Poly Pipe first industrial park occupant in 1986

A trip through the archives of The Erwin Record can reveal what made the pages of Unicoi County's weekly newspaper in past decades. Seventy Years Ago1956 J.T. DeArmond received the coveted Silver Beaver Award in Scouting during an annual Boys Scouts of America recognition dinner in Kingsport.•••In honor Boy Scout Week the Capitol Theater in Erwin admitted all Boy Scouts in full uniform to see Tony Curtis in "The Square Jungle" on Feb. 8. The theater was also showing Victor Mature in "The Last Frontier." •••Boyd DeArmond advertised a Valentine's gift sale feature a Lane cedar chest for $49.95. The chest was described as being made from blond oak with a self-rising tray and an all-cedar storage compartment. Sixty Years Ago1966 Temperatures fell to as low as 12 degrees below zero in Unicoi County, freezing the Nolichucky River with ice as thick as two inches. The winter storm that arrived on the evening of Jan. 30 also blanketed downtown Erwin with 10 inches of snow. •••The Blue Devil boys basketball team upset Morristown High School, 63-62, but lost to Science Hill, 53-39. Bobby Street was top scorer against the Morristown Hurricanes with 22 points. Fifty Years Ago1976 A total of 631 former Unicoi County voters were purged or their names removed from the Election Commission record. This action was taken in accordance with Tennessee election laws that allow purges for voters who had not voted in any election the last four years. Those purged were required to reregister before they would be allowed to vote again. •••The Martin Chapel Elementary School girls basketball team defeated Evans Elementary, 33-18. Lisa Tilson was high scorer for the Martin Chapel Tigers with 12 points.•••Emery's in downtown Erwin advertised specials on tropical fish and supplies. The store promoted sales of black tetras for 54 cents each, neon tetras for 74 cents and tiger barbs for two for a $1. A 10-gallon aquarium with supplies was also advertised for $8.99. Forty Years Ago1986 The newspaper reported that Poly Pipe Industries, Erwin's newest industry, was unique in that it would be the only facility of its kind in the nation to produce 54-inch pipe. The manufacturer was also the first tenant to move into the Riverview Industrial Park. •••Country Florist and Gifts promoted a Valentine's Day open house in an advertisement in the newspaper. The floral shop also advertised specials, such as an arrangement of pink carnations and baby's breath in a pink and white heart-shaped mug for $14.99. •••Both the UCHS boys and girls basketball teams won games over West Greene and Chuckey-Doak. Thirty Years Ago1996 Nuclear Fuel Services was awarded a new $74.5 million contract to supply fuel to the U.S. Navy, beginning in 1999 and running through 2002. U.S. Rep. James H. "Jimmy" Quillen announced the contract on Jan. 31, 1996.•••Unicoi Elementary and Temple Hill Elementary were the winning schools of the first semester Lesson Line Contest sponsored by First Tennessee Bank. UES received a check for $500 and THES received a $400 check. •••The Blue Devils boys basketball team stayed atop the Appalachian Conference ranking with wins over Johnson County and Happy Valley. The team was coached by Keith Turner. Twenty Years Ago2006 Donna Cooper won a contest celebrating The Erwin Record's 78th anniversary. She won by becoming the 78th caller to wish the paper "Happy Birthday." She won $78 in cash as her prize. •••The Blue Devil boys basketball team continued to dominate the Watauga Conference with wins over Happy Valley and Elizabethton. Their overall record was 24-2 with a 12-0 record in conference play.•••Les and Dale Engle retired as owners of their family business, Engle's Exxon, which operated for more than 50 years at 1110 Jackson Love Highway. Their nephew, Shannon Engle, took over the operation of the store after their retirement, Ten Years Ago2016 The newspaper reported that Quantum Ascension Studios had opened in the old Love Chapel school building in Erwin. Studio representatives told the paper that they work as a one-stop shop for filmmakers and visual effects artists to purchase stock effects ranging from fireballs, explosions and bullets.•••The Wendy's restaurant in Erwin closed on Feb. 1, 2016, after choosing not to renew its lease. The space is occupied today by Clarence's Drive In. – Compiled by Managing Editor Bryan Stevens.