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The Roanoke Times

File This undated photo shows the members of an early Roanoke baseball squad.

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• Looking back: Nov. 23
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• Looking back: Nov. 2, 2009
• Looking Back: Oct. 26, 2009

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• History index

1999 (10 years ago)

• "U.S. Forest Service archaeologists have found a historical treasure buried beneath the thick kudzu of Botetourt County. With the help of a group of James Madison University students, they are uncovering remnants of a once-thriving iron mining town called Lignite."

• "Synchrony, a designer and manufacturer of industrial equipment that employs 14 people at its plant on Bent Mountain Road in Roanoke County, tonight will be named one of the state's fastest-growing private companies by the Virginia Chamber of Commerce."

1984 (25 years ago)

• "At the end of April, the area television market will lose the full-time services of its only Hungarian-born amateur poet. Ted Powers is going to retire."

• "Hollins College, for many years the stepchild of intercollegiate show circles because of lack of suitable indoor facilities, has achieved queenly status. Its new stables and indoor riding ring ... will have their grand opening Saturday."

• "Dell Curry, whose offense has been the highlight of his two Virginia Tech basketball seasons, says he's getting ready to play defense. Curry, the Hokies' sophomore guard, has been invited to the United States Olympic Trials."

1959 (50 years ago)

• "After 76 years of marriage Mr. and Mrs. Levi J. Rakes ... still aren't sure they should give advice to newlyweds ... Mr. Rakes is 95 and his wife, 91. They were married March 25, 1883."

• "John Thomas Cash, former Roanoker who is said to have been the fastest federal revenue agent ever to chase moonshiners and bootleggers in Franklin and other western Virginia counties, died Saturday."

• "The interstate highway spur into Roanoke will be 'a tremendous thing,' but it won't solve all the city's traffic problems, the city engineer said last night."

• "Residents of an area between Roanoke and Salem have changed their minds. Now they plan to withdraw their petition asking for incorporation or annexation by Salem. The petitioners refer to the area they live in as Nomansland."

1934 (75 years ago)

• "Slot machines were strangely missing from restaurants, cigar stores and other business places today -- the edict of city officials that they cease operation by 6 p.m. yesterday apparently having been observed to the letter."

• "Formation of the Roanoke County Girls Basketball League was decided at Salem last night after Andrew Lewis High's sextet ... defeated William Byrd High ... 26 to 25, to win the first county championship.

• "Automobile owners here within the past three days have lost at least twenty-six wheels, complete with tires and tubes, as the result of a modernized version of the old tire-stealing racket, it was learned today."

• "The first annual duckpin tournament of the newly organized Roanoke City Bowling Association will begin Monday on the Jefferson Recreation alleys."

• "Thousands thronged Roanoke's 51 organized churches yesterday to hear the resurrection message in song and service."

• "Old Man Summer was here today. At 1 o'clock the mercury climbed to 86, causing most persons to forget winter."

• "Roanoke's fire fighters will turn to baseball in a big way this spring and summer and while they are not out battling blazes they will be battling fast ones on the diamond."

1909 (100 years ago)

• "If the denizens of Roanoke's tenderloin packed up and left town when Mayor Cutchin put the lid on some three months ago, it was very evident last midnight that the red light district again has a considerable population."

• "Suits have been instituted in the corporation court against the Roanoke Industrial and Agricultural Association by parties who claim that they were injured by the fall of the bleachers at the fair last September. The suits aggregate $79,000."

• "Plans are now being drawn by an architect for the hospital that is to be erected by Drs. Lewis and Gale on the corner of Roanoke street and Luck avenue."