Engrained in the history of Massachusetts is the story of Malden. Malden is a city with a rich past. It played a significant role in the American Revolution.
Malden’s origins trace back to 1640. Puritans settled here. They bought the land from the Pennacook Tribe in 1629. This area was north of the Mystic River. It was first known as “Mistick Side”. Malden became a separate town in 1649. Joseph Hills chose the name “Malden”. He was an early settler. He named it after Maldon, England. Malden became a city in 1882. It once included Melrose and Everett.
Malden’s citizens showed early resistance to British oppression. They were heavily involved. Malden was the first town to ask the colonial government to leave the British Empire.
Malden is in Middlesex County. It is five miles from Boston. About 60,000 people live here. Malden is next to Everett, Medford, Melrose, Revere, Saugus, and Stoneham.
Boojum Rock is the highest point in Malden. It is in the Middlesex Fells Reservation. It stands about 275 feet high. Malden covers five square miles. It is close to Logan Airport and several routes. These include Routes 1, 16, 93, 99, and 128.
Like other New England towns, Malden has “Squares”. These are at crossroads and town commons. They date back to colonial times. Many Malden neighborhoods get their names from these squares. Malden’s squares include Malden Square, Oak Grove Square, and Bellrock Square. There are also Judson Square, Maplewood Square, and Linden Square.
Other neighborhoods in Malden include Faulkner, West End, and Edgeworth. You can also find Linden, Ferryway, Forestdale, Maplewood, Bellrock, and Belmont Hill.
Bellrock is in the south-central part of Malden. It has Bell Rock Memorial Park and Bell Rock Cemetery. Graves in the cemetery date back to 1670. The cemetery was first called Sandy Bank. Later, it was known as the Old Burial Ground. Its name changed to Bell Rock Cemetery in 1882.
The Edgeworth neighborhood is in southwestern Malden. It has Devir Park, Pearl St. Park, and Callahan Park. Macdonald Stadium is in Edgeworth. The Converse Rubber Factory was also here. This is where the Converse “All-Star” sneakers began.
In 1847, Joshua Webster bought land in Malden. He planned a residential area with many maple trees. This area became known as Maplewood.
Malden has about 30 parks. They offer tennis courts, basketball courts, and playgrounds. There is also a running track at MacDonald Stadium. Middlesex Fells Reservation covers 56 acres. Fellsmere Pond is 25 acres.
Other points of interest include the Converse Memorial Library. The library was designed by Henry Hobson Richardson. It was built in 1885. Elisha S. Converse, Malden’s first mayor, funded the library and its art collection.