Picture Enfield - Then And Now

ENFIELD, CT — For today's look back into Enfield's past, we don't go very far. It's a photo I took about 10 years ago of Leland R. Hawthorne and Son at 97 North Maple Street, better known to locals as Hawthorne's Agway.

The business, a staple in town for more than 50 years, carried a wide variety of lawn and garden products, including fertilizers, weed killers and insect controls, as well as pet foods and supplies. It was also one of the primary sources for propane tanks and refills.

On Aug. 31, 2017, the Hawthornes closed the store, much to the dismay of many loyal customers. The property was sold to Winstanley Enterprises for $950,000, and the building sat vacant for nearly four years.

In 2020, Winstanley announced the Agway building would be demolished as part of construction plans for a 501,000 square-foot industrial distribution center. A legal battle brought on by neighbors opposed to the project delayed demolition for nearly a year, but the wrecking ball finally took down the old store a few weeks ago.

Here is a recent photo of the former site, taken by me Thursday morning.

Last week's trivia answer:
Last week's trivia question was: "Which downtown Thompsonville retail business of the 1950s and 1960s is still going strong today, albeit in East Windsor?" The answer: Swede's Jewelers, which started in 1946 in Windsor Locks and soon opened three other stores, including one on Main Street in Thompsonville. The picture below was taken during the Aug. 1955 flood by Ed Malley, and is published in a fabulous book of his 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. Swede's has been located in the Geissler's Plaza in East Windsor since 1974, and is in its 75th year of operation; a recently-published feature story may be found here. Kathleen Thomson was the first person with the correct answer.

This week's trivia question:
Enrico Fermi High School opened 50 years ago, for the 1971-72 academic year. Who was the first head of the social studies department? Without blatantly Googling the answer, then copying and pasting it verbatim, post the answer in the comments section below under your real name (we'll see who follows directions).

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