Oct. 8

100 Years ago – 1924

At the Henry County Fair, Dokies visiting from Roanoke wowed the crowds in full regalia of oriental type, accompanied by a 40-piece band. They performed a fancy drill. This Dokie group was with the Rajah Temple No. 195, Knights of Pythias. They had traveled by train from Roanoke to Danville for a 3-day Pythian conference, then came to Martinsville by train through special arrangements. Rajah Temple was the third largest temple in the world, and more than 100 Pythians in Martinsville belonged to that Temple; several participated in the Danville ceremonies.

This day was Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, one of the most important of Jewish holidays. Many of Martinsville’s significant stores were owned and operated by Jewish families and thus closed for the day: Globman’s, Sam Kolodny, M. Berlin, The Allen Store, Sam Heiner and The Sample Store.

75 years ago – 1949

The Axton Community Fair was held over the weekend at Axton High School. R.A. Tavaner was the fair’s general manager. The fair was sponsored by the Axton FFA Club and community organizations. The fair included games of skill and luck, including bingo, and meals of Brunswick stew and fried chicken. Several hundred dollars in prize money was given to winners in various exhibits of the homes, farms and schools of Axton.

The cornerstone of Axton Baptist Church was laid. The church roll church bulletin and other papers were placed in an aperture of the cornerstone. Piedmont Lodge No. 152, A.F. & A.M., was in charge of the program. The Rev. Chevis Horne was the speaker.

1960

The Public Library in Martinsville had more than 10,000 adult books, both fiction and non-fiction, and more than 2,000 children’s books. Six thousand six hundred city residents had library cards, and 1,400 county residents had them.

50 years ago – 1974

Billy, the pet cat of Robert D. Williams of Route 3, Bassett, turned 23 years old. Meanwhile, in Fieldale, the apple tree of Mrs. Carrie Adams of South Chestnut Street went through a surprising second bloom. It already had been through its normal bloom in early June.

25 years ago - 1999

Tultex announced that it would let go about 285 salaried and hourly employees in part of its steps to save $9 million per year. The 135 salaried workers were 17% of all the salaried employees.

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