St. Anne's Episcopal Church and Burying Ground

"I think St. Anne's Church in downtown Lowell was consecrated in 1825. Certainly it is an historic destination, but it is also a place to restore peace and a sense of quiet beauty. In summer, or a warm spring or autumn day, when in Lowell on Merrimack Street or nearby, I usually walk to the churchyard and take a rest for my eyes and mood.

If you are a history buff and plan a visit to the Lowell National Historical Park, be sure to walk over to St. Anne's (and maybe stop for sustenance at Life Alive around the corner). The University of Massachusetts at Lowell has some fascinating historical facts regarding St. Anne's.

"One persistent story regarding St. Anne’s Church is that women employed in the textile mills of Lowell were required to rent pews for which they were required to pay 37 ½ cents a month to the companies to support the church. In attempt to verify this story, a careful investigation of the history of St. Anne’s Church and the general history of Massachusetts Public Worship Tax was initiated."

"There is no evidence that women rented pews in the early years at St. Anne’s Church. Furthermore deducting money from wages to support the church was not a decision made by the textile companies, but required by the Massachusetts Public Worship Tax until 1833. There is no evidence that the companies continued gathering the public worship tax after 1833. The question remains, what is the likelihood that women employees, between 1824-1833, were subjected to the Massachusetts Public Worship Tax? Since there were no women on the petition to form the Merrimack Religious Society and there were no women on the petition to the town of Chelmsford to transfer the collection of tax to the Merrimack Company, it seems unlikely that women would be taxed without representation."

"What do these corrections to an old persistent story mean? One conclusion is that although Lowell’s textile corporations strongly urged its workers to attend religious services and uphold the Sabbath, these corporations did not require workers to spend their wages in support of any particular church or religious society. Furthermore, there is a genuine and deep reluctance to acknowledge any story as myth. Perhaps acknowledging this particular myth is seen as diminishing the power of the textile companies and placing more power in the hands of the workers. Nevertheless, the early history is certainly much more complex than the myths suggest with both management and employees involved in shaping the institutions and foundations of Lowell.""

David Bragdon

"Absolutely gorgeous little piece of history in the center of Lowell. This church is always an active participant in folk fest, and has been part of the community since the founding days of Lowell. Anyone interested in the history and architecture of the city should definitely visit this beautiful site. It's featured in the visitor center video at the national historical park."

Alex Dews

"You can Wikipedia the details. Briefly, it's surrounded by greens - But remains pleasantly tucked away behind reams of leafy tree branches. Once you stop to get a better look, the masonry takes your breath away. It's right on the main road. You can look at it literally driving past. In a small town like Lowell, history and architecture are the main treasures. Go here. Get rich!"

Behzad Taimur