Martinsville, Virginia
Encyclopedia
Martinsville is an independent city
which is surrounded by Henry County
, Virginia
, United States
. The population was 13,821 in 2010. The Bureau of Economic Analysis
combines the city of Martinsville with Henry County for statistical purposes. The paper clip-shaped Martinsville Speedway
, the shortest track in NASCAR
stock car racing [0.526 mile (0.84651284 km)] and also one of the first paved "speedways", being built in 1947, is located just outside the city in the town of Ridgeway
.
Martinsville is the principal city of the Martinsville Micropolitan Statistical Area
, a micropolitan area
that covers Henry County
and the city of Martinsville. The micropolitan area had a combined population of 73,346 as of the 2000 census.
General
, Indian
agent and explorer Joseph Martin
, born in Albemarle County
, whose plantation Scuffle Hill was located on the banks of the Smith River near the present-day southern city limits. General Martin and revolutionary patriot Patrick Henry
, who lived briefly in Henry County and for whom the county is named, were good friends.
The city's chief industry for many early years was the manufacture of plug chewing tobacco. The Henry County area became known as the 'plug tobacco capital of the world.' In the wake of the collapse of the plantation economy following the American Civil War
, the local economy had been left reeling. Stepping into the breach were several thriving plug firms which sold their merchandise across the nation beginning in the nineteenth century.
Local families were heavily involved in these companies, bestowing their names on them and reaping sizeable profits until the early twentieth century, when the tobacco monopolies created by R.J. Reynolds
and James Buchanan Duke
bought out most firms. (In most cases, in bold anti-competitive moves, the two tobacco titans simply shut down their acquisitions overnight. The moves later prompted a U.S. government lawsuit against American Tobacco Company.) Among the earliest of these firms were D.H. Spencer & Sons
and Spencer Bros. Other families soon joined in founding other early firms, including the Gravelys, the Comptons, the Ruckers, the Wittens, the Lesters and the Browns.
The city's main industry for a century was furniture
construction, and today Virginia furniture
makers still reside in the region. Shortly after World War II
, DuPont
built a chemical manufacturing plant. The booming chemical industry led to Martinsville declaring itself an independent city in 1928, while still retaining its status as county seat. (Today, however, it is a county seat in name only, as all of Henry County's administrative and judicial functions are carried out from the administration building and courthouse in nearby Collinsville
.)
DuPont later built a large manufacturing plant for producing nylon, a vital war material, which made the city a target for strategic bombing
during the Cold War
. This nylon production jump-started the growth of the textiles industry in the area. For several years Martinsville was known as the "Sweatshirt Capital of the World." In the early 1990s, changing global economic conditions and new trade treaties made Martinsville textiles and furniture manufacturing economically unsustainable. Many firms closed shop and laid off thousands of workers. Currently, the city is repositioning itself long-term as a center for technology development and manufacturing. Due to the local government's inability to fund certain services, in the near future the city of Martinsville may decide to legally convert into the town of Martinsville.
Recently, MZM, Inc. opened a facility in Martinsville as part of the Cunningham scandal
.
The lone high school within the Martinsville City School District is Martinsville High School
which averages about 900 students. Its mascot is the bulldog, and the school colors are red and white. The school's varsity boys' basketball team competes in Group AA of the Virginia High School League
and won its most recent state championship in March 2006. This victory makes Martinsville High the only high school in the Commonwealth to win 13 state titles. The high school has the second highest teen pregnancy rate in the state, along with the highest S.T.D. rate. This caused the high school to make contraceptives available in school. The Martinsville City Public Schools system has 1 high school, 1 middle school, 2 elementary schools, and 1 preschool.
Additionally, there is a private P.S.-12 school near Martinsville in Henry County, Carlisle School
. The school serves approximately 600 students, about 130 of them high school students.
Martinsville is also home to the Virginia Museum of Natural History, an affiliate of the Smithsonian Institution
and founded by Martinsville native Dr. Noel Boaz, and Piedmont Arts Association, an affiliate of the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts
.
