Test your knowledge of West Hartford history with this ‘Thursday Throwback,’ courtesy of the Noah Webster House and West Hartford Historical Society.
By Ronni Newton
It’s Throwback Thursday (#tbt), and time to take a look back into West Hartford’s past to either stir up some memories, reflect on how much things have changed, or both. And if you have no idea, we love the photo captions, too!
Courtesy Noah Webster House & West Hartford Historical Society
Last week’s photo (at right and in larger size below) inspired a wide variety of guesses – some really good ones!
Giovanni Seccareccia thought this was Burnham’s, “that used to be on South Main Street or the drug store that was once on the corner of South Main Street and Farmington Avenue where Bruegger’s Bagels is now.”
“Is this Hammerland’s Drug Store on South Main, where Taste of India etc are now???” guessed Amy Melvin.
“I think it’s Bennett’s Card and Candy Shop. Maybe I’m cheating – did we have this one before a few years ago?” guessed Dianne Rechel. (Not cheating – and this photo has never been published in this column or in a similar column that I wrote for another online news site.)
“Central Delicatessen, Farmington Ave.,West Hartford Center,” thought Sue Costa.
Liz Gillette added the following: “I’ll follow Giovanni with Burnham’s. The wall is covered with cans and the corner of the wooden counter looks old. It looks to me to be a meat case at the back. I believe it was an “old time” store and you went (or later, phoned) in with your order that they would get for you as opposed to wandering aisles, often delivering to your home. For the time, I would guess the 40’s (not war years) or later 30’s.”
Those guesses were all comments directly on the article!
There were some other guesses posted on Facebook, including Dougherty Drug on Farmington Avenue, Metzger’s Lighting, Hilliards, Hall’s Market, LaSalle Market (where Restaurant Bricco is now), and a bunch of votes for Bennett’s.
The correct answer is Burnham’s! Giovanni was close with the location, but Burnham’s wasn’t on the corner; it was in a wood frame building at 19 South Main St. There’s not actually a building with that address now, but it was between Kaoud Oriental Rug and the Town Center Building. Liz was very insightful with her guess based on the cans and meat case, and close with dating the photo at late 1930s/early 1940s. Burnham’s was in business from 1898-1959, and this photo was taken of a holiday display in 1932.
Courtesy of Town Manager Ron Van Winkle
This week’s photo (at right and in larger size below) is another from the archives of Town Manager Ron Van Winkle.
Who knows where this is?
When was this photo taken?
What is in this location now?
Please share your memories below.
Thank you to the Noah Webster House & West Hartford Historical Society and Town Manager Ron Van Winkle for providing us with the images. They are always looking for new images to add to the collection. Visit their website at www.noahwebsterhouse.org for more information about membership and programs.
Like what you see here? Click here to subscribe to We-Ha’s newsletter so you’ll always be in the know about what’s happening in West Hartford!
Courtesy of Town Manager Ron Van Winkle
Holiday display at Burnham’s, 1932. Courtesy Noah Webster House & West Hartford Historical Society
Is that the corner of Simsbury Rd and Cottage Grove Road?
Maybe New Britain Ave and South Main St. looking South. There appears to be a lady waiting for a bus and I think I see two children down the road. I would place this as the 30’s based on the lady’s hat (how’s that for slim evidence!)
Wow! Tough one this week Ronni! Never saw this photo ar any resembling it before! I will throw out a guess and I’ll say Steele Road at the intersection of Asylum Avenue looking North.
I think it is the intersection of New Britain Ave and South Quaker Ln
Zoom in too much and the pixels strain the eye, but it looks like the post says “North Main”. But what’s the other street?? Have to sleuth on this, but it looks like we’re looking west. If the person’s indeed waiting for a bus, it’s probably morning, so the shadows come from the left/behind (east-south-east-ish). Plus the slope goes slightly uphill, and the streets toward Hartford mostly slope down from N. Main. Also, probably not north of Bishop’s Corner, just guessing. So between Farmington and Albany Aves. There’s a tree shadow where the photographer is standing, so the street ends at N. Main, doesn’t cross it. Flat, then slightly uphill…tough to say, but maybe Mountain View Dr., somewhere in that area I will say. Super-zoom looks like the post could say “Mountain…something” so I’ll go with N. Main and Mountain View Dr., let’s say, oh, 1926.
OK, it definitely says “New Britain Ave.”…please disregard my entire previous post.
Bob, I really like your topography and shadow analysis. Because I don’t see a slope towards what I think is Hartford (the left)I have real room for doubt on my guess because you’re right, Main St. really runs along the ‘spine’ of town. The Whitman House would be just a little farther to the left, the photographer would be in the road between Jake’s Wayback and the medical building in my guess, looking towards pastures where houses were built in about the 40s. Could it perhaps be the corner of New Britain and Newington? (That’s my back-up!)