Picture Enfield - Then and Now

ENFIELD, CT — Due to being bedridden the majority of this week, my creative juices aren't exactly flowing like normal, so today's installment of this weekly Enfield history series is a repeat from about four years ago. This circa 1977 photo taken by longtime Enfield resident Bruce Oliver shows Provencher's Carpets, with the former Amvets building in the background.

For nearly half a century, Provencher's Carpets was a family-run business in Thompsonville. Brothers Edward and Richard Provencher owned and operated the store in the Browne Building, on the northwest corner of Pearl and High Streets.

On March 12, 1979, a devastating fire destroyed the Browne Building and five businesses located in it: Provencher's Carpets, Enfield Cycle Stuff, Carl's Bike Center, the Ernest Shop and the High Street Barber Shop. The structure was never rebuilt, and today the property is a private parking lot.

Richard Provencher died in 2002 at age 71, while Edward Provencher, Jr. passed away in 2015 at 86.

Here is a more contemporary view of the site, courtesy of Google Maps.

Last week's trivia answer:
Last week's trivia question was a perfect example of the old saying, "Read the question." It asked, "Which was the first Enfield-based ice hockey team to win a state championship?" The answer was not, as guessed by many folks, the 1982 Enfield High School team, though the Raiders were the first high school team to capture a state crown. The correct answer, as evidenced by these banners posted at the Enfield Twin Rinks, is twofold: the 1979-80 Enfield Hockey Association (EHA) Pee Wee A team won the Division I state championship and the New England crown. Meanwhile, that same year, the Bantam A team won the Division II state title.

This week's trivia question:
There are nine communities named Enfield in the United States. Which is closest to our town, and which is furthest away? Post the answer in the comments section below, or on the Enfield Patch Facebook page.