What Is Going On in This Image?

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 questions was: "What Is Happening in This Picture?" The image was eerily – and ironically – similar to recent scenes around West Hartford following the freak October 29th snowstorm which brought down tree limbs all over town and left many of the remaining trees with a newly-shorn appearance.

Comments, some of which were tinged with sarcasm, included: "It appears to be a power outage due to an ice storm." (John); "Note that there were no CL&P trucks back then, either." (Rick Liftig); "And in the front right hand corner of the photo, the media is beginning to assemble for yet another press briefing/restoration effort "interpretation" by Jeff Butler." (John Hardy); "I heard there were hour long lines waiting for hay for the horses and ice for the ice box, too." (Rick Liftig); "My guess is the plan was to bury the six conduit pipe sections that are stored on the sidewalk, put the power and phone lines in the conduit, remove the wires and poles. trees were trimed so thay would clear the wires and poles when thay were removed. Probably Hartford Electric Light Company H.E.L.CO.ant Town Street Dept. doing project." (Raymond Brignano); and "My guesses - Dutch Elm Disease struck New England 1928 this could be removal of diseased trees. Or (because I am terrible at dating without seeing the actual photograph) Installation of electricity to downtown businesses could be somewhere in the range of 1910-1920. Telephone installation was probably much later than this photograph. (Liz Krenicky Culbert).

We thank all of you for your creative comments. The answer provided by the Noah Webster House & West Hartford Historical Society is much less specific: Tree surgeons are seen pruning the trees around Goodman Green on South Main Street.