Tsongas Industrial History Center
Tsongas Industrial History Center

A Rental Kit for Students in Grades 8-12

Especially Suitable for History/Social Science and English/Language Arts Classes

This interdisciplinary mail-out kit invites students to enter the world of Barilla Taylor, a young woman who left her home in rural Maine as a teenager in 1843 for work in Lowell's textile mills. By examining documents relevant to Barilla's farm and factory experiences, students will learn about the history and significance of early industrial America, and the ways in which industrialization affected the roles and status of women. The primary source documents in The World of Barilla Taylor include many intriguing items such as letters, maps, corporation hospital records, city directory pages, photographs, and even a receipt for jewelry purchased at a downtown shop.

Kit includes:

  • Teacher's Guide
  • Suggested student activities
  • Seventy historical documents

Rental Information

  • $40.00 (includes UPS school pick-up)
  • Mailed anywhere in U.S.
  • Three-week rental period

"The World of Barilla Taylor" was developed and produced by Lowell National Historical Park and the Tsongas Industrial History Center. See a sample activity from "The World of Barilla Taylor" Rental Kit.

All of our programs have been reviewed to ensure their relevance to state and national standards. View how this program ties to the Massachusetts Curriculum Frameworks.

Tsongas Industrial History Center / Boott Cotton Mills Museum - 115 John Street, Lowell, MA 01852
Phone: 978-970-5080 Fax: 978-970-5085 Contact Us

This is an Official Page/Publication of the University of Massachusetts Lowell