Picture Enfield - Then And Now

ENFIELD, CT — For today's flashback, we return to Jim Malley's outstanding book of his dad Ed's photos, entitled Enfield: 1950-1980, and a peek at the old First Presbyterian Church at the corner of North Main and Church streets.

The building was constructed in 1840, a year after the congregation formed, and expanded close to the turn of the century. The left picture was taken in the 1950s, shortly before the church began falling into disrepair.

In 1967, the congregation built a new church on a different site, and the old building was demolished. In the photo at right, Herman Hare of the Enfield Road Construction Company appears to be in danger of being conked on the head by the falling steeple.

The church merged with the United Presbyterian Church in 1973 to form the Calvary Presbyterian Church, still in operation at 1518 King Street. The former site at 23 North Main Street has been home to Silvia's International Restaurant and Catering since 1999.

Here is a more contemporary look at the property, courtesy of the Enfield assessor's office.

Last week's trivia answer:
Last week's trivia question was, "On the cover of Images of America: Enfield Connecticut (shown below), what school is depicted?" The answer is the Wallop School on Abbe Road, a 1-room brick schoolhouse which has stood since the turn of the 19th century, and was used as a school until 1947. It is currently a museum operated by the Enfield Historical Society. A number of people provided the correct answer, with Mike Barnett being first.

This week's trivia question:
Who handed my son Alex his diploma upon his graduation from Enfield High School in 2017? Post the answer in the comments section below, or on the Enfield Patch Facebook page.

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