April 23

By Holly Kozelsky and Pat Pion

100 Years ago – 1924

Mr. G. Filden Lester had begun building a large cement building at Koehler three miles west of Martinsville. It would be used for manufacturing brick and concrete block and for handling other building materials.

75 years ago – 1949

April 23 was a Saturday in 1949, and 48 more jurors were summoned on that Saturday to be in City Circuit court on Monday and Tuesday to join others already called for the continuance of the trials of five of the Martinsville Seven. In trials lasting one day each, Frank Hairston Jr. and Joe Henry Hampton both were found guilty and sentenced to death. Monday’s trial would be for Booker T. Millner.

1960

There was a need for more parking spaces in downtown Martinsville to accommodate the 9,041 vehicles that parked there daily. Members of the Martinsville Retail Merchants the Association rejected a proposal to double the downtown parking meter rates, in direct opposition to the recommendation of the board of directors. The rates would remain at 5 cents for 30 minutes, 10 cents for one hour.

Globman’s advertised two hours free parking at the Broad Street Parking Lot, with a minimum purchase of $1.95.

50 years ago – 1974

Globman’s Basement Sale: Steel ironing boards, $4.96 (regular $8); General Electric AM/FM calendar radio, $17.96 (regular $30); men’s nylon jackets $3.59 (regular $6); calculator, $39.96 (regular $60); polyester double knit fabric, $1.96/yard (regular $4 to $6).

— Information from museum records and the Henry Bulletin and the Martinsville Bulletin accessed on microfilm at the Martinsville Branch Library.