This installation was made possible by the support and funding provided by Community Teamwork Inc. Community Teamwork is a catalyst for social change. We leverage our programs, our partnerships, and our collective voice to foster equity, compassion, and community engagement by creating housing, education, and economic opportunities. To find out more information, please visit: https://www.commteam.org/
About Mechanic’s Hall | Lowell, MA
LOWELL — Over 170 years ago, an escaped slave from Virginia named Nathaniel Booth opened a barbershop on the first floor of Mechanic’s Hall on Dutton Street, which became a hub for abolitionist activity.
There, he and another fugitive slave, Edwin Moore, planned fundraising fairs, arranged visiting anti-slavery lectures and aided fellow freedom-seekers.
On Friday, it became one of 16 new sites officially recognized by the National Park Service for its role in the Underground Railroad.
“It’s incredibly exciting,” said Karen Frederick, CEO of Community Teamwork, the organization that now owns the building and uses it for youth services. “This history is so important for people to know about here in the City of Lowell.”
According to the National Park Service, Mechanic’s Hall was built in 1835 by the Middlesex Mechanics Association as a meeting place and library for skilled craftsmen.
