Nov. 18
100 Years ago – 1924
Announcement in the Nov. 18, 1924, Henry Bulletin: “The Local Klan known as the Knights of the Ku Klux Klan will hold their open-air service in the Ball Park instead of on the Gates Farm as announced in the last issue of the Bulletin. This change has been made so as to enable many in the city to witness the ceremony, who would be unable to do it if it were held at the former place. The ceremony will take place at 8:30 sharp after a parade by the Klansmen thru the streets of the city. Fireworks will precede the ceremony. You will be asked to watch the horsemen and please obey any signals they make to you. They are not allowed to converse with you, and so if you hesitate to follow their signals they may have to Ku Klux you. Hundreds of men will be here from nearby towns and it is the desire of the Klansmen to have the ceremonies go off with the best of order. Help us.”
75 years ago – 1949
A new $8,240 garbage disposal machine arrived in the City and it was immediately put to use at the dump in Chatham Heights. City Manager Kent Mathewson said the machine would be used for several months to put the Chatham Heights dump into proper condition before it would be abandoned. Then the City would pick out a site for a sanitary landfill method of garbage disposal. The machine could be used both as a bulldozer, a digger, to transport dirt or to load dirt, gravel, stone and such onto trucks.
1960
The November issue of Virginia Record magazine gave a two-page spread on Martinsville High School’s new gymnasium. It showed both interior and exterior views with a complete description, including of the folding stage with lighting facilities and sound equipment for hosting there concerts or similar events. Dedication of the gym would be on Dec. 3, followed, by the first game of the season.
50 years ago – 1974
E.R. Highfield of 203 Pythian Building called himself “The Loan Arranger” and offered large or small loans for home or business, any purpose.
25 years ago - 1999
For the third consecutive year, Henry County schools received a Learn and Serve grant from the Virginia Department of Education. The $20,821 grant allowed school computer labs to be open in the evenings, when parents could come in with their children for their children to teach them how to use computers.
— Information from museum records and the Henry Bulletin and the Martinsville Bulletin.