February 3 through the years

100 Years ago – 1926

Community Meetings of Henry County were held: in Ridgeway, Wednesday night; Broswell (yes, spelled that way), Thursday night; Hoppers, Friday night; and Spencer, Saturday night. The announcement did not say which organization held the meetings but described them: “These meeting are held for the uplift of the agricultural community. All problems of the farm are discussed, and a general good old-time get-together meetings are held.  … Music will be given by musicians in each community.”

75 years ago – 1951

A petition for approval of a new Presbyterian Church to be located in the Forest Park/Druid Hills section was prepared for submission to the Roanoke Presbytery, Synod of Virginia. It came as a result of action the previous December by members of Anderson Memorial Presbyterian Church (which within a decade would be demolished, and the land used for the expansion of Globman’s). The new church would be the third Presbyterian church in the city (until Anderson was torn down). The other one was Kate Anderson Presbyterian Church on Dillard Street, which also had its origin in the Anderson Memorial Church.

50 years ago – 1976

A three-man team campaigned together for City Council, positioning themselves as alternatives to the candidates supported by the Martinsville-Henry County Voters League. They were Francis T. West, L.D. Oakes and J.P. “Pat” Sutton. West had been mayor for 2 years and on Council for 8, before being defeated in 1974 elections by Barry Green and G.S. Sandy Fitz-Hugh, who had been backed by the Voters League.

25 years ago - 2001

Donna Massey opened No Tan Lines Tanning and Nail Salon on Riverside Drive in Bassett. Lynn Pack was a nail technician there.

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