Dickenson Hall

Have you ever wondered what life was like for college students in the late 1960s? Here at Dickenson Hall, on the Westfield State University campus, we can take a peek into that era. Dickenson Hall first opened its doors in 1968. It was originally designed to house 275 students, mostly freshmen, in a mix of single, double, and even quad-style rooms. Imagine sharing a room with three other people! Dickenson Hall is named after John W. Dickinson. He was an influential figure in education. He served as the fourth leader of Westfield State from 1856 to 1877. This isn’t the first building on campus to bear his name. An earlier boarding hall, located at the university’s previous downtown location, was also called Dickinson Hall. It served the college from 1903 to 1956. Interestingly, the current Dickenson Hall was strategically placed near Scanlon Hall. This was the other women’s dormitory at the time. Both were situated far from Davis Hall, the sole men’s residence hall for many years. This arrangement, and the unique bathroom configuration in Dickenson Hall, reflect the social norms of the era, when visits from the opposite sex were restricted to the first floor. Dickenson Hall has seen its share of renovations over the years. In 2002, the building received upgrades to its fire suppression system, along with new bedroom ceilings and lighting. Just a few years later, in 2005, new furniture was installed throughout the hall. And in 2007, the building got new windows and flooring, modernizing its appearance and improving energy efficiency. Even today, as students hurry to classes, do laundry in the hall’s high-efficiency machines, or grab a snack from the vending area, they’re walking through a piece of Westfield State history.