Memorial Hospital of Martinsville serves the greater Martinsville and Henry County area. The earliest local hospital was the 50-bed Shackelford Hospital, founded by Dr. Jesse Martin Shackelford, who was later joined by surgeon son Dr. John Armstrong Shackelford, an early graduate of Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. Founder of the Hospital Association of Virginia, Dr. Jesse Shackelford was an early advocate of comprehensive care for state citizens. Shackelford Hospital was sold in 1946, and Martinsville General Hospital subsequently opened with Dr. John Shackelford as its first chief surgeon. In 1970 Memorial Hospital of Martinsville opened its doors, replacing Martinsville General.
, the city has a total area of 11 square miles (28.5 km²), of which, 11 square miles (28.5 km²) of it is land and 0.1 square mile (0.258998811 km²) of it (0.45%) is water. The north side of the city has the highest average elevation. The east side elevation slopes gradually down to the Smith River on the south side. The west side is quite hilly, full of ups and downs.
of 2000, there were 15,416 people, 6,498 households, and 4,022 families residing in the city. The population density
was 1,407.1 people per square mile (543.1/km²). There were 7,249 housing units at an average density of 661.7 per square mile (255.4/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 55.38% White
, 42.55% African American
, 0.10% Native American
, 0.47% Asian
, 0.69% from other races, and 0.81% from two or more races. Hispanics or Latinos
of any race were 2.32% of the population.
There were 6,498 households out of which 26.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 39.0% were married couples
living together, 19.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 38.1% were non-families. 34.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 15.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.27 and the average family size was 2.89.
The age distribution was 22.6% under the age of 18, 7.0% from 18 to 24, 26.7% from 25 to 44, 23.2% from 45 to 64, and 20.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females there were 82.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 78.4 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $27,441, and the median income for a family was $35,321. Males had a median income of $28,530 versus $21,367 for females. The per capita income
for the city was $17,251. About 14.0% of families and 19.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 25.6% of those under age 18 and 16.9% of those age 65 or over. As of August 2010, the city's unemployment rate stood at 20 percent.
of the Coastal Plain League
, a collegiate summer baseball league. The Mustangs play at Hooker Field
in Martinsville. The Mustangs began play for the league's 2005 season.
Martinsville High School's boys' basketball team has won more state titles (13) than any other boys program in Virginia, regardless of size or classification. Martinsville is also home to Martinsville Speedway
. The NASCAR
Sprint Cup Series hosts two races there every year.
Independent city
An independent city is a city that does not form part of another general-purpose local government entity. These type of cities should not be confused with city-states , which are fully sovereign cities that are not part of any other sovereign state.-Historical precursors:In the Holy Roman Empire,...
which is surrounded by Henry County
Henry County, Virginia
As of the census of 2000, there were 57,930 people, 23,910 households, and 16,952 families residing in the county. The population density was 152 people per square mile . There were 25,921 housing units at an average density of 68 per square mile...
, Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The population was 13,821 in 2010. The Bureau of Economic Analysis
Bureau of Economic Analysis
The Bureau of Economic Analysis is an agency in the United States Department of Commerce that provides important economic statistics including the gross domestic product of the United States. Its stated mission is to "promote a better understanding of the U.S...
combines the city of Martinsville with Henry County for statistical purposes. The paper clip-shaped Martinsville Speedway
Martinsville Speedway
Martinsville Speedway is an International Speedway Corporation-owned NASCAR stock car racing track located in Henry County, near Ridgeway, Virginia, just to the south of Martinsville. At in length, it is the shortest track in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. The track was also one of the first paved...
, the shortest track in NASCAR
NASCAR
The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing is a family-owned and -operated business venture that sanctions and governs multiple auto racing sports events. It was founded by Bill France Sr. in 1947–48. As of 2009, the CEO for the company is Brian France, grandson of the late Bill France Sr...
stock car racing [0.526 mile (0.84651284 km)] and also one of the first paved "speedways", being built in 1947, is located just outside the city in the town of Ridgeway
Ridgeway, Virginia
Ridgeway is a town in Henry County, Virginia, United States. The population was 775 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Martinsville Micropolitan Statistical Area. Ridgeway is also home to Martinsville Speedway.-HIstory:...
