Picture Enfield - Then And Now [UPDATED]

ENFIELD, CT — Independence Day weekend is upon us, but things don't seem right with cancellation of most fireworks, festivals and parades, including the annual Enfield 4th of July Town Celebration (which actually would have taken place next weekend, but that's another story for another day). To get into more of a patriotic mindset, today we go back more than four decades to revisit the largest parade in town history.

Ironically, it was not even close to July when Enfield put on Connecticut's first Bicentennial parade. Instead, it was April 24, 1976 when our town celebrated the nation's 200th birthday.

About 4,500 participants and an estimated 50,000 spectators took in the grand spectacle. There were 22 marching musical units, including bands from all four Enfield secondary schools and the famed McGuire Air Force Band from New Jersey. A total of 41 floats traversed the nearly two-mile parade route from the then-being-refurbished Old Town Hall to the current Town Hall.

A look at the photo reveals the current town green had not yet been constructed, as buildings still dotted the site. North Main Street still ran directly alongside Town Hall, as the reconfiguration to align it with Elm Street was still nearly two years away.

A more contemporary overview of the area, courtesy of Google Maps, is seen below.

Last week's trivia answer:
Last week's trivia question was, "There are a number of signs around town which proclaim "Enfield Welcomes You." However, for a number of years there was only one sign which read "Welcome to Enfield," and that has just been removed within the past few years. Where was that sign located, and which adjacent business sponsored it?" The answer: at the bottom of the Interstate 91 northbound Exit 48 ramp was a red sign with white letters which proclaimed, "Welcome to Enfield. Sponsored by Friendly's." Patti Magnuson was the only reader to correctly identify the answer, and here's why: she and Lisa Rogers had their picture taken by the sign as part of a scavenger hunt a few years back.

This week's trivia question:
What company took top honors for best float in the Enfield Bicentennial parade? Post the answer in the comments section below, or on the Enfield Patch Facebook page.

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