Downtown

Dollar Day in Roanoke, Va., Shops

2/17/1961

Shoppers crowd the sidewalks and stores of downtown Roanoke during Dollar Day. Women try on gloves, and men select hats from a large sale pile.

Anchor Script

Anchor script text: (ROLL FILM) Roanoke's merchants did their part to stimulate the economy by staging a Dollar Day today. (TAKE FILM) And the balmy weather helped stimulate shoppers to come out and take a look at the bargains on the shelves. For the first time during recent sale days, the thermometer registered pleasant enough readins to make bargain hunters eager to buy. For the most part, merchants were well pleased with todays response. The flow of traffic was so great, Police were kept busey directing trafric. (LIVE ON)

Vinton Dogwood Festival Parade

5/2/1959

Spectators and participants gather in Vinton, Va., for the annual Dogwood Festival. During the parade, teams of majorettes lead marching bands, beauty queens wave from atop floats, state and local officials including Virginia State Senator Ted Dalton and Roanoke Board of Supervisors Chairman William E. Cundiff ride in a motorcade, and actor Steve McQueen appears on horseback. Beauty queens present drum majors with awards for the best marching bands. Former Dogwood Festival Queen Pat Poindexter crowns new queen Nancy Garland.

Anchor script

Anchor script text: TV News Saturday, May 2, 1959 Several thousand citizens braved blistering hot weather for more than two hours YESTERDAY (START FILM).. to witness the colorful annual Vinton Dogwood Festival parade (SHOW FILM) ... About a score of junior and senior high school bands, including a total of nearly 2,000 musicians, took part in the parade. The head was so intense, with the temperature in the 90's about 100 boys and girls suffered from heat exhaustion and had to be given emergency first aid treatment. Also include in the parade were cars containing Roanoke City and County and Vinton officials, members of the State legislature - including State Senator Ted Dalton and Roanoke County Delegate Nelson Thurman - and floats entered by many business and civic groups. Steve McQueen, well known as the TV cowboy hero, "Josh Randall," was on horseback as parade marshal. After the parade the judges rated the George Wythe High School Band from Wytheville first place winner in Class A. Monroe Junior of Roanoke took first place among junior high school bands. Fieldale High was the winner AMONG Class D high school bands; Cave (ROLL FILM) Spring in Class C, and William Fleming of Roanoke in Class B. LAST NIGHT (SLIGHT PAUSE) a Corporation Ball was held in William Byrd Junior High auditorium and a new queen was crowned. The winner, chosen from among 13 lovely contestants, was brunette Nancy Garland of William Fleming High School. Miss Garland was surrounded by the other twelve girls, representing high schools throughout the Roanoke area, as last year's Queen - Pat Poindexter of Salem - placed the crown upon her head.

Land for Sale in Staunton, Va., "Urban Renewal" Project

10/4/1958

In a perhaps misguided effort to redevelop downtown areas, Staunton demolished 25 buildings. The cleared land is soon available for sale. 

Anchor Script

Anchor script text: Land in Staunton's controversial Revelopment and Housing Authority Urban Renewal Project will be put up for sale in a week or ten days. Authority Executive Director Bill Ayers, who worked on the Roanoke Commonwealth Project in its early stages, says 25 of the affected buildings in the area have been demolished and seven more are to be torn down. The project was recently the subject of a Court case in which a group of Downtown businessmen sought to block the redevelopment. However the litigation has been settled in favor of the Authority clearing the way for completion of the project: (ROLL FILM) Channel Ten News Photographer John Gilbert asked Ayers why the project necessary in the first place: (TAKE FILM PLAY AUDIO TAPE: End Cue: "____" (LIVE ON)

Footage of Downtown Roanoke, Va., Redevelopment Areas

1/19/1964

Reporter Bill Mason describes proposed changes to portions of downtown Roanoke, Va., especially on Tazewell Avenue/Franklin Road, in order to draw business there. Footage includes views of Tazewell Avenue, the Clover Creamery, the construction site of the new community hospital on Elm Avenue, and the suggested location for a new parking garage on Jefferson Street.