Picture Enfield - Then And Now

ENFIELD, CT — Today's throwback photo, courtesy of the Enfield Historical Society, features one of the town's most beloved and longstanding social destinations: the Mountain Laurel Restaurant at 701 Enfield Street.

Founder Hugo Trappe originally opened the restaurant as Chef's Grille in the early 1930s, but the name had changed by the end of that decade. Throughout the 1940s through the 1960s, the Mountain Laurel was the go-to place in town for dinners, wedding receptions, business meetings and special occasions, particularly New Year's Eve.

A postcard issued during its heyday stated, "Known for good food. Excellent Facilities for Banquets, Social Functions, Business Meetings and Relaxation in our Dining Rooms and Robin Hood Grill. The Sherwood Lounge for your Favorite Beverage Open till 1:00 A.M. Dinners Served from 11:30 A.M. to 10:30 P.M. Sunday from 12:00 Noon to 8:30 P.M. Closed Monday For reservations call RI 5-4687, Area Code 203. We accept most credit cards."

Trappe sold the business in 1969, but patronage began to drop off due to various factors, including a virtual explosion of restaurants in Enfield, particularly "fast food." It closed its doors in the mid-1980s.

The building underwent extensive remodeling, and today houses a professional building known as Enfield Medical Associates. Here is a contemporary look at the site, taken recently by yours truly.

Last week's trivia answer:
Last week's question was, "What significance does this farmer's field on Mountain Road in West Suffield, pictured below, play in the history of Enfield sports?" The answer: in 1970, it was the site of the first-ever game played by a team from the Enfield Hockey Association. A group of team dads shoveled snow off the ice so the game could be played, but it was no contest, as Suffield prevailed, 20-0. Fortunes improved markedly for the program following that opening fiasco, with Enfield youth teams winning state and New England championships by the end of the 1970s, and five high school state titles being claimed by Enfield and Fermi between 1982 and 1990.

This week's trivia question:
Which academic distinction that will last forever in the annals of Enfield history is held by Emma Zorda? Directions: leave your answer in the comments section here on the story, not on a Facebook page, and not via email. Have fun!