.
Martinsville is the principal city of the Martinsville Micropolitan Statistical Area
Martinsville micropolitan area
The Martinsville Micropolitan Statistical Area is a United States Micropolitan Statistical Area in Virginia, as defined by the Office of Management and Budget as of June, 2003...
, a micropolitan area
United States micropolitan area
United States Micropolitan Statistical Areas , as defined by the United States Office of Management and Budget, are urban areas in the United States based around a core city or town with a population of 10,000 to 49,999. The micropolitan area designation was created in 2003...
that covers Henry County
Henry County, Virginia
As of the census of 2000, there were 57,930 people, 23,910 households, and 16,952 families residing in the county. The population density was 152 people per square mile . There were 25,921 housing units at an average density of 68 per square mile...
and the city of Martinsville. The micropolitan area had a combined population of 73,346 as of the 2000 census.
History
Martinsville was founded by American Revolutionary WarAmerican Revolutionary War
The American Revolutionary War , the American War of Independence, or simply the Revolutionary War, began as a war between the Kingdom of Great Britain and thirteen British colonies in North America, and ended in a global war between several European great powers.The war was the result of the...
General
General
A general officer is an officer of high military rank, usually in the army, and in some nations, the air force. The term is widely used by many nations of the world, and when a country uses a different term, there is an equivalent title given....
, Indian
Native Americans in the United States
Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
agent and explorer Joseph Martin
Joseph Martin (general)
Joseph Martin was a brigadier general in the Virginia militia during the American Revolutionary War, in which Martin's frontier diplomacy with the Cherokee people is credited with averting Indian attacks on the Scotch-Irish settlers who helped win the battles of Kings Mountain and Cowpens...
, born in Albemarle County
Albemarle County, Virginia
As of the census of 2000, there were 79,236 people, 31,876 households, and 21,070 families residing in the county. The population density was 110 people per square mile . There were 33,720 housing units at an average density of 47 per square mile...
, whose plantation Scuffle Hill was located on the banks of the Smith River near the present-day southern city limits. General Martin and revolutionary patriot Patrick Henry
Patrick Henry
Patrick Henry was an orator and politician who led the movement for independence in Virginia in the 1770s. A Founding Father, he served as the first and sixth post-colonial Governor of Virginia from 1776 to 1779 and subsequently, from 1784 to 1786...
, who lived briefly in Henry County and for whom the county is named, were good friends.
The city's chief industry for many early years was the manufacture of plug chewing tobacco. The Henry County area became known as the 'plug tobacco capital of the world.' In the wake of the collapse of the plantation economy following the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
, the local economy had been left reeling. Stepping into the breach were several thriving plug firms which sold their merchandise across the nation beginning in the nineteenth century.
Local families were heavily involved in these companies, bestowing their names on them and reaping sizeable profits until the early twentieth century, when the tobacco monopolies created by R.J. Reynolds
R.J. Reynolds
Richard Joshua "R. J." Reynolds was an American businessman and founder of the R. J. Reynolds Tobacco Company....
and James Buchanan Duke
James Buchanan Duke
James Buchanan Duke was a U.S. tobacco and electric power industrialist best known for his involvement with Duke University.-Personal life:...
bought out most firms. (In most cases, in bold anti-competitive moves, the two tobacco titans simply shut down their acquisitions overnight. The moves later prompted a U.S. government lawsuit against American Tobacco Company.) Among the earliest of these firms were D.H. Spencer & Sons
Spencer, Virginia
Spencer is an unincorporated community in Henry County, Virginia, United States. It takes its name from its earliest settler, James Spencer Sr., who moved from Loudoun County to Henry County with his sons in the eighteenth century. Spencer's son ensign James Spencer, Jr. died of wounds suffered...
and Spencer Bros. Other families soon joined in founding other early firms, including the Gravelys, the Comptons, the Ruckers, the Wittens, the Lesters and the Browns.
