Out of Our Past: Harmony's Center theater adds air-conditioning 75 years ago (2024)

Ten years ago:

Aug. 6-12, 2014

Record & Landmark

Troutman ESC Park was the site of one of the largest gatherings in the town’s history Tuesday night as the 3rd Annual National Night Out attracted more people than the first two of the events combined. “We went big this time,” said Troutman Police Chief Matthew Selves. “We went all out to make it a really nice event and we really promoted it.” (8/6)

In the court of public opinion, the verdict is already in on Statesville’s Minnie Mouse — people love her. But there’s not much room for love in municipal ordinances, which is why the Gordon family has been told by Statesville police that Minnie has to go. The anonymous drawing of a rat-like Minnie Mouse popped up in May on the side of a South Center Street building owned by the Gordons, not long after Mickey made his appearance a few blocks over on a Front Street building. (8/7)

The lights from West Iredell’s football stadium could be seen from the darkness of Island Ford Road in the wee hours Thursday morning. A line of three cars made the right turn down Warrior Drive to join the crowd at the Warriors’ second annual Midnight Madness practice. The special late-night session was a joyous occasion instead for high school football fans. (8/8)

Sophie Sue knows what it’s like to rely on an act of kindness. Indeed, the 6-year-old dog owes her life to such an act. The gregarious and energetic mix breed had a rough start in life. She was rescued from the side of a road in Rock Hill, S.C. Next to Sophie Sue on the day she was found lay her mother, who had been hit by a car and killed. But Sophie Sue found her way to the home of Kit Skonie and now the two are sharing the love they found for each other with those nearing the end of their lives. (8/9)

Workers broke ground Monday on a new Amalfi’s Pizza & Italian Restaurant building that will open about six months from now to replace the adjacent original location in the Old Wilkes Center. The new restaurant will look distinctly Mediterranean, feature outdoor patio dining and have a larger footprint of 5,000 square feet, said brothers Tony and Lando Vicidomini. (8/10)

In 1964, 5-year-olds in Statesville were free to run wild, or at least as wild as their parents would allow. But in the fall of 1965, there was a new place go to — the classroom. First Presbyterian Church’s downtown school was the first in the city to offer a kindergarten program, and it continues to welcome classes of young students nearly 50 years later. (8/11)

Rogelio Calvo was always drawing as a kid growing up in Panama, whether that meant sketching caricatures of his cousins or doodling in the back of class. Calvo’s Catholic school didn’t offer art classes, but he seized the chances to express himself through class projects and got good enough feedback to wonder whether he had a gift. (8/12)

Twenty-five years ago:

Aug. 6-12, 1999

Record & Landmark

Photo: Bath time — Bethany Lackey washes her cousin’s cow with a pressure cleaner Thursday afternoon. The district dairy show at the Iredell County Fairgrounds begins tonight at 6:30 with fitting and showmanship classes. Judging of all breeds of dairy cattle begins Saturday morning at 9:30 a.m. Exhibitors are from Iredell and neighboring counties and are 6 to 18 years of age. (8/6)

Photo: School supplies donated — Lutheran Brotherhood Branch 9004 through their “Friends in Deed” service program recently distributed school supplies to needy children in four Iredell County Schools. Included were Scotts, Sharon, Celeste Henkel and East Elementary. Volunteers from the 905 members of Lutheran Brotherhood helped to carry out the project. During their first stop at Scotts Elementary School, Jim Horton (left), district representative of the Lutheran Brotherhood, is shown with Lou Ann Sipe (center) first grade teacher at Scotts, and Rev. Tommy K. Beaver (right) of Holy Trinity Lutheran Church in Troutman, and president of the Lutheran Brotherhood, sorting through the donated school supplies. (8/7)

Giles Knox leans into the punching bag and executes several concise, rapid-fire shots. Then, as if he’s received a hit to the body, he takes two steps back in order to catch his breath. Today’s been one of those rough days, he says. Feels sluggish. But he expected this. (8/8)

You may have heard the sayings “Size doesn’t matter” and “Tiny is tastier.” But making a tomato sandwich out of Tommy-toes just doesn’t seem to be worth the effort — especially after seeing the giant tomatoes grown by Grady Mills of Olin. Sizzling heat has taken its toll and stunted produce for some gardeners in Iredell County but Mills, a master gardener, doesn’t seem to be suffering too badly. (8/9)

School board member Skip McCall was out in the schools on Monday morning and could not contain his enthusiasm at Monday night’s board meeting. “Things went very orderly,” he reported. “The building looked great. I got a chance to see the kids in uniform at Pressly and East — they looked darling.” (8/10)

Day 2 of the Iredell-Statesville school year: One hundred sixty-eight more students attending than on Day 1, and construction at the new Lakeshore Elementary chugs along on schedule. “Dead on schedule right now,” according to Don Atkinson, Iredell-Statesville executive director of facilities. (8/11)

