July 5
By Holly Kozelsky and Pat Pion
100 Years ago – 1924
The County Board of Supervisors listed allowances the County had paid out in the month before. They included: Turner Mitchell, $180; J.W. Russell, $140.12, $72.50; Taylor Carter, $150; C.B. Hundley, $31.44; C.F. Frazier, $1.56; Aaron Mills, $30.65; Posey Thomspon, 50 cents; Mrs. J.W. Russell, $11.20 … and more.
75 years ago – 1949
A saw-milling outfit engaged in felling and sawing timber on the Gravely property near Leatherwood was extensively damaged by an explosion and fire. The Martinsvilel fire department sent its booster tank truck to the scene, helping to prevent the spread of fire to a large quantity of cut timber nearby. The saw-milling outfit was one of five owned and operated by Craig Brothers.
The Henry County Jail was approved for housing federal prisoners not under sentence. That approval by the Federal Bureau of Prisons came after improvements to the local jail, followed by an inspection. Improvements included making the jail fireproof.
1960
A trial of 40 Martinsville residents on charges of violating state liquor laws was underway, and going more slowly than originally expected. Judge John D. Hooker ordered that the trials for all defendants except for the one currently going on be reset for Aug. 1.
50 years ago – 1974
A trade school was beginning operation at Patrick Henry Correctional Field Unit 28. Staff from Patrick Henry Community College would teach three 16-week sessions of carpentry to 15 men in each class. The school was first suggested by a citizens advisory committee.
25 years ago - 1999
Hooker Furniture Corp., Stanley Furniture Co. and Henry County together hosted Celebration 75 at the Martinsville Speedway. The two companies did it as part of the celebration of their 75th anniversaries. The County had hosted a fireworks celebration in past years, but with the involvement of the two companies, the event was four to five times bigger than it had been. Music was performed by B’Natural Band, Cimarron and Confederate Railroad. Games included Giant Moonwalk, Velcro Wall and Bungee Run. Everything was free to the public. All sorts of food was offered for sale. Twenty-eight thousand people attended.
— Information from museum records and the Henry Bulletin and the Martinsville Bulletin accessed on microfilm at the Martinsville Branch Library.