The city's main industry for a century was furniture
Furniture
Furniture is the mass noun for the movable objects intended to support various human activities such as seating and sleeping in beds, to hold objects at a convenient height for work using horizontal surfaces above the ground, or to store things...
construction, and today Virginia furniture
Virginia furniture
Virginia furniture has a long tradition, from the colonial period to today.-Colonial period:In colonial days, when cabinetmaker Anthony Hay made furniture in Colonial Williamsburg, at least six shops catered to local tastes. As the colony grew in taste and sophistication, shops developed in other...
makers still reside in the region. Shortly after World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, DuPont
DuPont
E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company , commonly referred to as DuPont, is an American chemical company that was founded in July 1802 as a gunpowder mill by Eleuthère Irénée du Pont. DuPont was the world's third largest chemical company based on market capitalization and ninth based on revenue in 2009...
built a chemical manufacturing plant. The booming chemical industry led to Martinsville declaring itself an independent city in 1928, while still retaining its status as county seat. (Today, however, it is a county seat in name only, as all of Henry County's administrative and judicial functions are carried out from the administration building and courthouse in nearby Collinsville
Collinsville, Virginia
Collinsville is a census-designated place in Henry County, Virginia, United States. The population was 7,777 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Martinsville Micropolitan Statistical Area...
.)
DuPont later built a large manufacturing plant for producing nylon, a vital war material, which made the city a target for strategic bombing
Strategic bombing
Strategic bombing is a military strategy used in a total war with the goal of defeating an enemy nation-state by destroying its economic ability and public will to wage war rather than destroying its land or naval forces...
during the Cold War
Cold War
The Cold War was the continuing state from roughly 1946 to 1991 of political conflict, military tension, proxy wars, and economic competition between the Communist World—primarily the Soviet Union and its satellite states and allies—and the powers of the Western world, primarily the United States...
. This nylon production jump-started the growth of the textiles industry in the area. For several years Martinsville was known as the "Sweatshirt Capital of the World." In the early 1990s, changing global economic conditions and new trade treaties made Martinsville textiles and furniture manufacturing economically unsustainable. Many firms closed shop and laid off thousands of workers. Currently, the city is repositioning itself long-term as a center for technology development and manufacturing. Due to the local government's inability to fund certain services, in the near future the city of Martinsville may decide to legally convert into the town of Martinsville.
Recently, MZM, Inc. opened a facility in Martinsville as part of the Cunningham scandal
Cunningham Scandal
The Cunningham scandal is a U.S. political scandal in which defense contractors paid bribes to members of Congress and officials in the U.S. Defense Department, in return for political favors in the form of federal contracts. Most notable amongst the recipients of the bribes was California...
.
The lone high school within the Martinsville City School District is Martinsville High School
Martinsville High School (Martinsville, Virginia)
Martinsville High School is a public secondary school located in Martinsville, Virginia, and is the only high school in the Martinsville public school system. As of 2007, its Boys Basketball Team has won 13 State Championships. It offers such programs as the International Baccalaureate,...
which averages about 900 students. Its mascot is the bulldog, and the school colors are red and white. The school's varsity boys' basketball team competes in Group AA of the Virginia High School League
Virginia High School League
The Virginia High School League is the arbiter of interscholastic competition among public high schools in the Commonwealth of Virginia. Unlike similar organizations in many other states, private or religious schools are prohibited from joining. Non-public schools belong to other organizations,...
and won its most recent state championship in March 2006. This victory makes Martinsville High the only high school in the Commonwealth to win 13 state titles. The high school has the second highest teen pregnancy rate in the state, along with the highest S.T.D. rate. This caused the high school to make contraceptives available in school. The Martinsville City Public Schools system has 1 high school, 1 middle school, 2 elementary schools, and 1 preschool.
Additionally, there is a private P.S.-12 school near Martinsville in Henry County, Carlisle School
Carlisle School
Carlisle School is a small private school for grades PS-12 located in Martinsville, Virginia. Serving over 400 students from throughout the region, it also offers an international baccalaureate program. Carlisle is known for their academics, as well as their tremendous success in sending their...
. The school serves approximately 600 students, about 130 of them high school students.
