1924, Exalted Cyclops calls all KKK members to midnight meeting at cemetery; 1949, old Andes house to become library; 1960, businesses; 1974, layoffs at Dominion LOF; 1999, pies in the face for Principal Dean Randall at Carver Middle School. (PHOTO: WMVA News Director from 1968 to 1990 Owen Hall)

1929, annual institute for Henry Co. teachers; 1949, decrease in polio cases; 1960, Joyce Cash Store of Fieldale; 1974, Christmas Cheer drive drop-offs; 1999, Sanville fifth-graders develop recycling program. (PHOTO: Starling Avenue Baptist Church and the barber shop that used to be beside it)

1924, KKK at all but one of the white churches; 1949, Maynard West champion of Corn Contest; 1960, 3-state bust on liquor; 1974, MHC Voters League takes stance on mixed drinks; 1999, 60% of voters at polls. (PHOTO: The Tuggle home on Church Street in 1960, between Globmans and Lee Telephone, about to be demolished. It now is a parking lot.)

1929, possum-hunting champions, Cotillion Club and bus line; 1949, prison farm workers; 1960, stolen tobacco; 1974, new neighborhoods; 1999, EMI Imaging, Mission Center and Sanfords save their house. (PHOTO: Rives Theatre in 1950)

1924, Stanley-Bassett Furniture Plant opens; 1949, warning to Hallowe’en pranksters; 1960, Halloween damages; 1974, Dominion LOF production workers laid off; 1999, Halloween school vandalism. (PHOTO: Rives Theatre in 1950)

1924, Christmas cards; 1949, Dollie’s Beauty Den; 1960, city-wide hazard inspection; 1974, Jaycee’s Haunted Castle; 1999, Ancient Egypt at Piedmont Arts. (PHOTO: Mural for Sinclairs which was on Chestnut Street and was started by Henry Sinclair in 1916)

1924, population increase; 1949, Lane chest at Troxler; 1960, Pleasant Grove poultry farm; 1974, Belmont Street is deadliest road; 1999, mother and daughter murdered. (PHOTO: Martinsville Train Depot)

1924, court battle over Leatherwood Primitive Baptist Church; 1949, 44 tons a day at city rock quarry; 1960, Homecoming Queen Puddin’ Minter; 1974, 3,500 employed by Bassett Furniture Industries; 1999, Tultex loss and job cuts. (PHOTO: Leatherwood Primitive Baptist Church on Dyer Store Road, taken in 2024)

1924, big county fair prizes for farming children; 1949, Martinsville PD keeping county taxis out of city; 1960, 800-gallon still'; 1974, “Racing’s Wildest Double-Header”; 1999, new web pages for BHS teachers. (PHOTO: Martinsville General Hospital, 1946 to 1970, and after that a nursing home. Now the site is home to the Virginia Museum of Natural History.)

1924, Buick curtains open and close with the doors; 1949, high school program gives kids factory field trips; 1960, freak accident with school bus; 1974, Dyers Store Ruritan Club Brunswick stew sale; 1999, Simone Redd president of Imperial Savings & Loan. (PHOTO: Lynwood Judkins 1962 WMVA. He also was a ham radio operator under K4VBU.)

1924, wool blankets good for couch covers or auto robes; 1949, new tobacco warehouse approved; 1960, search for garbage dump sites; 1974, Ted’s for men; 1999, first explosives-sniffing dog. (PHOTO: Lavinder Springs and Store about 1899, once the crossroads of town. On Memorial Blvd near Bridge. Bulletin founder JBC Ambrose on porch, Powhatan Daniels, Mr. and Mrs. Lavinder, EF Holt in wagon, TC Bouldin beside it)

1924, Rubber Reducing Garment replaces the corset; 1949, Hackler-Seymour Metal Works; 1960, N&W Railway wants to stop passenger service; 1974, Jack Billings dies at work; 1999, Dr. Elizabeth Moore teaches local archaeology class. (PHOTO: Kroger on Church Street next to Rives Theatre)

1924, official resolutions for the dearly departed; 1947, $2,265 plus $46/month for three sets of 2-way radios; 1960, cold escapee returns to prison; 1974, rifle shortage; 1999, Bishop Robert Kellam’s anti-drug march. (PHOTO: The Jesus Joint in downtown Martinsville)

1924, real estate financing; 1949, Educational Week at High Street Baptist; 1960, Bridge Street attorneys; 1974, pollution control system at Henry Co. Plywood; 1999, 187th Paraglider Infantry Regiment reunion in Martinsville.

1924, locals win big in Danville apple show; 1949, Prillaman’s $2,000 bull; 1960, Santa’s first letter of 1960 comes from Ann Pannill; 1974, Fieldale Towel Mill closed for a week; 1999, PHCC enrollment hits high of 3,115. (PHOTO: Fuller Tire Co.)

1924, census begins to see of Town can become City; 1949, toy drive; 1960, Family and Gifts Division of United Fund; 1974, falling tree top kills Joe Hayden; 1999, ceremony for new Frith building at PHCC. (PHOTO: First Presbyterian Church next to Chief Tassel building. After it was torn down, a Woolworth was built there.)

1924, Martinsville Cotillion Club; 1949, John Riddle returns after mysterious absence; 1960, “what a way to meet your neighbors”; 1974, digging begins for Indian graves; 1999, renovations at Fairy Stone State Park. (PHOTO: Fagg’s Drug Store)

1924, Prizes for best grasses; 1949, injuries after scaffolding fall at Fieldale'; 1960, 200 at Methodist District meeting; 1974, King’s Family Center portraits; 1999, Junior Lee Lawlss, Lynn Prillaman Mabe, Brad Parker and Roy L. Thomas. (PHOTO: David Minter in front of Broad Street Hotel with his 1961 Chevrolet convertible)

1924, top prizes; 1949, Community Fund; 1960, Christmas Cheer meeting; 1974, “DISCO: The DOIN’ IT People”; 1999, Versharn Scales’ new mansion. (PHOTO: Construction of Woolworths, showing Chief Tassel building at left and the old First Baptist Church, which was torn down in 1960 and now is a parking lot.)

1924, famous equestrian stars at circus; 1949, Flori Roberts cosmetics; 1960, Boy Scout uniform drive; 1974, Imperial Savings and Loan; 1999, Courthouse Days. (PHOTO: Church Street business section from postcard)