Feb. 20
By Holly Kozelsky and Pat Pion
1924
The following projects were selected for the Henry County Boys’s Club: Corn Club – one or more acres; Soy Bean Club – one or more acres; Tobacco Club – one or more acres; Pig Club – fattening or sow and litter. Club members would enter in friendly competition in the County Fair hoping to win the coveted Blue Ribbon.
1949
J.C. Penney sale on Gaymonde Nylons: 45-gauge 20 & 30 Denier, 98 cents ; “Luxury Sheers” 51-gauge 15, 20 & 30 Denier, $1.15.
1960
It was very quiet in Martinsville on this day, as the area took a breath after the blizzard of the last few days. The writers of the Stroller column in the Martinsville Bulletin had found nothing interesting to write about and actually went to hang out in the Police headquarters where they again noticed an absence of activity. They spoke with Charlie Smith, S. V. Eure and Detective D. L. Nance. Patrolman Roy Emerson and Detective B. B. Thompson advised them to hang around, saying that something might “pop”. It didn’t. They entertained themselves by comparing their weights with and without equipment; that’s about all that happened.
In Richmond students continued in the national protests concerning segregated food service. They staged demonstrations throughout the downtown Richmond area two days prior. Three more stores suspended operations and at least four other food facilities were closed. No violence occurred.
In reaction, bands of other youths, some carrying Confederate flags and wearing Confederate hats, followed these groups and were asked to leave some of the stores because of their harassment of the students staging the sit-ins. Two individuals among the harassing individuals were removed from the scene because they fired paper clips into the crowd.
1974
Martinsville Drive-In Theatre opened at 6:30 p.m. and started playing movies at 7:30 p.m. According to their advertisement, they only were showing these “2 Adult Hits”: “‘Teenage Bride’ … The Line Forms at the Rear! ‘It’s OK, Honey – What’s a Brother-in-Law For?’ – ‘And you don’t have to be a stewardess to fly her!’” The other movie was “‘Ready for Anything’ – ‘Meet Penny’ – ‘Anybody can – for a price!’” No one under 18 admitted. Free heaters.
Playing at Town & Country: “The Way We Were” with “Streisand & Ford together!” / At the Rives Theatre, “They Call Me Trinity” and “Trinity is Still My Name.” / At the Martin Theatre, “Meet ‘Sugar Hill’ and Her Zombie Hit Men!’”
1999
Winners of the Martinsville Lions Club’s annual Music Scholarship Contest were Joel Spencer and Julia Katherine Brown.
PHOTO: 1933: “Detail view of the old rotating nail case and glass display cases now located in the second floor meeting room; looking southeast. - Horsepasture Store, U.S. Route 58 & State Route 687, Horse Pasture, Henry County, VA” — Historic American Buildings Survey, Creator, John Atkinson, Benjamin Watkins, Paul Clifton, James Lester Roberson, John H Schoolfield, Robert A Schoolfield, et al., Ryan, Robert A, photographer. Horsepasture Store, U.S. Route 58 & State Route 687, Horse Pasture, Henry County, VA. Horse Pasture Henry County Virginia, 1933. translateds by Christianson, Justinemitter, and Mcpartland, Marymitter Documentation Compiled After. Photograph. https://www.loc.gov/item/va1719/.
— Information from museum records and the Henry Bulletin and the Martinsville Bulletin accessed on microfilm at the Martinsville Branch Library.