Martinsville is also home to the Virginia Museum of Natural History, an affiliate of the Smithsonian Institution
Smithsonian Institution
The Smithsonian Institution is an educational and research institute and associated museum complex, administered and funded by the government of the United States and by funds from its endowment, contributions, and profits from its retail operations, concessions, licensing activities, and magazines...
and founded by Martinsville native Dr. Noel Boaz, and Piedmont Arts Association, an affiliate of the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts
Virginia Museum of Fine Arts
The Virginia Museum of Fine arts, or VMFA, is an art museum in Richmond, Virginia, in the United States, which opened in 1936.The museum is owned and operated by the Commonwealth of Virginia, while private donations, endowments, and funds are used for the support of specific programs and all...
.
Memorial Hospital of Martinsville serves the greater Martinsville and Henry County area. The earliest local hospital was the 50-bed Shackelford Hospital, founded by Dr. Jesse Martin Shackelford, who was later joined by surgeon son Dr. John Armstrong Shackelford, an early graduate of Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. Founder of the Hospital Association of Virginia, Dr. Jesse Shackelford was an early advocate of comprehensive care for state citizens. Shackelford Hospital was sold in 1946, and Martinsville General Hospital subsequently opened with Dr. John Shackelford as its first chief surgeon. In 1970 Memorial Hospital of Martinsville opened its doors, replacing Martinsville General.
Geography
According to the United States Census BureauUnited States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the city has a total area of 11 square miles (28.5 km²), of which, 11 square miles (28.5 km²) of it is land and 0.1 square mile (0.258998811 km²) of it (0.45%) is water. The north side of the city has the highest average elevation. The east side elevation slopes gradually down to the Smith River on the south side. The west side is quite hilly, full of ups and downs.
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 15,416 people, 6,498 households, and 4,022 families residing in the city. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 1,407.1 people per square mile (543.1/km²). There were 7,249 housing units at an average density of 661.7 per square mile (255.4/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 55.38% White
White American
White Americans are people of the United States who are considered or consider themselves White. The United States Census Bureau defines White people as those "having origins in any of the original peoples of Europe, the Middle East, or North Africa...
, 42.55% African American
African American
African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
, 0.10% Native American
Native Americans in the United States
Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
, 0.47% Asian
Asian American
Asian Americans are Americans of Asian descent. The U.S. Census Bureau definition of Asians as "Asian” refers to a person having origins in any of the original peoples of the Far East, Southeast Asia, or the Indian subcontinent, including, for example, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Japan,...
, 0.69% from other races, and 0.81% from two or more races. Hispanics or Latinos
Hispanic and Latino Americans
Hispanic or Latino Americans are Americans with origins in the Hispanic countries of Latin America or in Spain, and in general all persons in the United States who self-identify as Hispanic or Latino.1990 Census of Population and Housing: A self-designated classification for people whose origins...
of any race were 2.32% of the population.
There were 6,498 households out of which 26.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 39.0% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 19.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 38.1% were non-families. 34.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 15.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.27 and the average family size was 2.89.
The age distribution was 22.6% under the age of 18, 7.0% from 18 to 24, 26.7% from 25 to 44, 23.2% from 45 to 64, and 20.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females there were 82.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 78.4 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $27,441, and the median income for a family was $35,321. Males had a median income of $28,530 versus $21,367 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the city was $17,251. About 14.0% of families and 19.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 25.6% of those under age 18 and 16.9% of those age 65 or over. As of August 2010, the city's unemployment rate stood at 20 percent.
Sports
Martinsville is home to the Martinsville MustangsMartinsville Mustangs
The Martinsville Mustangs are a baseball team in the Coastal Plain League, a collegiate summer baseball league. The team plays its home games at Hooker Field in Martinsville, Virginia. The Mustangs first started participating in the Coastal Plain League during the 2005 season compiling a record of...
of the Coastal Plain League
Coastal Plain League
The Coastal Plain League is a wood-bat collegiate summer league, featuring college players from throughout the nation. The league takes its name from a Class D minor league baseball league which operated in the same area from 1937 to 1952. The modern league was formed with six teams in 1997...
