Flashback: Tracking NRV history

In Feb., 1980, the New River, near Hiwasse, was frozen except for the main channel.
— The Roanoke Times file 1980

1988
(25 years ago)
-  “It appears that far southwest Virginia has become a recruiting battleground between the past and present football staffs at Virginia Tech.”
-  “The mayor of Blacksburg says Roanoke politicians are endangering the economy of Western Virginia by their squabbling over the Explore Park.”
-  “Bimbo Coles had to leave the Virginia Tech infirmary to reach the Roanoke Civic Center’s free-throw line Wednesday. And when the Hokies turned their offense thumbs down, it was the sophomore point guard who put Tech thumbs up in its emotional basketball battle with Virginia.”
-  “When Frankie Allen becomes Virginia Tech’s official coach later this week, he will be greeted by the Hokies as a conquering hero.”
-  “[Blacksburg] Town Council on Tuesday night endorsed the proposal of a committee to convert the historic Nelson Price house into the Blacksburg Museum of History, the town’s first such museum.”

1963
(50 years ago)
-  “Three Baltimore bondsmen accused of kidnaping an alleged bail jumper in West Virginia were released from the Radford jail at noon Saturday.”
-  “VPI’s Agronomy Handbook, a favorite publication with farmers, is observing its 40th birthday.”
-  “Talk about freshman basketball players, and there’s nowhere else to start but Virginia Tech. Of all the Big Five [Virginia] schools, Tech appears to have cornered the recruiting market.”
-  “Winter jolted Western Virginia with another lusty punch Friday, spreading up to eight inches of snow over some areas.”
-  “Virginia Tech cooled off fired-up VMI twice here Friday night, and captured the savagely fought Southern Conference battle, 77-66.”

1938
(75 years ago)
-  “Inquiries throughout the county [Floyd] reveals that the wind of Monday night reached almost cyclonic force in some sections.”
-  “Pulaski continued to experience wintry weather today with the mercury hovering around freezing and a stiff wind making the day unpleasant.”
-  “Christiansburg completed its sweep of Roanoke county high school basket ball teams last night by knocking off the William Byrd Terriers 26 to 21 in a rowdy battle in Vinton.”
-  “The ice in New river is retarding the work on the Appalachian dam. Wednesday and Thursday registered about the same, 8 to 12 above.”

1913
(100 years ago)
-  “A new bank, to be known as the Radford State bank, is about to be launched in Radford.”
-  “After considerable delay, the V. P. I. basket ball schedule has been made public … and includes games with such strong teams as Washington and Lee, V. M. I., University of North Carolina, Trinity, and Wake Forest, N. C.”
-  “The School and Civic League met in the [Shawsville] high school building Tuesday afternoon. Considerable enthusiasm was aroused on the subject of building a town hall in connection with the school.”
-  “Dora furnace, the local [Pulaski] plant of the Virginia Iron, Coal & Coke Company, will go into full blast tonight…”
-  “In today’s special election in Montgomery county, called for the purpose of voting on the proposed issue of $15,000 for a new county jail, eleven of the sixteen precincts gave a total of 274 against the issue, and 150 in its favor, killing the proposition.”
-  “A very large number of persons attended the sale of the personal property of the late H. B. Howe, Thursday. The sale was held at the residence of the deceased in the lower end of Newbern district.”
-  “Some of the ‘undesirable citizens’ living along the borders of Floyd and Carroll, took advantage of the Howe sale to run in a considerable quantity of ‘blockade’ liquor, so as to be convenient to those attending the sale.”

-Compiled by Roanoke Times librarian Belinda Harris

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