Nov. 4
100 Years ago – 1924
Announcement in the Nov. 4, 1924, edition of the Henry Bulletin: “The Knights of the Ku Klux Klan will hold their regular meeting this week in the public cemetery at 12 O’clock at night. All members are urged to be present as a matter of importance must be discussed. As your leader I desire a full attendance of the members. You are asked to come on the regular meeting night raining or not. The Exalted Cyclop.”
75 years ago – 1949
Announcement was made that the former Andes property on Church street would be remodeled immediately to be the site of the Martinsville Memorial Library. W.J. Puckett was awarded the construction contract. The remodeling should cost about $3,500. The board of trustees had bought the Andes house for $25,000. The downstairs would be remodeled for the library and the upstairs used as an apartment. A new heating unit would be installed. Until it would be finished, the city’s library would remain on the third floor of City Hall.
The eighth week of the Old Belt tobacco market had come to a close, and an estimated 75% of the area’s crop had been sold. The Martinsville market had handled 4,431,594 pounds, paying $1,898,656, or $43 per 100 pounds.
1960
For carpets, people could shop at Elkins Furniture & Rug Corp. of 51 Fayette St. or Brim Carpet & Upholstery at 939 Starling Ave.; for stocks and bonds, call John W. Yeaman at ME 2-2191, with “modern wires to principal cities”; for mattresses, McCarty Bedding Co. in Collinsville; for men’s wool coats with plaid liners, Ted’s; for an Alligator 100% Dacron raincoat, Morton’s Men’s Shop; for shoes for the entire family, Cannon’s at 39 E. Church St.; house construction, Finney Realty Inc.; termite treatment, Dodson Brothers; plants at Yeatt’s Nursery on the Danville Road; loans up to $600, Henry County Small Loan Corp. in Bassett; for insurance, Cahill at 32 ½ E. Main St.; for oil heating in the home, Prillaman & Pace at 107 Jones St.; for Vita-Var house paint, Lester Brothers Supply at 220 Roanoke Road and for a fresh, new ranch or Colonial designed home which cost between $7,000 and $35,000, Lesco Homes of Martinsville, a division of Lester Bros. Inc.
50 years ago – 1974
About 150 Dominion LOF production workers were laid off for 2 weeks due to a slowdown in the furniture industry. The company made plastic components used in the production of furniture. Its plant was in Bassett in the Bassett Furniture complex. Frank T. Treckman was the plant manager.
25 years ago - 1999
Carver Middle School Principal Dean Randall was doused in cream pies, syrup and feathers by students as the result of their meeting a challenge: Sell more than $20,000 worth of items for a PTO fundraiser. They hit $21,746.
— Information from museum records and the Henry Bulletin and the Martinsville Bulletin.