, a collegiate summer baseball league. The Mustangs play at Hooker Field
Hooker Field
Hooker Field is a stadium in Martinsville, Virginia. It is primarily used for baseball and was the home of Martinsville Astros. It is now the home of the Martinsville Mustangs of the Coastal Plain League...
in Martinsville. The Mustangs began play for the league's 2005 season.
Martinsville High School's boys' basketball team has won more state titles (13) than any other boys program in Virginia, regardless of size or classification. Martinsville is also home to Martinsville Speedway
Martinsville Speedway
Martinsville Speedway is an International Speedway Corporation-owned NASCAR stock car racing track located in Henry County, near Ridgeway, Virginia, just to the south of Martinsville. At in length, it is the shortest track in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. The track was also one of the first paved...
. The NASCAR
NASCAR
The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing is a family-owned and -operated business venture that sanctions and governs multiple auto racing sports events. It was founded by Bill France Sr. in 1947–48. As of 2009, the CEO for the company is Brian France, grandson of the late Bill France Sr...
Sprint Cup Series hosts two races there every year.
Notable residents
- Rabih AbdullahRabih AbdullahThe' Rabih Fard Abdullah is a former American football running back.-High school years:Abdullah grew up in Roselle, New Jersey, where he attended Abraham Clark High School and was a letterman in football, basketball, and track...
- National Football LeagueNational Football LeagueThe National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
player - Reverend Alfred W. AnsonFrederick AnsonThe Revd Frederick Anson , a fellow of All Souls College, Oxford, served as Canon of St. George's Chapel at Windsor Castle. As such, he was Canon to Queen Victoria...
- rector, Christ Episcopal Church, 1894-1920 - Buddy ArringtonBuddy ArringtonBuddy Arrington is a retired NASCAR Grand National/Winston Cup driver.- Biography :...
- NASCARNASCARThe National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing is a family-owned and -operated business venture that sanctions and governs multiple auto racing sports events. It was founded by Bill France Sr. in 1947–48. As of 2009, the CEO for the company is Brian France, grandson of the late Bill France Sr...
driver - Baton BobBaton BobBaton Bob is a costumed street performer created by Bob Jamerson and currently based in Atlanta, Georgia. Baton Bob used to live in St. Louis, Missouri and in both cities is a significant local personality. He typically marches down urban sidewalks dressed in a tutu and occasionally a tiara. As his...
- Costumed street performer - John Robert Brown (Virginia politician)John Robert Brown (Virginia politician)John Robert Brown was a United States Representative from Virginia.-Biography:Born near Snow Creek, Virginia, he attended private schools in Franklin and Henry Counties and entered the Confederate Army in 1861 as a private in Company D, Twenty-fourth Regiment of Virginia Volunteers...
- US House of Representatives - Johnny Bryant - Drummer for Ray CharlesRay CharlesRay Charles Robinson , known by his shortened stage name Ray Charles, was an American musician. He was a pioneer in the genre of soul music during the 1950s by fusing rhythm and blues, gospel, and blues styles into his early recordings with Atlantic Records...
band - Thomas G. BurchThomas G. BurchThomas Granville Burch was an American farmer, tobacco manufacturer, and politician from Martinsville, Virginia. He represented Virginia in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1931 until 1946. In 1946 he served as a U.S...
- American farmer, tobacco manufacturer, and politician (US House of Representatives and US Senate) - Greg GainesGreg GainesGregory Scott "Greg" Gaines is a former professional American football player who played linebacker for eight seasons for the Seattle Seahawks....
- National Football LeagueNational Football LeagueThe National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
player - Carl HairstonCarl HairstonCarl Blake Hairston is a former professional American football player. He is currently the defensive line coach for the Omaha Nighthawks of the United Football League....
- National Football LeagueNational Football LeagueThe National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
player - Patrick HenryPatrick HenryPatrick Henry was an orator and politician who led the movement for independence in Virginia in the 1770s. A Founding Father, he served as the first and sixth post-colonial Governor of Virginia from 1776 to 1779 and subsequently, from 1784 to 1786...
