Preparing for the September 15, 2009 USCIS Ceremony ( Naturalization ceremony and the Outstanding American By Choice award) in the courtyard meant a lot of "tidying up" needed to get done. Much to our surprise and pleasure, we had a call from Salem State College to ask if we needed any volunteer help. As part of their school year orientation they do community outreach~ and we were very happy to say "yes!"
The students arrived first thing in the morning - prepared to spend the day. After a brief introduction to the History Center and to the site, they began to work- they did everything from painting, weeding, moving equipment and boxes. The made a huge difference in to appearance of the complex. After they ate their box lunches, we went on the walking tour of Lawrence . Starting at the Essex Company building and ending at the dam they asked many questions and learned a lot about mill power and industrialization, immigration and Lawrence history.
We at the History Center are very grateful for all that they did. They were wonderful young men and women and we hope to see them back again soon!
Video of Courtyard Ceremony
Story of the USCIS Day at LHC
The Lawrence History Center Congratulates Al Koch! This spring, 2010, at Town Meeting in Andover, that community honored Al with the Virginia H. Cole Community Service Award for his volunteer commitment to the Andover Village Improvement Society (A.V.I.S.), the Eagle Scouts and the Andover Historical Society.
The Lawrence History Center is most fortunate to have Al Koch as one of our earliest and most dedicated volunteers. Al, a former LHC Board member, was a right hand man to Eartha Dengler in all things relating to the Essex Company complex and he was the Center's in-house photographer.
Al was born and raised in Lawrence, graduated from Lawrence schools and is a veteran of World War II. Al and his family settled in Andover. Working as an engineer, Al spent his professional career with AVCO. Al is still involved with Scouting in the Merrimack Valley and continues his support of the Lawrence History Center. Congratulations, Al!