In 1820 Lowell, known as East Chelmsford, MA at the time, had a population of 200 and was a farming community. Thirty years later, the population had grown to 33,000 and one could find 32 textile mills in existence there. Lowell was an ideal location for these mills because it was located near the Merrimac River. The river supplied the water necessary to run these factories.

This changed how cotton was made and although cotton production became easier, it did raise some problems.

Raises a Question: Who Was Going to Work in These Mills?

In the early 1820’s, after some of these mills began to be built, owners realized they had a problem. Who was going to work at the mills? Farms still existed and the boys and men were needed to work on the farms. Many of these boys would inherit the land, but girls and young women who worked at home or in other homes were not paid well.