- American patriotFounding Fathers of the United StatesThe Founding Fathers of the United States of America were political leaders and statesmen who participated in the American Revolution by signing the United States Declaration of Independence, taking part in the American Revolutionary War, establishing the United States Constitution, or by some...
(resided at Leatherwood Plantation, Henry County, outside current city limits) - Odell HodgeOdell HodgeOdell Hodge is an American former NCAA Division I basketball player for Old Dominion University and, later, professional teams in Belgium.-High school:...
- collegiate basketball player for Old Dominion UniversityOld Dominion UniversityOld Dominion University is a state university located in Norfolk, Virginia, United States, and is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools...
(1993–97) - Magdalen Hsu-LiMagdalen Hsu-LiMagdalen Hsu-Li is an internationally acclaimed American singer-songwriter, painter, speaker, writer, and cultural activist. She identifies herself as bisexual and as Chinese American.-Biography:...
- Bisexual American singer-songwriter, painter, speaker, poet, and activist - Randy HundleyRandy HundleyCecil Randolph "Randy" Hundley Jr. is a former American professional baseball player and coach. He played in Major League Baseball as a catcher for the San Francisco Giants , Chicago Cubs , Minnesota Twins , and the San Diego Padres...
- Major League BaseballMajor League BaseballMajor League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
player - Todd HundleyTodd HundleyTodd Randolph Hundley is a former Major League Baseball catcher and outfielder. He is the son of former Chicago Cubs catcher Randy Hundley...
- Major League BaseballMajor League BaseballMajor League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
player - J. C. MartinJ. C. MartinJoseph Clifton Martin is a former Major League Baseball player. The left-handed hitting, right-handed throwing Martin played for the Chicago White Sox from 1959-1967, New York Mets in 1968 and 1969 and Chicago Cubs from 1970-1972.Martin was scouted by the White Sox as an amateur free agent in 1956...
- Major League BaseballMajor League BaseballMajor League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
player - GeneralGeneralA general officer is an officer of high military rank, usually in the army, and in some nations, the air force. The term is widely used by many nations of the world, and when a country uses a different term, there is an equivalent title given....
Joseph MartinJoseph Martin (general)Joseph Martin was a brigadier general in the Virginia militia during the American Revolutionary War, in which Martin's frontier diplomacy with the Cherokee people is credited with averting Indian attacks on the Scotch-Irish settlers who helped win the battles of Kings Mountain and Cowpens...
- American Revolutionary WarAmerican Revolutionary WarThe American Revolutionary War , the American War of Independence, or simply the Revolutionary War, began as a war between the Kingdom of Great Britain and thirteen British colonies in North America, and ended in a global war between several European great powers.The war was the result of the...
general, explorerExplorationExploration is the act of searching or traveling around a terrain for the purpose of discovery of resources or information. Exploration occurs in all non-sessile animal species, including humans...
, legislatorLegislatorA legislator is a person who writes and passes laws, especially someone who is a member of a legislature. Legislators are usually politicians and are often elected by the people...
, IndianNative Americans in the United StatesNative Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
agent - Barry MichaelsBarry MichaelsBarry Michaels is an American radio personality.-Personal life:Michaels was born in Martinsville, Virginia, U.S., to father Aaron, a combat veteran of World War II, a survivor of D-Day and mother Lottie...
- American radio personality - Ed ReynoldsEd ReynoldsEdward Rannell Reynolds is a retired American football linebacker who played in the National Football League for the New England Patriots and New York Giants between 1983 and 1992...
- National Football LeagueNational Football LeagueThe National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
- New England Patriots - Shawn MooreShawn MooreShawn Levique Moore is a former National Football League and Canadian Football League quarterback and coach. He attended college at the University of Virginia and has returned to Virginia as an assistant coach under Mike London....
- National Football LeagueNational Football LeagueThe National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
and Canadian Football LeagueCanadian Football LeagueThe Canadian Football League or CFL is a professional sports league located in Canada. The CFL is the highest level of competition in Canadian football, a form of gridiron football closely related to American football....
player - Stephen Mark RaineyStephen Mark RaineyStephen Mark Rainey is an author of novels, short stories, and various works of nonfiction. From 1987 to 1997, he edited Deathrealm, a magazine of horror and dark fantasy fiction, for which he won several awards for Best Editor.-Biography:...
