an important manufacturing town of the United States of North America, one of the capitals of Middlesex county, Massachusetts, on the right bank of the Merrimack River, at its junction with the Concord, 25 miles N.N.W. of Boston. Although the site of the town has considerable inequality of surface, its streets are regularly laid out, and intersect each other at right angles. The private residences are spacious, and many of them elegant buildings. Amongst the public edifices, the chief are—the court-house, the mechanics' hall, a sick hospital for operatives, and a market-house. The literary institutions of the town are very efficient, and have been of considerable service to the community. The mechanic association, incorporated in 1825, has a valuable library of about 6000 volumes, and a scientific apparatus; while the city school library contains 9500 volumes, and is open to all on a small yearly payment. The great advantage which Lowell enjoys for a manufacturing town is derived from a descent of 30 feet made by the Merrimack, and known as the Pawtucket Falls, which, by means of canals and locks, provides abundance of water-power. Besides these there is a capacious reservoir, placed on an elevation eastward of the city, which furnishes an immense supply of water at all times in case of fire. The principal goods manufactured here are cotton, wool, and iron. The first is made into cotton cloth and calico; the second into carpets, cloth, and coarse stuffs; and iron into machinery and wire fences. Besides these, however, bleaching is carried on extensively, as well as the preparation of dyes, glue, and other essentials of the cotton and wool manufactures. In January 1855 there were 12 manufacturing companies in Lowell, owning 52 mills, and working 371,838 spindles, and 11,407 looms. The aggregate quantities produced every week were 2,230,000 yards of cotton cloth, 30,000 yards of woollen cloth, 25,000 yards of carpeting, and 50 rugs. In the same year, L2,900,000 of capital was invested in the whole manufactures of the place; while the number of hands employed amounted to 8723 females, and 4542 males. Every attention is paid by the mill-owners to the health and morality of their operatives. One of the best proofs of the general good conduct of the mill-workers here is shown in the large amounts deposited by them in the savings-bank; and also in the interest they take in the literary and scientific associations connected with the factories. About a third of the inhabitants are of Irish extraction. The site of Lowell was first inspected in 1821 by several gentlemen, for the purpose of erecting a calico printing mill in New England. The building was immediately commenced, and in 1823 its machinery was set in motion. In 1826 it was established as a town, and named after Francis Lowell, an enterprising manufacturer of Boston. In 1836 it was raised to the rank of a city. Pop. (1840) 20,796, (1850) 33,835, (1854) about 38,000.