May 25
By Holly Kozelsky and Pat Pion
100 Years ago – 1924
One of the jurors in the case of the murder of Mrs. John Eggleston of Fontaine took it upon himself to go to the Eggleston farm and question the Egglestons’ 16-year-old son, John. The juror, Rev. C.M. Wales, questioned the teenager thoroughly as to where the boy had found the ax which killed his mother.
75 years ago – 1949
City Council voted to take Carroll, Cole and Clift streets (south of Forest avenue) into the city street system. The city would need to acquire enough property to make the streets 50 feet wide in order to grade and surface them. Those streets had been very muddy. Also. Thomas J. Burch said he would give the City seven lots between Carroll and Cole streets to make a park; J.E. Jones, Ben S. Ramsey and Mr. and Mrs. J.R. Rice agreed to give land for the proposed park as well.
1960
Smith Mountain Gap in Pittsylvania and Bedford Counties was the scene of major upheaval with the arrival of brigades of Appalachian Power workers armed with chain saws and dozens of bulldozers and huge earth-moving machines as work began on Smith Mountain Hydro-Electric Project, designed to harness the power of the cool, clear waters of the Roanoke River. The project consisted of two dams, the first of which was at Smith Mountain Gap and the second was about 18 miles downstream, about 3 miles above Leesville. The lake that the two dams created would cover 3,400 acres. Appalachian planned to develop the area for recreational purposes such as boating and fishing. Workers were being recruited from the local labor market. The initial excavation called for the removal of 254,000 yards of rock and dirt. The Upper Lake was anticipated to fill within two years with the first electricity being generated late in 1962. The entire project would take three years to complete.
50 years ago – 1974
Want Ads: Part-time Barmaid – Experience preferred but not necessary. No phone calls. Apply in person to Al Groden, Dutch Inn. / Quarry Personnel of all types, time and half over 40 hours, now working 52 hours. Paid vacation plus other benefits. Apply Martinsville Stone Quarry, State Road 684, Fieldale. / Wanted immediately, ladies for direct selling of Sarah Coventry jewelry. Supplies and kit free. Win prizes and awards. No delivery. Call for more information.
— Information from museum records and the Henry Bulletin and the Martinsville Bulletin accessed on microfilm at the Martinsville Branch Library.