Town #41: Enfield

Our first stop of the day was to the Bickford's in Enfield. Bruce thought all the Bickford's had left Connecticut, but it turned out one is still around. As a kid he used to get something on their menu called a Big Apple, so it was a step back down memory lane for him.

Enfield is a town that made used to make gunpowder and more than 50 people died over the years because of mill explosions. There are still trails in Enfield that contains some of the ruins of those mills. Enfield is also one the towns is Connecticut that border another state.

New England Geography Blurb
New England is literally unlike any other place in the US. It's the only non-geographic area in the country that is recognized by the US government. And, for a variety of reasons, NECTA was created. NECTA, which stands for New England City and Town Area, places Enfield in Massachusetts rather than Connecticut. According to NECTA, Enfield is more closely aligned with Springfield than with Hartford. While this makes little difference for the State of Connecticut, it can be interesting to those interested in regionalism and New England culture.

After brunch we were off to Bristol.

Update: Since this post, the Bickford's in Enfield closed and there are no longer any locations in Connecticut.

Enfield stats:
Population: 45,411
Size: 34.2 square miles
Villages/Other Communities: Hazardville, North Thompsonville, Scitico, Thompsonville
Historic Places: Bigelow-Hartford Carpet Mills, Bigelow-Hartford Carpet Mills Historic District, Enfield Historic District, Enfield Shakers Historic District, Enfield Town Meetinghouse, Hazardville Historic District