Nov. 6

100 Years ago – 1924

The Kiwanis Club looked into possibilities of getting electricity to Martinsville. Messrs. J.R. Gregory and A.D. Witten gave talks on the topic. The said that there wasn’t enough need for power in Martinsville for either of the Big Southern Power Companies to go to the expense of extending their power lines here. Also, most Martinsville industries, especially the furniture plants, made their own power at a very small cost by using their waste products as fuel. Gregory said that Martinsville had considered getting electricity from a company to be formed by John Sanders for the development of the Eggleston Falls power on Smith River, 6 or 7 miles below the present municipal power plant.

75 years ago – 1949

Fireworks had been being set off a whole lot in Pleasant Grove, so City and County officers warned that they were going to crack down on violators. J.A. Stegall reported those fireworks in Pleasant Grove, whereas Chief H.W. Stultz of Martinsville and O.B. McCray of Bassett said they had heard a lot of firecrackers on Hallowe’en night.

1960

Martinsville police had an unusually active weekend, with nine offenses booked at police headquarters. They were for: drunken driving; wife abuse; discharge firearms in the city; assault and disorderly conduct; ownership of an unlicensed dog and unvaccinated dog; red traffic light; disorderly conduct;

50 years ago – 1974

Two sewing classes were being offered at Patrick Henry Community College. One was a 4-week class on women’s lingerie, with a $12 fee which included the textbook. The other was a 2-week class in making men’s trousers of doubleknit fabric, with a $7 fee.

25 years ago - 1999

John R. Redd, a member of the American Legion Post 78, was named Veteran of The Year. Simon C. Spencer was the guest speaker at Veterans Day 1999 celebration at Martinsville High School. He said that he was ready to declare “The Fifth Great War of This Century.” That war would be fought with the mind instead of with weapons. “We are in a war for survival, economically and educationally,” he said. “We have to win this global war in order for our children, all of our children, to have a prosperous future.” Spencer is a retired Lieutenant Colonel in the Army Reserve.

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