Ken Jurney isn’t headed for the rocking chair, but he and his family have sold their assisted living facilities in Statesville and Olin. Jurney’s Residential Care of Olin and Jurney’s of Statesville will retain their name but have new owners in Enterprise Health Care of Clemmons. Both facilities will be managed by Tullock Management, a division of Enterprise. (8/12)

Fifty years ago:

Aug. 6-12, 1974

Record & Landmark

Photo: ALL-STAR CLUB — The city recreation 11-12-year-old all-stars will be in action tonight in Shelby against Valdese. Members of this year’s team are: first row from left, David Jackson, Steve Taylor, Eddie Spencer, Rafe Guill, Nate Knox and Allen Pope; second row, Arthur Mellette, Terry Harwell, Jim Lamberth, Scott Middleton, Dennis Rhyne, Todd Deal and Ricky Felts; third row, Assistant Coach Mike Owens, Kenneth Wilkens, Chuck Bolin, Timmy Boan, Mike Lloyd, Jeff Levan, James White and Coach Bill Glad. (8/6)

Only two games were played in the women’s slow-pitch softball tournament Tuesday night before the rains came and forced cancellation of the last two games. Flexnit defeated the Dolls by 17-6 as Marlene Wyatt and Sandy Rochester had four hits each. Sylvia Lazenby and Debbie Herbert paired hits for the Dolls. (8/7)

Two former instructors at Mitchell Community College spent the day in Statesville Wednesday as the houseguests of Mrs. Charles E. Mills, 324 West End Avenue. They were Mrs. Emmett Crook of Charlotte and Miss Marquerite Furgerson of Tampa, Fla. (8/8)

Mike Morrison, 14 year old son of Mr. and Mrs. A.C. Morrison, Jr., of Guy St., is displaying a collection of his paintings throughout August at the Iredell Public Library. The 11 paintings are done in acrylics which is a very difficult medium to master, according to the young artist. (8/9)

Open house for new facilities at East Side Baptist Church will occur this Sunday. Both the parsonage and the educational building will be open to the public from 2 to 3 p.m. The facilities are part of a building program that was started in June of 1970. Open house will be a part of the homecoming observance at the church. (8/10)

Photo: TIME FOR A SPLASH — Children in the Statesville area have had an opportunity to learn to swim the right way through classes offered by the local YMCA. The three classes began last week and will continue through this Friday. Instructors are Vickie Troutman, Lauren Jakob and Beth White. Betty Lee, an instruction assistant, helps David Cherry (above) with his strokes. Darrell Greene (bottom) keeps warm with a towel. The classes are being taught to children from infant size to age eight. They are held at the Day’s Inn pool. (8/12)

Seventy-five years ago:

Aug. 6-12, 1949

Daily Record

Photo: MOTORCYCLE CLUB — Pictured above are 15 members of the Iredell Star Motorcycle club. The club has as its purpose quieter, safer motorcycling and is inviting all interested riders to join. Left to right, they are: front row-M. L. Windsor, Lawrence York, R. S. Barkley, Frank Pierce, L. G. Wilson, R. M. Hoover, Fred Albea, Garfield Lentz, Ed Thomas and back row-Sam Goodman, Flake Hodgson, Robert Kinder, Roy Waugh, Harvey Lentz and Boss Reid. Missing when the picture was taken were John Kennedy, R. P. Renegar, Norman McCall, Louie Vaughn Weaner and Mrs. Fred Albea. (8/6)

The Center theater in Harmony today connected their air-conditioning system, according to an announcement by Mrs. Lewis Hager, owner. The new system will allow cool, comfortable temperatures inside the theater in the hottest weather. The installation of air-conditioning has added greatly to the program of improvements at the Center, stated Mrs. Hager. The Center has been in operation for over a year and has become a leading theater in that section of Iredell. (8/8)

Statesville merchants today scheduled their annual picnic for Wednesday afternoon, August 24, at the Statesville athletic park. Plans for the picnic will be formulated by a committee composed of Edwin Ramsey, Fred Burger and David Bunch. President Buford Rimmer named the committee at a meeting of the merchant’s association this morning at city hall. (8/9)

Down In Iredell — STAR — For you few who don’t follow the sports pages, we want you to know that the star pitcher of the North Carolina semi-pro baseball tournament at Asheboro is a Statesville boy, Paul Brendle. Last night, Paul pitched his third victory of the tournament while 3,000 fans watched at Asheboro. A member of the Cleveland (N.C.) team of the Yadkin Valley league, he has not been beaten this year. (8/10)

Dr. J. M. Milam, optometrist, will open offices here soon in the Cooper building on South Center street. The new offices are being remodeled now on the second floor of the building above Dotty’s. Dr. Milam is a native of Charlotte. He graduated from the Southern college of Optometry in Memphis, Tenn., and passed the state board examinations recently. Residence has already been established here by Dr. and Mrs. Milam and their two small children at Greenrbier apartments on Davie avenue. (8/11)

Plans for the development of a recreation center for the Statesville area were announced today by Cecil S. Lippard, former operator of Randy’s Diner. Mr. Lippard revealed that he has purchased a seven-acre site on the Hickory highway and has already begun the development of the project, which, when completed, will offer dining, dancing, swimming and other forms of recreation. (8/12)

