Dec. 17

100 Years ago – 1924

Ad for Byrd & Company Jewelers on Bridge Street: “Put Jewelry in Santa’s Pack! When good old St. Nick makes rounds Christmas Eve, he will be the cheerful messenger of Jewelry chosen from Byrd’s Store. This Store always has been known as the Christmas Store – and this year we’ve made more extensive preparations than ever. Our stock is now on display. We would be glad to show you the new things …”

75 years ago – 1949

This ad from Troxler Furniture Company: “Santa says – She’ll love this Hoover [vacuum cleaner] for Christmas – and her hands never touch dirt! This Christmas give her the cylinder cleaner that lets her dispose of dirt without muss – without fuss. Hoover’s exclusive Dirt Ejector simply clicks out the dirt. Complete with kit of cleaning tools you can attach without stooping. See it at our store or phone for a home showing, no obligation.”

1960

James Curtis Weatherman, 25, of 311 Clift Street, was arrested and held for the abduction and shooting of the Spray, N.C., police chief. The previous night, the chief had placed Weatherman under arrest in connection with two breakings and enterings in Stoneville, N.C. Police say when the chief was driving Weatherman to police headquarters, Weatherman pulled a gun on him and forced him to drive to Philpott Lake. The car, apparently out of gas, was left at the lake, and the chief was shot near the public boat dock near the dam. The severely injured chief made it more than half a mile to the home of Roy Anderson at the site of the former Dam Drive-in Restaurant, who called the Henry County Sheriff’s Office.

50 years ago – 1974

The SPCA got a telephone number – 632-7195 – and an answering service 24 hours a day.

25 years ago - 1999

Patrick Community Hospital hired two consulting firms to help it come out of Chapter 11 bankruptcy. The hospital filed bankruptcy in November, listing $5.5 million in debts.

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