The Greater Merrimack Valley is known for producing some of America’s most renowned writers, from Louisa May Alcott to Henry David Thoreau. Yet the great literary minds of the area aren’t limited to the 1800s. In fact, in the last century, Lowell, MA produced a poet who was one of the pioneers of the Beat Generation: Jack Kerouac.
The Life of Jack Kerouac
Born Jean-Louis Lebris de Kérouac, Jack Kerouac (March 12, 1922 – October 21, 1969) was an American novelist and poet from Lowell. Thanks to his iconic stream-of-consciousness style of writing he called “spontaneous prose,” he helped pioneer the Beat Generation alongside William S. Burroughs and Allen Ginsberg. His works cover topics such as his Catholic spirituality, jazz, travel, Buddhism, drugs, and poverty, and they influenced several cultural icons of the era, including the Beatles, Bob Dylan, and The Doors.
Kerouac’s first published book, The Town and the City, came out in 1950. Yet it was his second book, On the Road, which was published in 1957, that got him widespread fame and notoriety. He went on to publish 12 more novels and numerous poetry volumes, with more works discovered and published post-humorously. This includes the first book he ever wrote – The Sea is My Brother, which he wrote while serving as a United States Merchant Marine during WWII but wasn’t published until over 40 years after his death.
Places to Visit
Though Kerouac moved to New York City, he displayed a continued connection to his hometown. During his lifetime he published five novels about Lowell. The city of Lowell continues to have a similar love and reverence for him. There’s a yearly festival in September that celebrates his works, and several locations throughout the city dedicated to him that you can visit. If you’re a fan of his works, here are a few can’t-miss places to visit in Lowell.
Jack Kerouac Commemorative Park
In the Jack Kerouac Commemorative Park you’ll find a unique, commemorative monument to the writer. The monument features eight granite columns that feature excerpts from 10 of Kerouac’s published books.
The Worthen House Cafe
The Worthen House Cafe is Lowell’s oldest historical bar and tavern. Among its many notable patrons was Jack Kerouac. Come check out the restaurant’s delicious food and drinks while exploring Lowell and experience the friendly, welcoming atmosphere that once invited the poet to dine inside.
The Kerouac Center at UMass Lowell
The Kerouac Center at UMass Lowell is a collaborative, interdisciplinary engagement center broadly focused on Kerouac’s work. It highlights the cultural, political, and intellectual history that shaped Kerouac’s writing during the post-World War II period. The center also oversees the UMass Lowell Kerouac Archive which is the most comprehensive collection of Kerouac materials in the world.
St. Jean Baptiste Church
On the side of St. Jean Baptiste Church, which was where Kerouac once served as an altar boy, there is an incredible mural dedicated to him. The mural, created by Kori Thomas, is a vivid tribute to Kerouac’s life and work. The church is also the proposed future home of the Jack Kerouac Center, which would become a cultural hub dedicated to celebrating his life and work.
Grave of Jack Kerouac
The Grave of Jack Kerouac has been a place where any Kerouac fans should make a pilgrimage. You’ll see cigarettes and dollar shots left in front of the plaque by mourners, as well as poems impaled by the pens that wrote them.
Jack Kerouac was an inspirational writer and one of the most iconic people to come from Lowell, Massachusetts. Come to the Greater Merrimack Valley to discover him and other famous American authors.
