Flashback: Tracking NRV history

The Roanoke Times file 1991 This is a scene from the 1990 Newport Fair. The fair was organized in 1936.

1987 (25 years ago)
-“If you like the scent of sausage frying in onions, the sound of horses neighing over bluegrass music and the sight of row upon row of the area’s best cakes, pies, produce and flowers, then this is the weekend for you. Two of the New River Valley’s oldest agricultural fairs – Prices Fork and Newport – open today…”
-“A Richmond manufacturer of industrial filter products plans to move a production division to Rich Creek by the end of the year, creating at least 50 jobs.”
-“Montgomery County Christmas tree growers could lose up to 15 percent of their marketable trees due to various diseases, particularly procera root disease.”

1962 (50 years ago)
-“Employment in Pulaski County continues to increase, according to a report issued by the Pulaski office of the Virginia Employment Commission.”
“Some of the nation’s top moongazers gather at Virginia Tech Monday for a week-long conference on the exploration of earth’s nearest neighbor in space.” One of the speakers is Dr. Wernher Von Braun.
-“Leas & McVitty, Inc.’s New River Tannery observed 150 years of continuous operation here [Pearisburg] Saturday.”
-“Stockholders of Poly-Scientific Corp. of Blacksburg voted unanimously to sell their firm to Litton Industries, Inc. of Beverly Hills, Calif., at a meeting here Monday.”
-“Giles County Treasurer C. M. Hale announced Tuesday that as of June 30, 1962, Giles County has a surplus of more than $230,000 in the general fund.”

1937 (75 years ago)
-“From reports reaching here [Pearisburg] from Spruce Run, Clover Hollow, Green Valley, Guinea mountain and Little Sugar Run, the sections of the county which were hit by the terrific storm on Tuesday evening, the resulting damages to crops, lands, roads, fences, livestock, etc., will run into thousands of dollars.”
-“It was estimated that more than 5,000 people were here [Radford] today for the showing of the Hagenbeck-Wallace circus. It was one of the largest crowds here for some time and the day passed without incident.”
-“Melvin Clevenger’s five cents to $5 store [in Narrows] is expanding after four years of success…”
-“Mrs. Emily Moore, 73, visited friends here [Floyd] this week and stated she had assisted in raking, shocking, and stacking nine stacks of hay this week. Mrs. Moore is active and alert, both mentally and physically.”
-“A hard storm Wednesday afternoon [in Riner] did considerable washing to farm lands. This was the first rain to completely wet the soil since June, and crops were badly in need of rain.”

1912 (100 years ago)
-“The Music Club [of East Radford] gave a delightful concert on Saturday, which was well attended.”
-“Three cases of appendicitis, one from the county [Pulaski] and two from the town, have been taken to Roanoke for operations during the past few days.”
-“Mr. W. T. Richardson [of Elliston] has something near 1,000 bushels of peaches and Mr. A. W. Heslep nearly as many.”
The Big Spring hotel is to be sold at public auction September 26.”
-“The [Radford] city council is like the congress of the United States in at least one respect, that is, it has failed so far to pass the -appropriation bill for the ensuing year…”
“The contractor is rapidly going ahead with the foundations of the administration building of the Normal school, and he says that he will have it under roof before cold weather.”
-“Radford and vicinity is suffering the most prolonged drouth of the season, and unless rain comes soon corn and pastures will be ruined.”

-Compiled by Roanoke Times librarian Belinda Harris.

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