WEBVTT
Kind: captions
Language: en

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Hi, my name is Cathy. Welcome to Lowell

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National Historical Park. Our park sites

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are dispersed throughout Lowell's historic

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downtown area.  When walking from one site

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to another be careful of tripping

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hazards like uplifted walking surfaces

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and traffic, to include vehicles, bicycles

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and skateboarders. It's recommended that

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a visit begin at the Visitor Center for

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orientation, obtain information handouts

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and have your questions answered. Free

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parking is available at the Visitor

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Center, 304 Dutton street.  At the gate

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take a ticket for validation at the

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Visitor Center and continue into the lot.

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Turn right for accessibility parking.

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Walking distance from the parking lot is

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approximately 500 feet and includes

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stairs or optional ramp leading to a

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courtyard and entrance to the visitor

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center.  The Park's most frequently used

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resources for independent visitation

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are the Visitor Center, Boott Cotton Mills

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Museum and the Mill Girls and Immigrants

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Exhibit. The museum and exhibit locations

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are approximately one-half mile walking

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distance through the downtown from the

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Visitor Center.  We like to say The Park

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is the City and The City is the Park

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because the park sites are integrated

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with, and part of today's mixed-use

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complexes, but historically were Lowell's

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textile corporations.  Another site, the

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Suffolk Mill, is open to visitation only

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by tour.  The buildings have ramped

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entries and elevators.  Each site also has

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a wheelchair available.  Seasonally Lowell

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National Historical Park offers trolley

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transportation and boat tours.  The Park's

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two open and one closed trolleys are

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replicas representing transportation in

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Lowell in the early 1900's.  There are

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some physical challenges when using the

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trolleys.  First, is the height of the

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steps.  There are three 12 inch high steps to

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negotiate, and probably could be

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described more as climbing a ladder than

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climbing steps.  Three of the Park's trolleys

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do have built-in lifts that can

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accommodate one wheelchair as well as a

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standing person using a walker.  The

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weight limit for the lift is 400 pounds.

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The seashore museum trolley, however, does

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not have a lift.  It is advised that

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visitors using a wheelchair contact the

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Park prior to arrival, or discuss when

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getting oriented at the Visitor Center.

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Lowell National Historical Park's canal

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tour boats are not currently wheelchair

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accessible.  However, visitors using

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wheelchairs walkers or canes and are

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mobile with minimal assistance may be

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able to access the tour.  "Minimal

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assistance" is considered to be a family

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member friend or caregiver providing a

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hand or

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arm to help with providing balance and

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guidance or getting in or out of the

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wheelchair.  Some boat tours include de

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barking and walking to a point of

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interest, or making connection with a

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trolley for part of the tour.  If you'd

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like more information about the

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accessibility of our boats and trolleys

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please take a look at our other

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accessibility videos, visit our website

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or give us a call.  I'm Ranger Cathy and

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our staff looks forward to you visiting

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your Park here in Lowell Massachusetts