- Author of novels, short stories, and various works of nonfiction - Nancy ReddNancy ReddNancy Redd, a.k.a. Nancy Amanda Redd, won the Miss Virginia Pageant in 2003 and competed in the Miss America Pageant, finishing in the Top 10 and winning the preliminary "Lifestyle & Fitness in Swimwear" competition. She is a native of Martinsville, Virginia, and graduated with honors from Harvard...
- Miss VirginiaMiss VirginiaThe Miss Virginia competition is a scholarship pageant for women, with the titleholder representing Virginia in the Miss America pageant. The competition was founded in 1953 as a scholarship contest for young women, although women had represented Virginia in the Miss America pageant since the 1930s...
2003, Top 10 in Miss America 2004Miss America 2004Miss America 2004, the 83rd Miss America, pageant, was broadcast from the Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, New Jersey on September 20, 2003 on ABC Network.-Placements:*Miss America 2004: Ericka Dunlap... - Jessamine ShumateJessamine ShumateAda Jessamine Shumate was born on March 31, 1902 as Ada Jessamine White in Horsepasture, Virginia and is an American Artist winner of the "Award of Distinction" in 1955 from the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts. She was a noted artist, historian and cartographer in Henry County...
- artist, painter - Sonny WadeSonny WadeSonny Wade born April 1, 1947 in Martinsville, Virginia, a graduate of the "powerhouse" football program at Emory and Henry College in Virginia, and played for the Montreal Alouettes of the Canadian Football League from 1969 to 1978....
- Canadian Football LeagueCanadian Football LeagueThe Canadian Football League or CFL is a professional sports league located in Canada. The CFL is the highest level of competition in Canadian football, a form of gridiron football closely related to American football....
player - Stafford G. WhittleStafford G. WhittleStafford Gorman Whittle was born at the family home Woodstock in Mecklenburg County, Virginia. His early education was received in Norfolk but, when the American Civil War began, he continued his studies with a tutor at his father’s home in Botetourt County...
- Judge, Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals - Kennon C. WhittleKennon C. WhittleKennon Caithness Whittle was born in Martinsville, Virginia, the son of Stafford G. Whittle, a lawyer who served on the Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals from 1901 to 1919. Kennon Whittle attended elementary school in Martinsville and received an LL. B. from Washington and Lee University in 1914...
- Judge, Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals - Lou Whitaker - Major League BaseballMajor League BaseballMajor League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
player - Red Top YoungRed Top YoungRed Top Young is an American blues, rhythm and blues, country, rock and roll and jazz musician.Robert Young was born February 15, 1936 in Martinsville, Virginia, to Willie and Mattie Young. One of seven children, he started his education in Martinsville and completed high school in Elyria, Ohio...
- Blues, rhythm and blues, country, rock & roll, and jazz musician - Delvin JoyceDelvin JoyceDelvin Joyce is a former running back in the NFL. He played from 2002 to 2004 for the New York Giants mainly as a kick returner and punt returner....
- National Football League- NY Giants New York Giants Football Player - Clinton GregoryClinton GregoryClinton Gregory is an American country and bluegrass singer, songwriter, and fiddler. He has recorded seven studio albums, primarily on independent labels, and has charted eleven singles on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks charts...
Country Singer and Fiddle Player - Thomas DavisThomas Davis-Politicians:*Thomas Davis , Irish-American member of United States House of Representatives*Thomas Aspinwall Davis , American Mayor of Boston in 1845*Thomas Beall Davis , U.S. Representative from West Virginia...
- Banker and Civic leader in Martinsville and Ridgeway, Virginia - Jesse MartinJesse MartinJesse Martin is an Australian sailor who in 1999 became the youngest person to circumnavigate the globe solo, non-stop, and unassisted, taking the record from David Dicks, who was 24 days younger when he completed his circumnavigation, but had obtained assistance. Martin's journey in the S&S 34...
- Actor (Law & Order)