Flashback: Tracking NRV history

The Roanoke Times file 1938 “This rock wall...situated on the crest of Gap mountain, on the Giles-Montgomery line... was erected in May, 1864, and used as breastworks by Federal forces under the command of General Crook and General Averill, when they met with resistance from Confederate forces at Newport...”

1987 (25 years ago)
-“Virginia Tech has scheduled basketball games with national power Georgetown for the next three seasons, starting with a contest in the Hampton Coliseum on Dec. 9 this year.”
-“Some weren’t sure what to call the 10-minute terror that zipped through Elliston shortly before 7 p.m. Wednesday and left the town scattered with tree limbs.”
-“Thanks to a faulty advertisement, Pulaski County residents won’t be paying higher gas bills for fiscal year 1987-88.”

1962 (50 years ago)
-“120 ‘Johnnies’ come marching home here [Radford] Aug. 10. After almost a year of active duty at Fort.Bragg, N. C., the men of the 684th Signal Company, Army National Guard, will return to a flag-waving, band-playing homecoming welcome.”
-“Key Clubber Tom Brown of Blacksburg went to Long Beach, Calif., as a lieutenant governor and returned an international vice president.”
-“Stanley Strickler, owner of the Strickler Funeral Home in Pulaski announced Saturday that he will open a funeral home in Dublin.”
-“A Tennessee chain of more than 250 motels brought suit against a Pearisburg motel Tuesday in Roanoke’s U. S. District Court on trademark infringement charges.”

1937 (75 years ago)
-“Pulaski will send a seven-man team to the fourth of the season’s tournaments sponsored by the Southwest Virginia Golf association at Abingdon tomorrow.”
-“Two home economics departments are being added in the Pulaski county schools this year, teachers having been appointed for the work at Draper -and Dublin high schools.”
“The Clifton Forge Junior American Legion nine outslugged Pulaski’s youngsters to win, 15 to 7, today at Calfee Park here.”
-“An effort is being made to have the Appalachian Electric power company extend its transmission lines from Pearisburg to Cedar Crest…thus making available electric power for home and farm use to the farmers living along and adjacent to highway 100.”
-“The largest hay crop in many seasons is being harvested [in Floyd]. Blackberries are being marketed for 10 cents a gallon.
-“Two motion picture theaters will be located here [Floyd] shortly. Two buildings are now being renovated to house the theaters.”
“Four men dug their way to freedom from the [Christiansburg] jail here in the early hours of Sunday morning, it was learned today.”

1912 (100 years ago)
-“Rev. Bailey, of Radford preached a very able sermon at the Baptist church [in Elliston] Sunday evening.”
-“The tank and water softener have been completed, which adds very much to the appearance at the [Elliston] station.”
-“The Southwestern Virginia School of Royal Arch Masons, which has been in session at Maple Shade inn since last Thursday, will continue its course until next Friday.”
-“Mrs. Jas. Rigby, sr., and Mrs. C. H. Borden, who have been spending the past month in London, have returned home [to Cambria].”
-“Congressman Carter Glass came to Radford tonight to attend a big Democratic rally and the organization of a Glass Club.”
-“The Alumni Gate has
sufficient proportions to emphasize just what an improvement it will be to the college grounds as well as to Main street.”
-“Work on the water and sewerage system for the town [Blacksburg] is also progressing well and will be completed by the late fall.”
-“Southwest Virginia has an industry that is almost a monopoly – the water cress business.”
-“The Pearisburg Cornet Band gave an enjoyable ice cream supper on the court house lawn Saturday night…”

-Compiled by Roanoke Times librarian Belinda Harris

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