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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August 10 through the years
1925, furniture worker severely cut; 1950, polio season; 1975, Postmaster Buddy Phillips; 2000, Pulaski Furniture to close Martinsville plant. (PHOTO: unnamed child with polio)
August 9 through the years
1925, $2 ($36.55 in today’s dollars) for a year’s newspaper subscription; 1950, bid for 16 new cabins at Fairy Stone State Park; 1975, Miss MHC Deborah Ann Joyce; 2000, highway marker for Fort Trial. (PHOTO: Fuller Church parsonage 1940s)
August 8 through the years MHC
1925, Martinsville and Bassett baseball teams face off; 1950, unusual number of men from Henry County fail draft physicals; 1975, Williams & Williams Enterprises files lawsuit against Clark Brothers Co. on Patrick Co. hospital contract; 2000, senior dance at Best Western. (PHOTO: Eggleston Motor Company)
August 7 through time
1925, U.S. Highways approved, including one through Martinsville; 1950, Bargain Box; 1975, fees raised for textbooks; 2000, PHCC offers “Build Your Own Webpage” for kids. (PHOTOS: Starling Avenue Dry Bridge over Norfolk and Western railroad tracks)
August 6 through time
1925, latest parasol fad: doll heads; 1950, Broaddus elected president of Va. Bar Assn.; 1975, Centel wants rate increase; 2000, new cancer treatment equipment at Memorial Hospital. (PHOTO: C.T. Shropshire plowing land)
August 5 through time
1925, “Nellie the Beautiful Cloak Model”; 1950, four officers get two-way radios; 1975, discord at tobacco market; 2000, FUMC’s Clothe-A-Child. (PHOTO: Lafe Prillaman’s threshing box and Mastern Martin’s wood-burning steam engine. The men earned one bushel for every 20 they threshed.)
August 4 through the years
1925, “voice of the censor has been silenced” on beaches; 1950, Globman’s robbed overnight; 1975, Policewoman Ann Draper talks woman out of jumping from third story; 2000, $6,000 worth of peaches stolen from the Freels’ trees. (PHOTO: Frank Terry at Spencer Train Station)
August 3 through the years
1925, 4-H kids go to Virginia Tech; 1950, Lt. Oscar Cannaday Jr. is called to duty; 1975, Charles Walters heads ANCHOR II'; 2000, MHC Historical Society holds public meeting on how to preserve the courthouse. (PHOTO: 1905 Snowbird Mill between Fieldale and Preston Photo by Clarence Kearfott)
August 2 through the years
1925, Kester Dry Cleaning; 1950, Boy Scouts cancel camp plans due to polio worries; 1975, FUMC welcomes Nguyen family; 2000, thousands attend National Night Out. (PHOTO: Flat Rock School 1928)
August 1 through the years
1925, minister’s murder-suicide; 1950, Patrick County men drafted; 1975, crime prevention convention; 2000, newspaper switches publication time. (PHOTO: Barrow Mill northeast of Martinsville. Sawmill and gristmill. Gus Dyer and Miss Jessie Turner. Photo by R.P. Gravely Jr.)
July 31 through the years
1925, “Excellent candy service'“ at Millners Variety Stores; 1950, 41 Henry County men drafted for Korean War; 1975, Joan Van Vleck of Bassett named to Governor’s Council for Drug Abuse Control; 2000, MHC Historical Society looks into making a museum out of the old courthouse. (PHOTO: David Minter in front of Broad Street Hotel with his 1961 convertible)
July 30 through the years
1925, Patrick Co. Jobbing Co. about to open; 1950, “back where Eve started it all!”; 1975, City police require scanners to be registered; 2000, Bryson Hairston an avid Harry Potter reader. (PHOTO: Eggleston Motor Co., the first full service station in Martinsville)
July 29 through the years
1925, Aaron Mills advertises having its own power; 1950, dealers running out of cars; 1975, churches plan to bring refugee families from Vietnam; 2000, themes for VBS’s. (PHOTO: Presbyterian Church on Church Street facing Broad Street.)
July 28 through the years
1925, Millner’s Variety Store; 1950, men drafted to Korean War; 1975, delays in tobacco crop; 2000, lawsuit against zoning decision in Ridgeway. (PHOTO: Looking down Franklin Street – Banner Warehouse and Alliance Warehouse, which burned in 1951, were where Franklin Street parking lot is now.)
July 27 through the years
1925, one of best buildings of its kind on corner of Fayette and Moss; 1950, stays of execution for the Martinsville 7; 1975, Charles Vernon, 6, critically injured after getting into car; 2000, Axton Cannery. (PHOTO: Mural for Sinclairs which was on Chestnut Street facing Broad Street.
July 26 through the years
1925, Forest Park and Lanier Farm; 1950, Kavange Eddie Davis first local MIA in Korean War; 1975, Fieldale Officer J.S. Steagall 70 years old & still working; 2000, Quality Farm and Fleet begins its end. (PHOTO: North Martinsville High School 1935)
July 25 through the years
1925, Horsepasture 4-H Club; 1950, Roy Mitchell has area’s third diagnosis of polio; 1975, furniture-maker Clyde Gilley gets a patent. (PHOTO: Martinsville-Henry County Memorial Hospital)
July 24 through the years
1925, Kiwanis Club at Patrick Springs Resort; 1950, U.S. Secret Service investigates in Martinsville; 1975, Daniel Creek Water Company; 2000, new construction includes Red Birch Country Market, Jameson Inn and Nautica expansion. (PHOTO: Martinsville High School cheerleaders passing by Wampler Drugs in a 1955 Chevrolet convertible.)
July 23 through the years
1925, Kodaks and Brownies at Kearfott; 1950, classified ads paint the local business picture; 1975, two teenagers charged in theft of safe. (PHOTO: furniture-making)
July 22 through the years
1925, Citywide prayer meeting at Anderson Memorial Presbyterian; 1950, Club Billard Parlor and other ads; 1975, safe recovered; 2000, 33 houses being improved. (PHOTO: E.L. Williamson’s covered coal tipple on the southeastern corner of Broad Street, 1906)