We managed to stump Plymouth residents with our trivia contest last week. No one was able to answer all five questions but Tom Dusbiber had an excellent showing, with three out of five. For his efforts, he will receive a $50 gift certificate to the Box Bar. Way to go, Tom! If you missed the trivia contest, here’s a recap of the questions and answers. See how much you know!

1. What year did the Box Bar open?

1946. This answer was no easy feat to track down. But, thanks to archivist Heidi Nielsen at the Plymouth Historical Museum, we learned that Theodore C. Box purchased the restaurant property in 1946. The Box Bar is also listed in the 1946 edition of the Plymouth Directory.

2. What department store used to be on Main Street?

The S.S. Kresge Company used to draw shoppers to the stretch of Main Street across from Kellogg Park, where Fiamma Grille and Compari’s are now. We discovered this from looking at old photos of Main Street from the 1950s and 1960s, mostly from Pictures of Plymouth Past and Present by Dr. Sam Hudson.

3. What was the name of the theatre in town that preceded the Penn Theatre?

The long-gone Penniman-Allen Theatre used to attract crowds downtown. The theatre was built on Penniman Avenue in 1918, according to Pictures of Plymouth Past and Present.

4. What form of mass transit used to run through the streets of Plymouth?

At the start of the 20^th century, the Interurban Trolley used to run through town. Photos from the Plymouth Historical Museum’s Charles Draper collection show the trolley cruising down Main Street between 1898 and 1908, before the streets were paved. You can check out the photo collection and more information about the trolley at http://bit.ly/f5CVNq

5. What used to sit at the “center” of Kellogg Park before the fountain was put in place?

Prior to the fountain’s installation in 1969, Plymouth Rock, which now anchors the Plymouth Community Veterans’ Memorial Park, used to be a focal point in the park. We dug up this information and spotted the rock in aerial photos from Pictures of Plymouth Past and Present.