June 28 through the years
100 Years ago – 1925
On the Martinsville road, near Ridgeway, a Dodge touring car with seven people overturned, killing one instantly and injuring another so that he died later. The driver got a severe gash on the head which was sewn up, and another man had to have his leg in bandages and splinters. The names of the two deceased were discovered to be Schoolfieds, from Leaksville. Witnesses said the car was going toward Ridgeway at a very high speed and when it rounded the curve parallel to the old mica mines its rear wheels skidded, causing the car to turn over several times.
75 years ago – 1950
Martinsville Hardware Co. on Main Street advertised “The Big Westinghouse Rancho Electric Range – New, Modern Design! Only $159.59, easy terms. Amazing, big modern electric range – with new built-in room for storage! 4 “Corox” units [stovetop heating elements], extra-large True-Temp Oven … Electric Timer and Light available at small additional cost.” The illustration showed a range that had two ovens, or an oven and a storage drawer, on the left side, and the four-burner stovetop on the right side with an opening below it. A speech bubble over a woman in the illustration read, “LOOK! New ‘Tuck-Away’ space for my kitchen stool!”
50 years ago – 1975
A new garbage-collection policy took effect in the city: People had to put their garbage out at the curb if they wanted the city collection crews to pick it up; the workers would not go get it from near the houses anymore. It was a hotly contested new plan, challenged by several unhappy residents at city council meetings. The city allowed that people not physically able to carry their garbage to the curb will be exempt from the rule; there wasn’t any concrete method of determining who qualified for the at-house service; residents would call city hall to work it out.
25 years ago - 2000
Dr. Calvin Rains was sworn in as Collinsville District Supervisor, filling the role left vacant since May 24, when Jack Dalton died. Other candidates had been Stuart Bowman, Nora Jenkins, Cindy Summit, Tony L. Millner Jr., Wilhelmina Foster, Richard Ephgrave, John Scott and George Lyle.
— Information from museum records and the Henry Bulletin and the Martinsville Bulletin.