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) was fairly easy to identify, and our local history buffs jumped right in with their responses.
You guys are good! There was obviously a lot of analysis that went into these educated guesses.
Rick Liftig was the first to post his comment, and it contained some great details: “Bishop’s Corner – 345 North Main – maybe 1955-58. It’s amazing to see all of the open space in this photo! That was one spiffy shopping center in its day: Lord and Taylor (replete with Fenway green awnings, S.S. Pierce Gourmet foods (does anyone else remember how their printed ads had a weird smell?), Doubleday Books, and to balance it off, FW Woolworth. Woolworth’s smelled of popcorn (used to lure you into eat) and had a million ceiling fans.”
This was the Westfarms of its day – really the first suburban shopping mall in the area.
Don Kauke added some more details and personal memories: “Bishops Corner from the air looking East with North Main on the other side. The S. S. Pierce store facing South, sold quality foods and provided gift packages that could be mailed, even to soldiers serving overseas. A forerunner of Whole Foods.”
Liz Gillette also had some great memories of the early days of the Bishops Corner Shopping Center: “Oh, Lord and Taylor was so elegant! And yes, SS Pierce – the exotic asparagus in a can – in November, no less!
When I was little, and older woman named ‘Teddie’ worked on the ground floor of Woolworth’s where the small pets were. She’d let you pet the hamsters. And escalators! The big time… As to the date, when I was very little, my mother shopped at the Popular which is Crown today. I’d peg the picture at the lower end of the 55-58 range, perhaps right after it was built. Before that I believe it was Dutchman (?) Dairy. There was a windmill on top of the building that went on to become Gledhill Nursery’s logo. Over the years, Caldor’s, Pottery Shed, Metzger’s, the original Bookworm, Harvey & Lewis, Linen’s and Things, and my favorite memory – Debbie Reynold’s Slimming Studio!”
Mike Margolis lives right in the area, and brought some great personal and historic perspective: “We can date this photo to somewhere between 1950 and 1957. 77 Blue Ridge was built in 1950, that is shown. 62 Blue Ridge is not in the photo, that was built in 1957. All the houses showing on Blue Ridge were built between 1942 and 1950. Haynes Road was mostly built in 1948 and 1949, but there’s not enough detail to show which house is which. Darn it, my house is there but obscured by trees!” Mike went back and researched when the shopping center was built, and once he learned that it was constructed in 1953 and 1954, he guessed that the photo was taken in 1954 or 1955.
It was, in fact, taken in 1954.
There were plenty of people who commented on Facebook, too.
Virtually everyone knew that this was Bishops Corner, but several had first hand memories of businesses that were located there. Nancy Taylor said the building with the excalator “used to be known as Lord & Taylor’s back in the day. 50s, 60s … my mom would take us there as a treat! The Birdcage Restaurant. The finest restaurant a 9-year-old ever imagined existed.”
“I remember this slightly – fond memories of my grandmother taking me to see the Easter Bunny at the old Lord and Taylor’s at bishop corners – I think this is the building and now it is Marshals to the right and Bank of America to the left ,” commented Liz Sanders Pang.
Many remarked at the changes in the area, and were amazed to see the other corners devoid of buildings.
Courtesy Noah Webster House & West Hartford Historical Society
Who knows where this week’s photo (at right and in larger size below) was taken?
What is this building?
Is it still occupied?
If so, what is in this space?
When was this photo taken?
Please share your memories below.
Thank you to the Noah Webster House & West Hartford Historical Society for providing us with the images. They are always looking for new images to add to the collection. Visit their website atwww.noahwebsterhouse.orgfor more information about membership and programs.
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Courtesy Noah Webster House & West Hartford Historical Society
Aerial view of Bishops Corner, 1954. Courtesy Noah Webster House & West Hartford Historical Society
Just a guess here, maybe the Saint Joseph College nursery school a.k.a. The School for Young Children, on Steele Rd., 1946.
I agree, because I just happened to drive by it on Steele Road yesterday and noted those paladian windows all in a row. I’m hedging a bit, though, because the structure on Steele is longer and has more of a flat front today.
It was Beech Park Elementary School on Steele Road. It is now St. Joseph University Nursery School.
It’s Beach Park School on Steele Rd. It was a small elementary school for kids who lived north of the Morley district. Never went there, but always loved those windows!
I concur on Beach Park School. I believe it was named after the Beach family, not the beech trees. Years and years ago,the former principal (Miss Alice ????) told me that the building had no kitchen and the children all walked home for lunch. Bet there’s a kitchen now!
Oh! and P.S. (Sen.) Beth Bye was the director/principal for years after it became the School for Young Children. Chances are our Town Historian, Tracy Wilson can fill in a lot of blanks!
Yes – that building was originally the Beach Park Elementary School which was part of the W.H. Public Schools until the early 1970s. My grandmother, Alice Stanley Young, was the revered principal of the school for many years until it closed. It was a nice, little neighborhood school – and lacking a cafeteria, the kids went home for lunch! Great that the historic building is still used for the education of children! Ed Stanley