The Worker

In 1821 Hugh Commisky led a band of laborers on a trek from Charlestown to Lowell. With muscle and sweat they dredged canals through rugged farmland. As others joined in their toil, a complex waterpower system evolved, creating a new era of textile production. When one generation had endured and the clamor of manufacturing increased, immigrants came by the thousands seeking labor and a better life. Workers and their contributions shaped both industrial and human heritage.

Lowell, Massachusetts · United States