Local author and journalist Dyke Hendrickson will discuss his new book, Merrimack: The Resilient River, An Illustrated Narrative of the Most Historic River in New England, in this Zoom webinar.

About The Book: Part history and part call to action, Dyke’s well-researched book highlights the dramatic life of the Merrimack River, from the colorful days of the Native Americans to its current status as one of the most scenic recreational waterways in New England. The 117-mile river runs from central New Hampshire to Newburyport, Massachusetts, where it meets the Atlantic. Here the Coast Guard was born and colonial trade thrived. The Industrial Revolution was launched in the riverside mills of Lowell, Massachusetts and Manchester, New Hampshire. The science of clean drinking water was developed in Lawrence, Massachusetts and the first successful labor action also took place in Lawrence. Thousands of immigrants worked in mills along the Merrimack, and this book tells their riveting stories. In the 70s, the once-filthy Merrimack was cleaned up to serve again as one of the most popular waterways in New England. The Merrimack is still an essential resource. It serves as the source of drinking water for a half-million people. Many have seen part of the Merrimack River, but this unique book provides info and images about all sectors of this great waterway.

About The Author: Dyke Hendrickson is the outreach historian for the Merrimack River Watershed Council. In that role, he speaks on the history of the Coast Guard and of the Merrimack River. He graduated from Franklin and Marshall College with a degree in history, and he did graduate work at the University of Maine, Orono. He is a former writer and/or editor with the Portland Press Herald, the New Orleans Times-Picayune, the Boston Herald and The Daily News in Newburyport.

Register directly on Zoom HERE. Sponsored by the Friends of the Tewksbury Public Library. Presented in collaboration with libraries in Atkinson (NH), Beverly, Dracut, Georgetown, Hudson (NH), Littleton, Medford, Merrimac, Methuen, Middleton, North Andover, Rowley, Tewksbury, Tyngsborough, and Westford.