Nov. 20 through the years

100 Years ago – 1925

 The Boosters Club promoted the town of Martinsville through advertisements and trips to communities where Booster members would speak to crowds. The club had taken out ads in the Reidsville Review, Stuart Enterprise, Danbury Reporter, Franklin Chronicle and The Henry Bulletin. On Nov. 20 members of the club – ladies also invited, and people should bring their packed lunches – met at the Banner Warehouse and motorcaded to Ridgeway, Price, Stoneville, Wentworth, Reidsville, Summerfield, Madison and then home. Musicians were going along to perform at every stop.

75 years ago – 1950

Good Samaritan: Jimmy Moore of Rives Road turned in $3 to the local newspaper office with a notice that he had seen a teenage girl drop it, but could not catch her in time to return it to her. The girl could claim it at the newspaper office. That $3 in 1950 would be worth $40.17 in today’s money.

50 years ago – 1975

Albert Brothers Contractors of Salem, key to the construction of the Bassett Forks-US 58 link of the U.S. 220 Bypass, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. That company had an $8,600,000 contract for the construction of bridges, grading and pavement on about 5 miles from Bassett Forks to Va. 609 in Fieldale. The work was almost done, so the bankruptcy was thought not to be a problem locally. Sherman-Simpson Construction of Mt. Airy, N.C., had been awarded the contract for the part of the road from Fieldale to U.S. 58 West.

It was closing day of the Martinsville Tobacco Market. Auctions were held at New Farmers Warehouse and Woody Brothers Warehouse.

25 years ago - 2000

First-graders at Rich Acres Elementary School celebrated Thanksgiving by moving their desks into the hall and building teepees inside their classrooms. They had a traditional meal of turkey and gravy, stuffing, yams, green beans and rolls.

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