Dec. 24

100 Years ago – 1924

An earthquake was noted in Roanoke and many people in Martinsville also reported feeling earth tremors and heard some rumbling.

The window display at C.W. Holt showed the scene of the Wise Men following the Star. Described in the Jan. 2, 1925, Henry Bulletin: “Mr. Hold it an adept in window decorating, and in the beautiful scene of the Wise Men following the Star, thoroughly historical in its arrangement, he has eclipsed all his former efforts. One gazing upon the scene, the long stretches of sand representing the desert, the camels bearing their interested travelers with gifts for the King, the Star a miracle itself, the angels representing the Chorus of Heavenly Ministrants who sang at the Birth of Christ, the color scheme, etc., these held the attention of the on-lookers for minutes, and many left the windows, after viewing the scene, to thank God for one who would keep alive the thought of the Spiritual Meaning of Christmas.”

75 years ago – 1949

Mr. and Mrs. Roy C. Stone of 1013 Sheraton Court won the Jaycees’ Christmas decoration contest. They won the $15 prize for the best decorated lawn and the extra $5 bonus for combination of lawn, window and door. Mr. and Mrs. W.A. Wright of 714 Parkview Ave. won $15 for best decorated window, and Mr. and Mrs. R.S. Brown of 1409 Mulberry Road won $15 for best decorated door.

1960

First-place winners of the 1960 Christmas Decorating Contest sponsored by the Martinsville Jaycees were: House Display, Mr. and Mrs. H.H. Dorton, 715 Druid Lane; Window Display, Mr. and Mrs. James H. Ford, 604 Orchard St.; Door Display, Mr. and Mrs. Roy E. Frith, 11 Whittle Road. The Dortons had a porch scene featuring elves decorating a tree. At the Ford house, Mrs. Ford had used colored tissue paper to depict the three Wise Men, with each piece of the design hand-cut and fitted into place. The Friths’ door was a contemporary version of a partridge in a pear tree, and “The Twelve Days of Christmas” played over a loudspeaker outside the home. They, along with second- and third-place winners, received gift certificates donated by Globman’s, Patterson’s, Frank’s Food Fair, Honore’s, Atkins’, Yeatts Florist, the Music Bar, Meffords, Rimmers and Hardware Supply.

50 years ago – 1974

At the Thomas Systems recycling company, all the ornaments on their Christmas tree had started out as trash that had come to the plant as waste material – plastic, string, nylon and cardboard. Veneta Davidson and Nannie Oakes decorated the company tree.

25 years ago - 1999

For the fifth straight year, Steven Goff, 47, decorated his property at 4666 The Great Road for Christmas, and Santa Claus would sit outside and visit with passersby. Other people with well decorated yards included John Brooks of Second Street, Lorene Hartis of Whitby Acres with her gazebo done up in gingerbread style, and Frances and Ervin Hairston of Fifth Street.

— Information from museum records and the Henry Bulletin and the Martinsville Bulletin.