May 27
By Holly Kozelsky and Pat Pion
100 Years ago – 1924
Ad for C.W. Holt: “Poor clothes at a low price – or good clothes for a fair price! The practical man doesn’t hesitate. He knows that good clothes, skillfully made, fashioned of fine fabrics, styled by expert designers, are worth more because they give more service. Kuppenheimer Good Clothes at $45 are a real ‘Investment in Good Appearance.’ The Spring exhibit says so, you’ll say so too.”
75 years ago – 1949
Metal porch gliders were popular, and Troxler Furniture at 26 Fayette street was advertising a “three passenger glider with steel frame. Baked-enamel finish. Three well-padded back cushions with floral design. Seat pads with valance front. Choice of colors” for $59.95, which could be purchased by paying $1 down.
1960
Registration for summer day camp at the School Board Office was well underway. Parents were encouraged to register their children as soon as possible. All children between the ages of 5 and 12 and living inside the city were eligible for the age-based, 2 week, 9am-3pm sessions in City and Community Parks during June, July and August. White children would attend City Park location while Black children would attend the Community Park location. The City Park location included an afternoon swim at Fieldale Pool and cost $4. The Community Park location cost $3. Both included bus transportation.
Martinsville GoKart Club got the green light from city council to begin construction of a track on an already-graded plot at the Municipal Airport, 3 miles south of Martinsville. They agreed to hold the City harmless against recovery in the event of an accident. The non-lease agreement included the understanding that the Council could inevitably decide to lease or sell the property for industrial or other purposes and the club would be out of their $1,000-$1,500 expenditure.
50 years ago – 1974
The Axton-Laurel Park Lions Club recently had formed, and it was planning a $225,000 recreation and park project on Route 620 just past the new Axton post office. It would have a building, ballfield, swimming pool, tennis courts, picnic shelters, playground and other amenities. The first fundraiser would be an auction of donated items and a rummage sale. Officers of the new club were John Jones, Harry Eanes, Kennon Robertson, Gene Wales, Doug Harris, Hugh Dickerson, Dan Robertson, Bud Helton, James Holland, Howard Freeman and James Merricks.
— Information from museum records and the Henry Bulletin and the Martinsville Bulletin accessed on microfilm at the Martinsville Branch Library.