March 3 through the years
100 Years ago – 1926
The Legislature approved the 500-mile route of what at the time was called “The Virginia Historic Highway” that would take travelers through the tourist areas of the commonwealth. The idea sprung from the Lynchburg Lions Club.
75 years ago – 1951
The Elks Club held a dinner-dance at Club Martinique. The entertainment featured Roanoke performer Madame Fifi, Greensboro dancer Hazel Whitlow, Reed Blackstone and other members of Paul Zimmerman’s orchestra and the quartet of Tom Honore, Mac Nelson, S.E. Fishel and John Floyd. The speaker was U.S. District Attorney for Western Virginia Howard G. Gilmer.
A committee of W.C. Barnes, I.M. Groves Jr. and former Martinsville Mayor Nick Prillaman were appointed by J.R. Walker and asked by the mayor and City Council to investigate the natural gas issue, covering pending requests by the Federal Power commission to get natural gas here. The committee of three chose 22 more to join them.
50 years ago – 1976
Six people in a Collinsville apartment were arrested in a drug raid conducted by a dozen Henry County deputies and State Police. Officers seized a large amount of marijuana, some hashish and some pills.
25 years ago - 2001
Martinsville High School students presented the comic strip musical comedy “Li’l Abner. Eighty-one students were in the show which was directed by Ann B. Gardner, Ruth Pace and Anne Norman.
Martinsville police said they had eliminated by use of polygraph test a number of suspects in the September murder of Lisa Thomas. They had asked both Malvester Muhammed and Maverick Thomas, Lisa’s husband, to take the polygraph tests, but both men refused, with Muhammed stating a belief that the test could give a false answer.
— Information from museum records and the Henry Bulletin and the Martinsville Bulletin.