April 5 through time
100 Years ago – 1925
A telephone system was being installed in Stuart, under the supervision of B.L. Fisher of Rocky Mount. The Kellog Phone and Switchboard was being used, and the homes in Stuart would be furnished with the Corman Battery System. When finished, it would be connected with either Martinsville or Fieldale by a Copper Trunk Line.
R.W. Morrison, the proprietor of the Patrick Springs hotel, was found dead in bed in the morning. For about 30 years he had operated the Patrick Springs Hotel. His wife had died about 20 years before. He had some relatives and a sister in Mountain Valley, and his funeral was held in Danville.
Several hundred people, including 10 robed klansmen, attended the funeral of Charles D. Taylor of Dry Fork. He had died suddenly while on the stage at Hinesville.
75 years ago – 1950
The Martinsville Junior Chamber of Commerce (Jaycees) was close to the $12,000 goal to finish the Community Hospital for black people. Victor L. Tucker, the campaign director, reported that $4,850 had been pledged, and Mr. and Mrs. O.D. Ford agreed to donate $6,000 if the remaining $1,150 came from the community.
50 years ago – 1975
In South Vietnam, two chartered jumbo jets and two military cargo planes flew nearly 900 orphans from war-torn Vietnam to new adoptive families in America. Another 263 were flown to Canada and Australia. Sadly, the day before and a mile and a half away, the Air Force’s first orphan airlift plane had crashed, with about 200 victims discovered as of April 5, making it the second worse crash in aviation history.
At Shoe World on Hwy. 220 North in Collinsville, women’s white or navy canvas sneakers were on sale for $2, and men’s slip-on casual shoes cost $3.66.
25 years ago - 2000
Prints from the Charity League’s cookbook were sold at the MHC Chamber of Commerce to benefit Charity League. The nine framed lithographs had been painted by Wanda Prillaman and used in “Barracuda in Velvet Gloves.” Kim Adkins was with the Chamber; Kristi Herring was the Charity League president; and Ashley Ullstein was the chair of the cookbook committee.
NBC’s Today show filmed Dr. Elizabeth Vaughan of Martinsville. Vaughan, known for wearing sexy clothing to work, gave each of the crew members an autographed copy of a 2000 calendar with a picture of her wearing a gold bikini. The 47-year-old looked good at 130 pounds. She said she enjoyed dressing that way, after having spent several years wearing bulky scrubs and white jackets when she worked in the emergency room, and also, weighing 170 pounds.
The very end of Tultex came when Tultex’s Discus Athletic inventory was sold to Value City.
— Information from museum records and the Henry Bulletin and the Martinsville Bulletin.