These four self guided walking tour brochures were created in 1976 through a grant from the Massachusetts Bicentennial Commission and an appropriation from the Hapood Wright Centennial Fund by the Lowell Bicentennial / Sesquicentennia Commission.
With the arrival of the Lowell National Historical Park in 1978 tours on foot and by boat would become a key component of public programing.
A renewed interest in learning about the city of Lowell on foot took place in 2015 with the community driven "Lowell Walks" program.
These brochures are held by UMass Lowell Libraries, Center for Lowell History, Current Files Collection, Box 12, Folder 20: "Lowell (City of) – Walking Tours."
The text for these brochures was developed by Joseph R. Orfant, a graduate of Yale and former employee of the City Development Authority. The Advisory Committee consisted of Nancy L. Cassin, Bicentennial/Sesquicentennial Commission; Lewis T. Karabatsos, Lowell Museum Corporation; Robert Malavich, City Development Authority; Joseph F. Murray EsQ., Coordinator; Bicentennial/ Sesquicentennial Commission; Anne Welcome, Human Service Corporation. Special thanks to Marie K. Sweeney of Lowell High School for her comments on the final script.