Lowell – Birthplace of the Industrial Revolution in America

Lowell, Massachusetts

American Factory SystemStarts in Waltham, Mass, near Lowell in

18131822, Lowell became preferred because

of its access to the Merrimack River which fell 35 feet at Lowell, providing a perfect source of both water power and transport.

The “Manchester” of AmericaBy 1850, Lowell was using steam powerWas producing 20% of the nation’s cloth

The Hallmarks of the Lowell SystemLarge Capital InvestmentConcentration of all processes under

one roof.Specialization in coarse cloth required

minimal management.Labor was mostly female

Water PowerWater was diverted from the Merrimack

River through a canal network.The water was channeled into the factory

which turned a turbine.The turbine was linked to a belt system

which in turn powered the looms of the factory.

By 1850, most factories had converted to steam.

Detail showing use of water power

Water power to belt powerThe next picture shows a shaft that

extends the full length of the loom floor.The shaft was powered from the water-

powered turbine from the floor below.Each loom, in turn, has a separate belt

which powers the loom.

Water-driven main shaft powers all looms

Close-up of Loom

A loom mechanic’s tools

The Women of LowellThe bulk of the laborers were young

women from New England farms.Supervised by housemothers and

subject to curfews, the girls worked 12 – 14 hr days and 70 hr. work weeks.

Church attendance was compulsory

The Women of LowellThe incessant work

of the factory replaced farm work. While farm work was difficult, there were seasonal lulls. Not so for the factory. Life was lived according to the time clock, not the seasons.

The Women of LowellWhile the conditions were spartan by

modern standards, the conditions were generally better than their British counterparts.

Working at the mills was about the only way an early 19th century New England woman could achieve any independence.

Many women availed themselves of schooling activities available in the evening.

Exterior of Woman’s Dorm

Women’s Dorm

Interior of Woman’s Dorm

Women’s Dorm Room

Interior of Woman’s Dorm

Four young women to a room

Interior of Women’s DormCommunal Dining Area

Peak & DeclineEventually, reliance on native female labor

declined and entire immigrant families. The next slide indicates that some groups experienced discrimination in the late 19th century.

At the turn of the century, the textile industry moved south in search of cheaper labor. The southern system initially copied the original Lowell system of hiring farm girls.

BibliographyAll photographs by John deVille; taken

July 2001Animated loom gif from US Park

Service.