Flashback: Tracking NRV history

This undated postcard shows the New River near Castle Rock. — Photo courtesy of Belinda Harris

1987
(25 years ago)
- “Margaret Weis said she couldn’t remember what she talked about as guest of honor at last year’s Technicon gathering [at Virginia Tech], but it didn’t matter. A whole new room full of ‘Dragonlance’ fans came to hear her this year.”
- “Radford University will begin its adult degree program this summer, more than a year ahead of schedule, because of prospective students’ interest.”
- “Photographs, old newspapers and family heirlooms will be among the collection of Radford artifacts on display through May 30 at the Flossie Martin Art Gallery at Radford University.”
- “Radva, a manufacturer that has developed an insulated building panel, will demonstrate its Thermastructure building system at a worldwide construction display in the Soviet Union this week.”

1962
(50 years ago)
- “Christiansburg’s Palace Theatre has been leased to the L&R Theatre Corp. of Radford.”
- “Christopher Columbus Kraft Jr., 1944 VPI graduate and flight director of Cmdr. Carpenter’s three earth orbits Thursday, is still remembered in Blacksburg and Christiansburg.”
- “The 1962 edition of the Radford college yearbook was dedicated Thursday to Dr. M’Ledge Moffett, retiring dean of women, during a special awards ceremony.”
- “The fact that we’re east of the Mississippi has nothing to do with what western-bred stock will attempt in the way of mayhem toward their cowboy antagonist Friday.”

1937
(75 years ago)
- “In an effort to make its services more readily available to women in the northern section of the county, the Montgomery county health department is instituting a series of clinics at Shawsville…”
- “Radford high school’s Bobcats defeated the William Fleming Colonels, of Roanoke county, 4 to 3 in nine innings of scorching baseball here this afternoon that was marked by praise-worthy pitching on the part of both batteries.”
- “Monogram and numeral awards for service in baseball and track during the spring quarter were announced today by the Virginia Tech athletic council.”
- “The postoffice department is considering the consolidation of the two postoffices serving this city, one in East and the other in West Radford.”

1912
(100 years ago)
- “The closing exercises of the Pulaski High School which began last Saturday night, ended tonight. They have been of a high degree of merit and largely attended.”
- “Mr. A. Bailey Cannaday died at his home in Floyd county on Sunday last at the ripe old age of ninety years.”
- “The session of 1911-12 was the most successful in the history of the [Christiansburg high] school.”
- “Members of the Southwest Virginia Business Mens’ Association met here [East Radford] today and decided to appeal to the Interstate Commerce Commission against alleged discriminating rates of the Norfolk and Western Railway.”
- “The closing exercises of Pembroke High school were in every way a splendid success, reflecting much credit on the teachers, students and community.”
- “From all directions may be seen the farmer diligently plowing the young shoots of corn. Corn plowing and sheep-shearing [at Long’s Shop] having been delayed by the rainy spell but are now being pushed rapidly.”

-Compiled by Roanoke Times librarian Belinda Harris

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