Sept. 20 through the years

100 Years ago – 1925

 Messrs G.T. Swain and W.M. Harris of the Pioneer Directory Company of Pulaski were in Martinsville to compile the first City Directory, which would supply in one volume names, addresses, facts and information about the city. The directory would be paid for by advertising and would be given away free. Mrs. T.H. Self was in charge of soliciting the advertising for the directory.

75 years ago – 1950

The Henry County School Board was seeking bids for the construction of a new elementary school in Collinsville. Bids would be accepted through Oct. 19. Martinsville architect J. Coates Carter drew up the plans for the school, which would be built on 10 acres on a hill, on the northeastern side of Highway 220 near the Morris Lumber mill.

50 years ago – 1975

Hargrave Military Academy student John K. Wheeler, 17, of 718 Corn Tassel Trail was shot dead. The shooting happened in an apartment at Avalon Arms Apartments, 701 Corn Tassel Trail; the couple who lived in the apartment were away on their honeymoon in Europe. Police described that Wheeler and another 17-year-old boy, also a student of Hargrave Military Academy, were in the apartment with two 15-year-old girls. One of the girls was the sister of the woman who lived in the apartment, and she used the key her sister had given her to get into the apartment. By the girls’ description, apparently the other boy had just held up the .22-caliber automatic pistol that was owned by the man who lived in the apartment and did not know it was loaded.

25 years ago - 2000

Mignon Grant opened Grant’s Unisex Salon at 52 Main St. Beverly Carter and Carol Broadnax worked there with her. Her salon remains open today.

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