West Hartford History: Where Was This Photo Taken?

If you think you know the answer or have a special memory related to the photo, respond in the "Leave a comment" box below this article. We'll run the answer next Monday, along with a new historical photo. The image has been provided by the Noah Webster House & West Hartford Historical Society. For more information on the museum's collection and programs, visit www.noahwebsterhouse.org.

Last week's question was "Where Was This Business Located?" Tom Hine commented that Woodridge Lake was originally an ice pond, and this photo is of a truck belonging to the Trout Brook Ice & Feed company, but the business was not located in the Woodridge Lake/Wood Pond area.

Don Kauke wrote, "Ice cubes in winter...delivering a block of ice for the 'ice box' on a winters day. Looks like a 1930s era truck with ice crusher aboard to make those cubes."

Robert Cunningham said, "I believe the Southern New England Ice Co was located just north of Farmington Ave on the wast side of Trout Brook. Trout Brook Drive, now on the east side of the brook, was not a through street at that time."

Although the Noah Webster House and West Hartford Historical Society did not specify when this photograph was taken, Don's guess is a good one. The answer they provided is: "Trout Brook Ice & Feed was the biggest business in the Center in the late 1800s. Edwin Arnold established the business in 1879 and offered daily delivery service to customers in West Hartford and Hartford."