Martinsville Historic District (Boundary Decrease)

Martinsville's historic core is a roughly 45-acre linear district along Church, Main and Fayette streets, built around the Henry County courthouse square. Of 124 resources counted, most are commercial buildings, joined by a courthouse, post office, church, hotels, fraternal halls, warehouses, factories and automobile showrooms and service stations. Settlement began when the county seat was established in 1791, and a brick courthouse followed in 1824. Railroads then brought tobacco, furniture and other industries, and the 1920s boom pushed downtown eastward along Church Street. Landmarks include the granite 1891 People's Bank, the 1914 Masonic Temple, the 1925 First National Bank, the 1921 Hotel Henry and the 1927 Thomas Jefferson Hotel. Styles range from Greek Revival and Romanesque Revival to Classical Revival, Colonial Revival and Art Deco. Many ground-floor storefronts have been altered, but upper floors largely retain their character. The district was listed for its association with the city's commercial and industrial growth and for its architecture.