Martinsville Historic District (Additional Documentation)

Martinsville's historic core is a roughly 45-acre linear district stretching along Church, Main and Fayette streets around the Henry County Courthouse. It holds 119 buildings, one site and four objects, of which 98 contribute to its character. Development began when the town became county seat in 1791, then accelerated after the railroads arrived and tobacco, furniture and textile industries grew. The 1920s brought a boom of larger brick buildings, including the Hotel Henry, the Thomas Jefferson Hotel, the Chief Tassel Building, the Knights of Pythias Building and the First National Bank. The district also includes a Masonic Temple, a 1939 post office, a Methodist church, department stores, gas stations, auto showrooms and warehouses. Styles range from Romanesque Revival and Classical Revival to Art Deco. Although many storefronts have been altered, upper floors largely keep their integrity, and the district still functions as the city's commercial and government center.