Picture Enfield - Then And Now

ENFIELD, CT — The recent election of local golf legend Joe Olko to the Enfield Athletic Hall of Fame prompted a dive back into the photo book Enfield: 1950-1980 to highlight the former Shaker Park restaurant and nightclub, which he and his family owned for more than three decades.

Opening in the early 1950s at 327 Brainard Rd., just west of the forked junction with North Maple St., the restaurant was operated by Joe, Max, Frederick and Tadeusz Olko. Live entertainment became a staple of the club in the 1960s, featuring many national recording artists, including Connecticut-based Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Gene Pitney.

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When Massachusetts raised its legal drinking age from 18 to 20 in 1979, Connecticut's remained 18 for another three years before upping to 19. The minimum age in the Nutmeg State then went to 20 in 1983 before a federal law made it 21 in 1985. Like its nearby competitor, the Hazard Villa, Shaker Park was situated just a mile from the Massachusetts line, and during the time when Connecticut's drinking age was lower than its bordering state, the majority of cars in the parking lots of the local establishments bore plates from the Bay State.

The rare color photo of the building shown below, courtesy of the Facebook group Picture Enfield, depicts some "adventuresome" folk atop the entryway.

Joe and Max Olko sold the restaurant and bar in Aug. 1987, and developers built the Ashmead Commons condominium complex on the site in 1988. Here is a look at the property today, courtesy of Google Maps.

Last week's trivia answer:
Last week's trivia question was, "What former Kosciuszko Junior High School teacher had been an offensive lineman at Syracuse University, blocking for future Pro Football Hall of Fame inductee Larry Csonka?" The answer: Jim Murphy, who played in the prestigious Blue-Gray game and Senior Bowl in 1968, then spent several winning seasons with the Hartford Knights before embarking on his teaching and coaching career at "The Big K." Known as "Big Murf," the gentle giant passed away at age 73 on Nov. 30, 2018.

This week's trivia question:
Prior to Joe Olko, only two other golfers have been inducted into the Enfield Athletic Hall of Fame. Name them. Post the answer in the comments section below, or on the Enfield Patch Facebook page.