As The Times-Gazette celebrates its 200th anniversary, we’ll take a look back each Saturday at some of the important, interesting or even odd events as they were reported during the same week throughout the years, along with interesting advertising features from back in the day.
This week in 1877, the Highland Weekly News reported two Rocky Fork-area whiskey distillers had “donned the blue,” a blue ribbon badge that represented commitment to temperance.
The Old Reliable Meat Market, which had recently been purchased by P.C. Eckley, offered “the choicest of fresh and cured meats the market affords.”
Buford resident Dr. Bingamon told the Georgetown Sentinel that he had a copy of the Boston Weekly Journal from 1728 which had been in his family for more than 100 years.
The paper commended Sheriff Newell for “the nice order in which he has kept the grass in the court house square.”
A society of Greenfield residents formed to abstain from tobacco use as a group.
In local briefs, the editor opined, “The family without a newspaper is a year behind the time in general information.”
A thunderstorm that rolled through the area was “grand in the extreme,” according to one article. “For an hour or more the play of the lightning was almost incessant, and the crash and roar of the thunder was like the discharge of artillery,” it said. Lightning struck a tree in the front yard of J.M. Boyd’s residence on West Walnut Street.
The paper reported good wheat crops in nearly all parts of the county, adding, “it is safe to estimate the yield as the largest for the past 10 years, and the grain is reported of fine quality.”
This week in 1906, the Hillsboro Gazette reported 150,000 people in the United States died of “consumption” – tuberculosis – every year, and that a movement was developing to combat the disease. “It is a warfare between the tubercle bacillus and the intelligent civilized peoples of the whole world,” the article said. “It is a warfare of extermination and must be fought to a finish.”
Samuel N. Patton was appointed to succeed W.G. Richards as the new Hillsboro postmaster.
Hillsboro City Council ordered cement pavement for the south side of Main Street from the Hillsboro Bank building to J.H. Richards & Bros. store. “This is a greatly needed improvement, as the pavement on that block is in a very bad condition,” the article said.
Mayor E.W. Costello resigned from his position at Hillsboro Hardware due to poor health.
Star brand plug chewing tobacco was advertised as “the finest nugget in camp.” One hundred and fifty million 10-count packages were sold annually, according to the ad.
An advertisement for newspaper subscriptions shouted, “If you want to be the first to know it, read the Gazette. Subscribe now!”
This week in 1981, the front page of the Hillsboro Press Gazette featured a photo of a 1957 Thunderbird, one of 54 classic cars that showed up for an antique car show in front of the Highland County Courthouse.
Firefighters doused a large fire at the Hillsboro Area Jaycees clubhouse on U.S. Route 62. The fire started with a trash burn near the structure, which was a converted barn.
The Roselawn drive-in theater in Allensburg advertised showings of “The Night the Lights Went Out in Georgia,” starring Kristy McNichol and Dennis Quaid.
Highland Enterprise Lumber Company advertised paint for $10.99 per gallon.
Evolution, a live rock band, was coming to Orbit I Skating in Hillsboro. One session of dancing or skating was $5 from 7-11 p.m.
Hillsboro police were investigating a vandalism case that resulted in $100 in damage to a parked car on South East Street.
A list of emergency squad runs ran in the inside pages.
Alka-Seltzer tablets were 99 cents at Rite Aid.
In sports, the Hillsboro Post 129 American Legion baseball team had two doubleheaders over the weekend, coming out with two losses.
This week in 2016, The Times-Gazette reported a 1.9-mill levy to cover Children Services costs was set to be placed on the ballot in the November General Election.
Hillsboro City Council discussed the development of a hotel in uptown Hillsboro and the likely demolition of the Colony Theatre on North High Street.
Bell Gardens Place was set to hold a “sip, paint and create” event featuring wine, cheese and fruit.
A feature story by local historian Jean Wallis, known for her “Highland Guideposts” articles, described an octagonal school in Sinking Spring and detailed its construction.
In sports, the Post 129 baseball team fell to Waverly with a final score of 11-2.
The Times-Gazette notified its readers that it would cover the 2016 Republican National Convention in Cleveland.
Lynchburg Troop 120 camped at Mammoth Cave over the weekend.
Greater Life Assembly was set to hold Ocean Commotion Vacation Bible School, featuring food, games, crafts and Bible lessons.
Reach David Wright at 937-402-2570, or on Twitter @DavidWrighter.
