This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at U Mass Amherst chapter.
Located between the Campus Pond and the Old Chapel, the bronze statue of the Massachusetts Minuteman was a gift given to the University of Massachusetts by the class of 1950. It was sculpted by John Townsend, a retired UMass Professor of Art, and it was cast by the Paul King Foundry located in Johnston, Rhode Island. The minutemen were part of a local militia in Massachusetts during the Revolutionary War. They were trained to act immediately in times of crises and when there were war threats by Great Britain. As our mascot, the minuteman symbolizes the bravery, enthusiasm, and dependability that embodies our nation. It reminds us of the liberty and freedom we once fought so hard to achieve, and we are proud to be the UMass Minutemen.