Album: Swimming in Lowell's Canals

Lowell National Historical Park

It is a hot summer day and children are out playing in a city with five and a half miles of canals. “Hey, let’s go swimming!” But the canals are owned by the PLC, and swimming is trespassing. Lowell’s canals were and still are dangerous. Strong currents, few shallows, high granite walls, and underwater raceways were never enough to keep kids from jumping in for a swim. Despite signs and fences erected by the Locks and Canals company, Lowell’s children always found their way into the canal waters. Lowell newspapers reported when accidents occurred: “Little John Adams drowned while swimming in the canal at red bridge…” Lowell Sun, Aug. 2, 1894. “The Western canal claimed another young bathing victim late Saturday when Edward Higgins, 12-year old son of Mr. and Mrs. Edward Higgins of 18 Pollard street sank beneath the waters to his death.” Sept. 3, 1935. For the canal company, kids swimming in canals was a problem that was never truly solvable. The first four photos in this gallery were all taken on the same day. Apparently, the photographer traveled down the canal system capturing images of Lowell’s young canal swimmers at four different sites.