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The Roanoke Times

File In 1901, Roanoke paid $10,000 for a piece of property that became home to Highland Park. It was the city's first official park.

1999 (10 years ago)

"Carilion Hospice Services is organizing a weekend camping experience in May for children who have recently lost a loved one. Camp Treehouse aims to provide a safe environment for children between the ages of 6 and 17 to grieve."

"The boat dock is landlocked. One fishing pier is useless. And if wet weather doesn't arrive soon, there won't be enough water in the Carvins Cove reservoir for city residents to wash their cars or possibly wash their clothes when they want. Roanoke City Council voted Monday to institute voluntary citywide water conservation."

"Hollins University, which is opening its $14 million Wyndham Robertson Library today, has even more reason to celebrate thanks to a $2.7 million anonymous donation to the school's Fishburn Library."

1984 (25 years ago)

"Roanoke, Roanoke County, Salem and Vinton officials went behind closed doors Wednesday to begin negotiations on a contract to build a $36 million regional water supply system west of Salem."

"When Nelson Bond saw his adaptation of George Orwell's 'Animal Farm' on an amateur theater stage in Salem in 1961, he didn't imagine that it someday would be on stages in London and Frankfurt."

"Former President Jimmy Carter was both teacher and politician for the crowd of 2,500 that packed Roanoke College's gymnasium to hear him speak Tuesday night."

1959 (50 years ago)

"One of Roanoke's most popular new sports, drag racing, steps into the spotlight again starting today. The Roanoke Drag Strip, located two miles south of Roanoke on Route 679 ... will present its first race of the season at 2 p.m."

"Coach Fred Smith thought he had pretty fair prospects for track at William Fleming .... but that was before the school decided to field a baseball team."

"A measles epidemic has hit Roanoke. And it's knocking many of the city's young citizens for a loop."

"William Fleming's band is going to the Cherry Blossom Festival parade."

"A bounty-hunting television western star will appear at this year's Vinton Dogwood Festival. He is Steve McQueen."

"Roanoke and federal authorities, with the assistance of a local attorney, employed cloak and dagger type tactics last night to arrest a man on a charge of attempted extortion."

"Plans for construction of a $100,000-plus operation in Northwest Roanoke have been completed by the Krispy-Kreme Doughnut Co."

1934 (75 years ago)

"Local representatives of the American Automobile Association, with the assistance of a representative from Washington and the manager of the Roanoke branch of the association, have installed school boy patrols in the Salem junior high school and grammar schools."

"Nine of the men who wore the gray uniforms of the Confederacy are ready again to drink a toast to the lost cause of the Stars and Bars and to the greater Union that grew from the Civil war holocaust."

"At the request of the State Department of Game and Inland Fisheries, the Roanoke Water Works Company today posted signs prohibiting boating on Carvin's Cove reservoir, and prohibiting trespassing on the west side of the large artificial lake."

"William Mosconi, one of America's youngest professional pocket billiard players, will appear in a series of exhibitions at the Ponce de Leon billiard parlor Wednesday night."

"Nelson Eddy's concert at the Academy of Music Saturday night was a welcome assurance that the art of song wanted neither a worthy interpreter nor an appreciative audience."

"Patrolman Williams found his beat unusually productive last night, sending in a drunk, a skunk and a hound."

"Major General John A. Lejeune, superintendent of Virginia Military Institute here, announced yesterday that the cadet corps had voluntarily abolished the 'rat' system."

1909 (100 years ago)

"Yesterday was the day set apart for the formal celebration in Roanoke of the opening of the Virginia Railroad."

"There is much talk throughout the city regarding the proposed citizens' reform movement, and it is generally conceded that it will result in a citizens' ticket being launched for all the city officers at the approaching election."

"Mr. Will Powell [of Vinton] is having his house painted, which will add greatly to its appearance."

"It took nine innings for Roanoke to best Altoona yesterday afternoon. The game was nip and tuck all the way through and was well played."

"On last Sunday Messrs. Geo. Davis, J. B. Wygal, Mose Plunkett, Clarence Webb, J. P Guerrant, and Geo. Bauchen made a trip on their 'Indian' Motor Cycles to Christiansburg and back. They left Roanoke at 9 o'clock in the morning and arrived at Christiansburg at 11:30."

"From the town of Boston there came to Roanoke yesterday an aggregation of baseball players, who were scheduled to go up against the local bunch. This said 'going up against,' was duly carried out, and when the dust of the engagement cleared away, it was found that Roanoke had been overwhelmingly defeated, the score being seventeen to two."

"The city forces ... are improving and beautifying the new city parks. Both Melrose and Highland parks have already been cleared out."

"It is stated that there is no foundation for the report that the Norfolk and Western railroad has been purchased by the Pennsylvania system."

"With the hanging yesterday in Bedford City of ... Joel Payne, Virginia has witnessed the last execution on the gallows that will ever take place in the State."

"Forest fires have been raging in Botetourt county for several days, and at night the mountains have assumed a most spectacular appearance."