March 8 through the years

100 Years ago – 1926

The Retail Merchants Association promoted downtown businesses and also coordinated information on customers’ credit standings. It passed a resolution stating that any customer who had declared bankruptcy must pay his bills due to local merchants at once, and that anyone who had declared bankruptcy would not qualify for local credit. This measure was due to a larger than normal number of people filing for bankruptcy in the past months.

75 years ago – 1951

Al Waleski resigned as head coach of the Martinsville Bulldogs, and Tom Burnette was appointed to replace him. Waleski would be succeeded as basketball coach by W.K. Putney.

50 years ago – 1976

Bill Prillaman, who operated a grocery store in Martinsville, had a 1,900-foot landing strip and a hangar and a windsock on his property, and state aeronautical charts listed it as Snow Creek Airport (private). By 1976 it wasn’t in much use, but he still got together from time to time with Bill Wiseman, Arnold Prillaman, Morton Lester and other local pilots for flying trips.

25 years ago - 2001

The Martinsville Bulletin and staff won awards from the Virginia Press Association competition, with reporters John Hale and Bernard Baker and editor Ginny Wray receiving special commendations including for their coverage of the demise of Tultex.

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