell Sun as well as residential condominiums.  Doors Open XTRA.

2. Residences at the Textile Museum
491 Dutton Street

Discover how portions of the former Kitson Machine Shop complex (1866-1917) are presently being converted into new residential use.

3. Dutton Yarn Building
305 Dutton Street

Built in 1923 by the Saco-Lowell Shops, this reinforced-concrete former industrial building has been rehabilitated into apartments.  See how the building’s industrial features including large steel sash windows, concrete, and soaring interior spaces have been used to create unique residences in Lowell.

4. Bennett Building
269 Dutton Street

Discover the Queen Anne style Bennett Building built in 1888 and the residences found in this historic structure

5. Moller’s Lofts
33 Middle Street

This yellow brick and concrete building was built in 1922 to house Moller’s Department Store, a branch of a Boston-based home furnishings store.  Discover the building’s rebirth for residential use. 

6.  Birke Building
61 Market Street

Explore the C.B. Coburn Building (ca. 1874) and the L.M. Andrews Building (ca. 1878), more commonly known as the former Birke’s Department Store.  See how the building has been converted into new commercial and residential use.

7.  Trio
30 Market Street

The Hamilton Manufacturing Company was incorporated in 1825, the second of Lowell’s original ten large textile corporations.  See how their Italianate style former dye house (1883) has been redeveloped for residential use.

8.  Old Lowell National Bank
88 Prescott Street

The Old Lowell National Bank building was built ca. 1920 in the Classical Revival style.  See how the building’s rehabilitation for residential use, as well as that of the adjacent Greek Revival Spaulding Building (ca. 1845), is nearing completion. 

9.  St. Paul’s Church
34 Hurd Street

See how the Greek Revival style former St. Paul’s Church (1839) is being transformed for use by the United Teen Equality Center (UTEC).

10.  Fairburn Building
10 Kearney Square

The Victorian Fairburn Building (ca. 1892) has been converted into residential lofts as well as rehabilitated commercial space.  Discover the building’s rebirth and visit a unit containing one of the foremost private collections of Lowell patent medicine memorabilia.

Saturday, May 17 (11:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.)

11.  Pollard Memorial Library
401 Merrimack Street

See the restored Richardsonian Romanesque Pollard Memorial Library (1893) and discover how this building has been successfully rehabilitated to continue in use as Lowell’s library. Doors Open XTRA

12.  Masonic Temple
79 Dutton Street

Built ca. 1928 as Lowell’s Masonic Temple, the building serves the same use today.  Learn about the Masons and view several meeting rooms as you tour this Classical Revival structure.  Doors Open XTRA

13.  Moody Street Feeder Gatehouse
Merrimack Street @ Merrimack Canal

See the hydraulic mechanisms of this gatehouse built in 1848 that were used to regulate the flow of water through the underground Moody Street Feeder.  NOTE:  Site is open from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

14.  St. Anne’s Church
227 Merrimack Street

Completed in 1825, this Gothic Revival church dates from Lowell’s earliest period of development and originally provided public worship for the mill girls.  Discover the fascinating history of the church and significant interior artifacts including several Tiffany stained glass windows. 

15.  Boott Cotton Mills – Mill No. 6
115 John Street

Built in 1871 in the Italianate style, see how Mill No. 6 in the Boott millyard has been transformed into Lowell National Historical Park’s Boott Cotton Mills Museum.  NOTE:  Site is open from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.  
Doors Open XTRA

16.  Boston & Maine Railroad Depot   *New in 2008*
240 Central Street

Built in 1876, this High Victorian Gothic style structure is more commonly known locally as the former Rialto Theater up until 1960 when it was converted into a bowling alley.  Learn about restoration efforts by the Lowell Historic Preservation Commission and the Lowell National Historical Park and the building’s recent transfer to Middlesex Community College for use as an arts center.   NOTE:  Site is open from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.  
Doors Open XTRA

17.  Loft 27
27 Jackson Street

The Hamilton Manufacturing Company was incorporated in 1825, the second of Lowell’s original ten large textile corporations.  See how Mill No. 7, built between 1911 and 1919, has been converted into residential use.

18.  Marston Building 
155 Middlesex Street

See how the Queen Anne style Marston Building (1889) has been rehabilitated for new residential and commercial spaces.

19.  Western Avenue Studios  *New in 2008*
122 Western Avenue

This complex of mill buildings built between 1890 and 1940 has historically been home to many industrial uses including the Massachusetts Mohair Plush Company.  See how portions of the millyard are being reused in exciting and creative ways by the artists of Western Avenue Studios including the new Loading Dock Gallery and the soon-to-be-home of the Atlantis Playmakers.  NOTE:  Site is open from 11:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Saturday, May 17 (3:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.)

20.  Market Gallery
181 Market Street

The Italianate style J.C. Ayer Company Laboratory (1858) has been converted into residential lofts, gallery, and retail space.  See how this former patent medicine company building has been reborn for residential use.

21.  Claflin Block
58 Prescott Street

The Queen Anne style Claflin Block (ca. 1882), more commonly known as the former location of Lull & Hartford Sporting Goods, has been rehabilitated for residential and retail use.  Discover several of the residential units found in the building today.

22.  Apartments at Boott Mills
141 John Street

The Boott millyard is one of the most historic and architecturally significant millyards in the United States, having been constructed in phases between 1835 and the early 20th century.  See how Winn Development has transformed a portion of the millyard into exciting new residential spaces.

23.  Renaissance on the River
Corner of Perkins and Aiken Streets

The Lawrence Manufacturing Company was chartered in 1831 as one of Lowell’s original ten large textile corporations.  See how portions of the remaining millyard have been converted into residential condominiums.

24.  Perkins Place  *New in 2008*
Perkins Street @ Cabot Street

Mill No. 12 (1907) and Storehouse No. 14 (1876) in the former Lawrence Manufacturing Company millyard are currently being converted into new residential use.  See the ongoing progress and discover the Lawrence Canal that flows beneath the buildings during this behind the scenes construction viewing.  Doors Open XTRA

25.  St. Joseph’s Convent
517 Moody Street

Built in 1911, the former St. Joseph’s Convent was constructed in the Colonial Revival style and is a rare surviving structure from Lowell’s Little Canada neighborhood.  See how the Coalition for a Better Acre has rehabilitated the building for use as their headquarters.

26.  Spalding House
383 Pawtucket Street

The Georgian style Spalding House, built in 1761, is the third oldest surviving house in Lowell.  Learn about the house’s early history, its connection to Pawtucket Falls, and the Lowell Parks & Conservation Trust’s efforts to preserve the house for future generations.    Doors Open XTRA

27.  Pawtucket Congregational Church
15 Mammoth Road

The Romanesque Revival style Pawtucket Congregational Church was built in 1898 and is the home of an 1812 Revere bell.  Tour the church and learn more about their ongoing stained glass restoration efforts. 
Doors Open XTRA

28.  Allen House
Solomont Way @ Broadway Street (UMass Lowell South Campus)

The Allen House (1854) is one of Lowell’s earliest surviving Italianate residential buildings.  See how UMass Lowell has restored the building for use as the Chancellor's Office and gallery space.  Doors Open XTRA