Looking Back …
A look at the people and happenings of the area over the past 100 years
If you have information, pictures, artifacts, old company or church newsletters, family letters or anything else that sheds light on life in MHC-Patrick through time, please consider sharing them with the museum - either lending or gifting us the originals, or copies.
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April 3
1924, students present operetta; 1949, Patrick Henry and Albert Harris schools under construction; 1960, new earth-orbiting weather-eye station; 1974, case against Va. Telephone & Telegraph’s Martinsville division dropped; 1999, Axton residents say they want water but don’t grant enough easements. (PHOTO: Craig and Bassett store and undertaking)
March 28
1924, “when grandma and grandpa [were] … young and lusty in years”; 1949, Martinsville Rotary Club’s Courtesy Contest; 1960, Blue Ridge Yacht Club meeting; 1974, Mayor Francis West addresses “bitterness between black community and me”; 1999, car prices. (PHOTO: Hotel Hamilton, where Jefferson Plaza is now)
March 25
1924, “Virginia Law to Preserve Racial Integrity”; 1949, notice of $600,000 for new black high school; 1960, demolition scheduled for First Baptist on Church Street; 1974, Stuart Windle’s class incubates eggs; 1999, parent-teacher workshops on the new SOLs. (PHOTO: Church and Broad Streets)
March 24
1924, 3-year reprieve for Hungarian partridges and ring-neck pheasants in Henry County; 1949, 3,000 feet of lumber washed in flood; 1960, Martinsville Hospital Auxiliary scholarships for girls; 1974, ultra-exclusive development planned; 1999, Lynn Ward’s recipe. (PHOTO: 1930s east on Church Street from Bridge Street)
March 21 through time
1924, Junior Rifle Corps in Bassett; 1949, lawsuit; 1960, snow postpones Jaycees’ Clean-Up, Paint-Up, Fix-Up Week; 1974, proposed subdivision ordinance protested; 1999, Pluma to be restructured.
March 20
1924, Business and Professional Women’s Club; 1949, the beginning of the end of the Dick & Willie; 1960, expansion of Forest Park CC; 1974, Herbert Boaz, Jesse Kendrick, Pete Ferguson, James Harris, Paul Adams and George Martin react to gas shortage; 1999, Nancy Redd places in Virginia Junior Miss. (PHOTO: Ridgeway train station)
March 19 through time
1924: The beginnings of Hooker Furniture announced; 1949, The Hormel Girls were coming to town; 1960, big test for juniors; 1974, Mrs. Linda Cox’s class at Spencer school; 1999, furniture prices.
March 18 through time
1924, Bassett Minstrels at Globe Theater; 1949, third case of meningitis; 1960, MHC Women’s Club Spring Festival; 1974, new cars for MPD; 1999, ACS’s Daffodil Days fundraiser chaired by Tom Helmstutler.