Nov. 22 through the years
100 Years ago – 1925
Farris Bus Line, the new bus line between Roanoke, Rocky Mount and Martinsville, took its first trip. The bus line had three large 20-passenger Studebaker Type buses and terminals at 34 Kirk Ave. in Roanoke and at the Henry Hotel in Martinsville. Farris advertised a special round-trip rate of $4 ($73 in today’s money) from Martinsville to Roanoke and return on Thanksgiving.
75 years ago – 1950
Members of Anderson Memorial Presbyterian Church voted to build an educational building and an addition to the auditorium on the side of their sanctuary on Church Street. Little must they have imagined that in less than 9 years their sanctuary on Church Street would be demolished (it made room for Globman’s) and they would be in a new building on Patrick Henry Avenue. For the past 2 years, a church committee had been studying the possibility of moving to another part of Martinsville, but they ended up deciding to add on to their existing building. Meanwhile, another committee of the church recommended helping build and establish a new church in the Druid Hills-Forest Park area. Church membership had been growing rapidly. Anderson Memorial Church was built in 1928 with 168 members, but by 1950 it had 414 members, though some of the original members ended up affiliated with Kate Anderson Memorial Church and Irisburg Presbyterian Church, both built after 1928.
The Martinsville tobacco market closed on a great season which had more than 20% more volume than the year before.
50 years ago – 1975
The Collinsville Alcohol Treatment Center was operated by the Patrick Henry Drug Control Council and the Bureau of Alcohol Studies and Rehabilitation in Danville.
25 years ago - 2000
Jacques Jewelers in Liberty Fair mall had for sale: a channel-set sapphire and diamond heart pendant for $159; a 1-carat total weight diamond-in-line bracelet for $399; a 14-karat charm bracelet for $239; a diamond cluster ring of .33 ct. t.w. for $499; a garnet and diamond ring for $139; and a blue sapphire and trilliant diamond ring for $100.
— Information from museum records and the Henry Bulletin and the Martinsville Bulletin.