July 30 through the years

100 Years ago – 1925

The retail and wholesale business Patrick County Jobbing Co. was getting ready to open in that county. The retail department would sell all types of ready-to-wear clothing for men, women and children, plus dry goods and furniture. The manager was Mr. Glen Tilley of Mt. Airy, N.C., who was moving to Stuart.

Ad for M. Berlin store: “On account of the remodeling and additions to our store which have been under way the past few weeks our sales have greatly reduced, leaving us now, at almost the end of the season, with an unusually large stock of summer goods on hand. This stock must be sold – if we can’t get our price we will take yours. Please bear in mind that we are stating facts and are going to sell this merchandise. On top of this the time for going to market for fall buying is almost here and we will have to have the room.”

75 years ago – 1950

This ad from First National Bank of Martinsville: “Fashion leaders say if you keep anything long enough, it will come back in style, and now they’ve come out with a fig leaf bathing suit. We’re back where Eve started it all! – Money never goes out of style, but it pays to hang on to it, too – open a savings account today. The First National Bank, For 56 Years Growing With Martinsville. Turn in 12:45 daily to WMVA, Maynard Dillaber’s local newscast.”

50 years ago – 1975

Scanners – electronic devices which monitor emergency radio frequencies – were sold in several stores in the area. Martinsville police required that any vehicle which would have a scanner in it must register the scanner with the police department. Chief Frank A. Gard said that was to keep track of people who follow accidents and trouble cars. About 50 people had registered their vehicle scanners with the PD, but it was thought that a lot more people used them. That law had been in city code going back to 1956.

25 years ago - 2000

The Harry Potter books were all the rage, and Bryson Hairston of Bassett, 12, may have read them more times than anyone else. The latest book out was “Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire,” which he had been waiting for since December, and reserved a copy at the bookstore, which he was at when it opened, to get the copy the moment it was released on July 8. He finished all 700+ pages in 4 days, then went back and reread it. He had read the first three Harry Potter books eight times each. Vera Christensen was the manager of the Waldenbooks store at Liberty Fair Mall. She said the store had sold 105 copies since it was released, and would be selling more but could not get any more at the time.

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