May 7, 1987
The 21st annual mother of the year award presented by The Hartwell Sun gifted one lucky mom with local goods.
Gladys Thrasher was selected as the 1987 mother of the year after her granddaughter, Julie Yeargin, nominated her for the award.
The sponsoring businesses — including Bank of Hartwell, Bettie’s Shop, Economy Drug Store, Fashion Spot, Hartwell Florist, Strickland Funeral Home, Strickland Furniture Company, Whistle Stop Cafe and The Sun — all presented the winner with prizes and Pacer Photography had a color portrait made of the winner.
In her nominating letter, Yeargin said anyone who knows her grandmother could tell you how deserving of the award she is.
“She’s one of the most caring and unselfish persons I know of,” Yeargin wrote.
Judges also selected second and third place awards. Anne H. Skelton, of Hartwell, received second place after her daughter Alice Duke nominated her. Joyce Wright earned a third place nod after her daughter Kelli Wright nominated her.
May 7, 1920
The roots of the local chapter of the American Legion were just beginning to form.
The Hart County Post of the American Legion was organized at a meeting held in the courthouse on May 4, 1920.
John B. Morris was elected to be Post Commander and Thomas H. Estes was elected to be Vice Commander. W.E. White was the first Adjutant, while Walter G. Hodges became the first Finance Officer. Dr. Thomas R. Gaines became the first post Historian and Dr. D.J. Barton was selected as the Chaplain.
Dues at the time were $3 per year, with $2 to be paid when joining and $1 when called on to vote.
All men who applied and paid dues by May 8 were considered charter members.
May 8, 2003
Golf-ball sized hail rained down in the area of Goldmine Holly Springs Road in the middle of the day as severe storms swept through parts of Hart County, leaving major damage in its wake.
One police officer reported the hail was so strong he feared it would knock the windshield out of his car. The rain was so bad traffic stopped along U.S. Highway 29 South.
Just across the county line in Elbert, the Vanna and Bowman communities were hit even harder, The Sun reported. Three mobile homes on Hoot Owl Road were completely destroyed and a fourth was damaged. The Sun reported multiple cars were turned over in yards. Joe Frank Carey, said he heard a sound like a train before he and his 4-year-old son got into the car and were backing down the driveway when their mobile home exploded in front of them. Carey said he thought the storm was going to lift his car off the ground before he could get down the driveway to a low area.
Their neighbors reportedly ran from their mobile home and hid in a hole that was dug for the foundation and a basement of a new home.