Picture Enfield - Then And Now

ENFIELD, CT — Today's installment of this weekly Enfield history series brings us back to a fabulous book of renowned local photographer Ed Malley's pictures, compiled by his son Jim, entitled "Images of America: Enfield 1950-1980." The book was published in 2003, and copies may be obtained here.

On page 16 is a 1950s view, looking west, of Main Street in Thompsonville. Taken about two decades before the ill-fated "urban renewal" project which decimated the downtown district, this photo illustrates what a thriving commercial area once existed there.

From the left are Greenblatt's clothing store, First National Bank, Metropolitan Life, the Grey's Club and Faber's carpet store. Across the street to the north are the Bigelow-Sanford Carpet Co. and the Thompsonville Hotel.

The Grey's Club was founded in 1924, and was formally incorporated as the Grey's Athletic Association Inc. on May 1, 1934. For decades, the club sponsored successful semi-pro and amateur athletic programs in football, basketball, softball, bowling and billiards. The private club still operates at 78 Main Street.

Note the one-way street sign in front of Greenblatt's. The bridge from Prospect Street over Freshwater Brook was still very much in use at the time, later to be another victim of "urban renewal."

The First National Bank building most recently housed Yankee Bait and Tackle, which closed earlier this year. The Bigelow mills were converted into apartment buildings beginning in the late 1980s, while the structures which contained Metropolitan Life, Faber's and the Thompsonville Hotel have long since been torn down.

Here is a more contemporary view of the street, taken by yours truly.

Last week's trivia answer:
Last week's trivia question (which was actually two weeks ago) was, "Fermi High School graduate Leah Secondo was recently hired to broadcast the upcoming Tokyo Olympic Games, and Enfield hockey star Craig Janney played for Team USA at the 1988 Winter Olympics in Calgary. In the past 50 years, who is the only other athlete from Enfield to compete in the Olympics?" The answer: Karen Scavotto, who at age 18 was a member of the U.S. archery team at the 2000 Summer Olympic Games in Sydney, Australia. The graduate of Enfield High School and Auburn University was inducted into the Enfield Athletic Hall of Fame in 2015. Jeremy Davis posted the first of many correct responses.

This week's trivia question:
What distinction was accorded the Grey's Club in 1997, the first of its kind? Post the answer in the comments section below under your real name (we'll see who follows directions).

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