March 24

By Holly Kozelsky and Pat Pion

100 Years ago – 1924

The Henry County Board of Supervisors on Monday, March 24, voted unanimously to build a permanent road from Henry to Oak Level. They voted to close the season on Hungarian partridges and ring-neck pheasants for 3 years in Henry County to protect those birds. County Engineer H.D. Whittle was directed to view the road from Prillaman’s store to Gauldin’s school house. J.R. Adams and A.D. Beckner were directed to trade county Ford autos to best advantage to get new cars for the county. A committee was appointed to purchase iron culverts for district roads. Supervisors voted to discontinue the appropriations for colored home demonstration work in the county.

75 years ago – 1949

Anthony Bros. Lumber company in Bassett retrieved about 1,000 feet of the estimated 3,000 feet of lumber that washed down the Smith river during a heavy rainstorm two days before.

Victor Tucker announced that his Junior Chamber of Commerce committee working towards the completion of the Martinsville Community hospital for colored would seek federal assistance toward the $120,000 expected cost.

1960

The County School Board asked for an increase of $200 over the state recommended minimum salary for teachers. For degreed teachers, this would amount to $3,200 beginning and $4,200 for teachers with 8 or more years of experience. Vocational teachers were on a different salary scale which was set up in a different manner.

The Marrowbone watershed project, which was slated to cost at least $250,000, was scheduled to begin within 90 days, according to the Federal Soil Conservation service.

Martinsville Hospital Auxiliary announced that they would be offering nursing scholarships to three high-school senior girls from Martinsville and Henry County Schools. Guidance teachers from all high schools submitted names of deserving girls.

50 years ago – 1974

Fred Q. Rickards, president of Camp-Branch Plantation Inc. and manager of Burnt Chimney Farms, announced his company would build an ultra-exclusive housing subdivision on a 3,500-acre tract between Martinsville and Axton on Highway 58. It was to have been called Wilhemin Estates. The minimum lot size would have been 5 acres, with about 80 houses total. It would have had a rider and horse training school and trails between the forks of Leatherwood Creek between Rt. 648 (Stoney Mountain Road) to the east and Mt. Olivet Road to the West, covering about 1,000 acres.

25 years ago – 1999

Lynn Ward was featured in a Cook of the Week Martinsville Bulletin article. One of her recipes was for Tapas (Spanish Thin Sandwiches). Ingredients: boneless chicken breast, thinly sliced; sirloin or other tender steak, thinly sliced; fresh shrimp, shelled; garlic-flavored olive oil, ¼-inch slices French bread, thinly slice tomatoes, lettuce, tomato, salt, pepper. Directions: Add several peeled garlic cloves to olive oil and allow to sit overnight. Chill meats in freezer overnight so they will be easier to slice. Coat hot griddle on frying pan with olive oil. Brown chicken, beef and shrimp in pan, watching closely, until done. Place on toasted bread with lettuce, tomato and salt and pepper.

— Information from museum records and the Henry Bulletin and the Martinsville Bulletin accessed on microfilm at the Martinsville Branch Library.