Feb. 12 through the years

100 Years ago – 1925

A fire broke out in the fifth story of American Furniture Company’s new dining room plant. It was put out, but the loss from water was estimated to be in the thousands. Ironically, the fire happened just 5 minutes after the close of the Kiwanis Club meeting in which American’s president, A.D. Witten, gave a talk about the inadequacy of Martinsville’s water supply and the lack of facilities for fighting fire.

75 years ago – 1950

An unusual number of drunks were  picked up by City police: Nine cases of intoxication were disposed of with fines of $10 each plus court costs.

1961

Classified Ads under “Apartments for Rent”: 504 Broad St., Private 2-room furnished apartment with hot water for $30 a month. /  708 Carter St., 2 furnished rooms, private bath and entrance for married couple or two girls only. / 1005 Highland St., 2 room completely furnished, completely private apartment. / Memorial Boulevard, unfurnished private apartment with three rooms and bath, with heat and water, adults only, $50 per month / Nice New 2 room furnished apartment with built in cabinets, private entrance and bath, $12 a week. / 222 Broad St., private single rooms, also double with twin beds for gentlemen or working couple. / Close-In Bedroom and living room combination with semi-private bath, also dining room with breakfast and evening meal / 510 Dillard St., heated bedroom with bath and private bedroom.

50 years ago – 1975

Mrs. Charles Lemons of Figsboro Road told the newspaper’s Stroller column that she missed flaked hominy, which she had not seen in stores for the past 6 or 7 years. Flaked hominy was a dried cereal apparently made from shavings off swollen and dried hominy buds. She said a granary in Franklin County used to sell it.

25 years ago - 2000

Morning Star Holy Church in Axton celebrated its 50th anniversary. Brothers Tyler and Rufus Millner, both pastors, honored the church’s founder, their mother, Almeda F. Millner. She was the pastor of the church from 1950 until her death in 1989. She was the first minister to sustain a ministry in local jails, Tyler Millner said during the celebration, and also the first person to start vacation Bible school in the black community. Her plan was for the pastor to be paid by the third and fourth Sundays’ collections, and for the church’s bills to be paid by the collections of the first and second Sundays.

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