July 9 through time MHC
100 Years ago – 1925
Richardson Electric Company of Martinsville was selling Frigidaire electric refrigeration systems. Its ad listed “Three Ways to Put Frigidaire In Your Home: 1. If you have a good ice-box in your home, Frigidaire electric refrigeration can be put into it in a few hours; 2. Frigidaire mechanism can be put into any ice-box you buy; 3. Install a complete Frigidaire unit – in which Frigidaire mechanism is combined with our specially built cabinet.”
The home of Mr. and Mrs. C.W. Heath on West Church Street – no address given, other than it was next to the Primitive Baptist Church – was sold at auction. The buyer was Miss Mary Childress of Starling Avenue, who gave $5,475 for it. The two lots in the rear, but fronting on West Main Street, was sold to Martinsville Development for $2,500. The sale was conducted by H.A. Ford and Company, who gave away $20 in gold as prized to those present.
75 years ago – 1950
Frank’s Auto Grill was “Your Mobile Restaurant catering to parties and picnics.” The low body of the vehicle was shaped like a tank, and a rectangular windowed area opened above it. It had a large painting of a hotdog on the side. It was operated by Frank Ward, phone 2572.
James Curry, a teenager who lived on Shawnee Plantation in Ridgeway, was bitten by a snake and sent to Martinsville General Hospital, where he spent several days in recuperation. Shawnee Plantation was a Hairston plantation. Peter Wilson Watkins (born 1878) lived there – the Watkins family Bible record, 1782-1983, now is held by the Library of Virginia. The Bible was printed in 1845. Other surnames mentioned in that Bible are Hairston and Plummer.
50 years ago – 1975
Carlisle School students under the direction of John Metzger erected a totem pole they had made of felled logs. It was a religious symbol to honor several tribes from Washington and Oregon. They did that as part of a summer camp program on Native Americans. Boys in 4th, 5th and 6th grade who participated included Bill Cumiskey, John Cumiskey, Kevin Miles, Paul Conroy and Tom Conroy. Sam Blankenship was a camp counselor.
25 years ago - 2000
Trish Wells was the manager of the Uptown Farmers Market, operated by Martinsville Uptown Revitalization Association (MURA). It had been a close call that year on whether or not the farmers market, and the manager’s job, would have been funded. The farmers market on the corner of Church and Moss streets had just opened in October. Some of the vendors included Tressi’s Greenhouse in Spencer, Betty Watkins of Ridgeway and Moir Bingman of Critz.
— Information from museum records and the Henry Bulletin and the Martinsville Bulletin.