Gezicht op een brandweerstation te Lowell before 1892

This photograph shows a fire station in Lowell, Massachusetts, and was made sometime in the late 19th or early 20th century. While we don’t know the photographer, we can still appreciate how the image captures a sense of place and time. What stands out is the materiality of the buildings, brick laid upon brick, a testament to the labor and skill involved in their construction. The heavy, dark bricks give the station a solid, imposing presence. Note the large arched entryways, designed to accommodate horse-drawn fire engines. You can almost feel the weight of the structure, and imagine the sounds of the city all around. This photo also puts us in mind of Lowell’s wider context: as one of the first planned industrial cities in America, its factories, canals, and infrastructure were all built by human hands. By focusing on the materials, labor, and social context, we can understand how this image encapsulates the essence of a city in motion, a place built by industry and community.