One hundred years ago:

Aug. 7-11, 1924

The Landmark

Monday afternoon the bridge over Fourth creek at the old Morrison mill on the Wilkesboro road collapsed under the weight of the steam shovel which was being taken across by the Wood Construction Company to begin grading the road on the other side of the creek. No damage was done to the mammoth grading machine, the fall of the bridge being only about four feet. However, the task of getting the monster out of the creek to firm ground proved quite a task, the heavy engine being inclined to bury itself in the mud. The bridge was repaired during the afternoon and evening. (8/7)

Jinx Harris, Stony Point pitching wonder, now the property of the Greensboro Patriots, is in the limelight now as never before and is being trailed by scouts from the New York Yankees, Detroit Tigers and Brooklyn Robins. Reporting on the prospect of a sale, the sports scribe in the Greensboro News says: “This column believes Jinx Harris will bring at least $5,000 by himself. Jinx Harris, the scouts will notice, is quite youthful and has the stuff. He won’t encounter quite as man hitless wonders, iron-heads and butter-fingered fielders in the majors.” (8/7)

The consolidated school for the Loray, Oak Grove, and West View districts will be erected on the former H. L. Stevenson farm, three miles west of the city, on the Statesville-Taylorsville highway at a point on a wooded knoll east of the A. T. and O. railroad. The county board of education, Superintendent J. A. Steele, concurring, and committee from the three districts met on the ground Tuesday afternoon and agreed upon the location. (8/7)

A star route from Statesville to New Hope will be instituted September 1, contract having been let to Mr. Henry C. Miller for $795. The mail will leave New at 7:45 a. m. and arrive here at 9:45 a. m. The mail will leave Statesville shortly before noon for the return trip. The route will be carried daily except Sunday. (8/11)

Dr. Henry Middleton Parker died suddenly Sunday evening at 10:30 o’clock at Long’s Sanatorium, succumbing to a heart attack. Dr. Parker came to Statesville nine years ago from Georgetown, S. C., becoming pastor of Front Street Presbyterian church and of Little Joe’s church at Barium. He gave up the pastorate of the former 18 months ago, relinquishing the Barium charge within the current year. For the past two years he had been professor of Bible and psychology at Mitchell College. His wife died here in June, 1921. He was 69 years old. (8/11)

The secretary of state’s office issued a certificate of incorporation Friday to the Kimball Ginning Co., Statesville, with authorized capital of $30,000 and $10,00 subscribed by G. C. Kimball, H. P. Grier, Sr., and Frank Grier, all of Statesville and C. E. Patterson of Houstonville. (8/11)

One hundred twenty-five years ago:

Aug. 8-11, 1899

The Landmark

Miss Antoinette Burwell has opened an office in room No. 7 in the frame row in the rear of the old court house, where she will do typewriting, copying and shorthand work for the lawyers and all others wishing that kind of work done. Miss Burwell is thoroughly competent. Her office hours will be from 9 a. m. to 1 p. m. and from 3 p. m. to 6 p. m. (8/8)

Mrs. W. H. H. Gregory sent THE LANDMARK yesterday a tomato bush or rather a tree — the variety being known as the “Mansfield tree” — on which there were 24 tomatoes, all of them very large and handsome ones. The tree was ten feet high. Capt. and Mrs. Gregory grow some very fine tomatoes. Five dozen which they sent to market a few days ago weight 37½ pounds. (8/8)

THE LANDMARK has suggested frequently, ever since the telephone exchange was established, that a ‘phone should be put in the telegraph office. Our plaint has been answered. A ‘phone was put in the office yesterday. The number is 131. Now, if they will only put ‘phones in the Federal building and in the new court house when it is finished we will move a vote of thanks. (8/8)

There was a lively runaway on the streets Wednesday afternoon which caused some excitement and attracted a great crowd. The horse and buggy of Mr. Horace A. Yount, of Shiloh township, were standing in front of Mr. R. V. Tharpe’s store. Mr. Ab White, who was in charge of the outfit, was standing between the wheels while Mr. Tharpe put a sack of flour in the buggy. When the flour was laid in the buggy it caused the vehicle to rattle, which frightened the horse, causing it to run. Mr. White was knocked aside and his leg slightly hurt. (8/11)

Mr. L. A. Beaver, of Cool Spring township, is a successful grower of watermelons and has had very good success with his crop this year. Mr. Beaver sells his melons on the Statesville market. He was in town Wednesday and told THE LANDMARK that including his sales that day he sold $17 worth on this market this year and has a few more to sell. He had at home, he said, five melons which weighed 165 pounds. (8/11)

The county commissioners are considering the advisability of finishing the new court house entirely with pressed brick. The original plan called for pressed brick in front, but as it will cost only about $1,000 more to use pressed brick all around, and will add very much not only to the appearance, but also to the durability of the building, it is more than likely that the commissioners will authorize the additional expenditure. (8/11)