1925, “The best dance that was ever given in Martinsville;” 1950, new broadcasting equipment; 1975, flip-number clock radio and push-button cassette recorder; 2000, Intelos cell phones. (PHOTO: old Globman’s)

1925 “Lovely Things at Little Prices” at Rippe-Prager’s; 1950, 200 boys attend 2-night Boy Scout pageant; 1975, MHC Bicentennial Commission'; 2000, 10 candidates vie for the late Jack Dalton’s seat. (PHOTO: Masons in Martinsville Plaza)

1925, families quarantined with smallpox; 1950, Martinsville Seven attorney plans to request commute of sentences; 1975, 7-year-old thrown from fair ride; 2000, First Baptist Church associate pastor to move away after Southern Baptist Convention proclamation. (PHOTO: Gulf Station in front, home of H.C. Lester in back)

1925, Martinsville leads the state in American Legion fundraiser; 1950, Father’s Day gifts at Fagg’s Drug Store; 1975, MFD restoring 1934 American LaFrance; 2000, expansion of Calvary Christian Church. (PHOTO: Globman's and Chief Tassel Building)

1925, Patrick Springs Hotel opens for season; 1950, more than a third of all City arrests are drunk cases; 1975, 3-day horse show at Fontaine Field; 2000, Tultex about to lay off 5 of its remaining 11 employees. (PHOTO: Church Street. The buildings on the left were torn down in 1975. That is now the post office parking lot.)

1925, small pox; 1950, three-legged chick arrives at the Davis’ Planters Feed Store; 1975, William Haywood Swanson Jr. dies in wreck; 2000, Exchange Club’s Freedom Shrine at Liberty Fair Mall. (PHOTO: Church Street looking west)

1925, clipping parties are all the rage; 1950, elections; 1975, “a pretty good stud:”; 2000, auction of leftover Tultex items. (PHOTO: Bridge Street)

1925, “The Birth of A Nation” at the Hamilton; 1950, fundraiser for Mrs. Ann Angel, paralyzed; 1975, arrests at Castle Court Motel; 2000, promotion for Lt. Col. Dennis Via. (PHOTO: Astor Cafe)

1925, clinic for sick or undernourished children; 1950 crowded race for City Council; 1975, X-rated movies at drive-in replaced by R-rated movies with risque titles; 2000, Cathy Spencer and Teresa Weaver. (PHOTO: Anderson Memorial Presbyterian Church)

1925, radium silk; 1950, rapid population growth; 1975, strawberry pie at Janlen’s Steakhouse and Parlour; 2000, Hot Fun in the Summertime XIX Beach Music Festival. (PHOTO: 1975, buildings at Church and Broad being torn down)

1925, double wedding for Morris sisters of Bassett; 1950, firetruck-chasing a big problem in the city; 1975, firespotter William Hass Miles; 2000, time capsule for Class of 2000. (PHOTO: 1975, Bridge Street, buildings about to be torn down and replaced by the parking lot which is between the post office and the old courthouse)

1925, dimity, percale and chambray at J.W. Minter’s store; 1950, free chest X-rays to check for tuberculosis; 1975, Marie Downey founds local La Leche League chapter, with Jane Iten as a charter member; 2000, new dugouts needed for Hooker Field. (PHOTO: 1955, fire at Pythian Building)

1925, Ice Cream at Robert’s Drug Store; 1950, Mitchell Motors donates panel truck to MVFD; 1975, “High Pockets” is MHC Chamber’s mascot; 2000, Virginia Hall Stanley, Martinsville Democratic Party’s first woman chairman, dies. (PHOTO: 1950s Floyds Cash Store on Cleveland)

1925, Tobacco Growers Co-operative Ass’n; 1950, public hearing on plumbing code for city; 1975, Tom Noland recommends raising bus fare to help City budget; 2000, supervisor application forms found to be excessive. (PHOTO: 1940s Church Street looking east)

1925, downtown burglaries; 1950, Ellsworth Street Baptist Church building for sale, and Central Baptist is completed; 1975, three generations of Edd Redd family take driving class together; 2000, unlimited night and weekend minutes for cell phone. (PHOTO: Elllsworth Street Baptist Church in 1950 and now)

1925, walls and roof of Globman’s and Gravely’s Hardware cave in; 1950, graduation day; 1975, Lacy Manufacturing; 2000, Grayson’s Barber Shop. (PHOTO: 1940s Church and Bridge Streets, buildings were in what is now the post office parking lot)