by JORDYNE M. TAYLOR
WSU intern
Ever hear of a place in Westfield called Mundale?
In February of 1670, a man named John Munn would be the first man in Westfield to own land after Westfield became an official independent town in 1669. His name would come to be famous, at least around Westfield, as scenic areas and landmarks such as Munn’s Brook and Munn’s Meadow (now Woronoco Park) were named after him.
John Munn was a soldier. He fought in Falls Fight during the King Philip’s War, a war that went on from 1675-1678 and was started due to land conflicts between Native Americans and English settlers. His father, Benjamin Munn, was also a well-known soldier in an earlier war. The small district in Westfield once known as Mundale was named after John Munn, keeping his legacy alive.
Mundale is still a part of Westfield today, but it is no longer known by its old name. The area formerly known as Mundale is home to Westfield State University and Stanley Park, and it stretches to Route 202. It houses two separate burial grounds, and was also known as West Parish before George W. Loomis brought up the idea of calling the area Mundale. There was once a school in Mundale for children built in 1867 costing only about $2,700 to construct. This school closed in 1944, but today there are a few schools in the old Mundale area including Highland Park and Juniper Park elementary schools.
Today, the area once called Mundale is a bustling place full of life. WSU students can be seen strolling to class, books in hand, the future of Massachusetts actively seeking out a higher education. When the sun shines and flowers bloom from the spring dew, Stanley Park becomes alive with crowds of people playing Frisbee, jogging, laughing, tanning, studying, or just enjoying their day. Mundale may be an old name for an even older area, but the place that Mundale has become today has kept it young and fresh in the minds of those familiar with Westfield.
