Martinsville is located within the boundaries of Henry County. Ridgeway, an independent township is located here, as are the communities of Axton, Bassett, Collinsville, Fieldale, Spencer and Stanleytown. Like Martinsville, Henry County has an economic base of industry and manufacturing. Henry County is actively recruiting industry and manufacturing as a way to offset job losses primarily in the textile industry. |  |
Job losses in the area affect not only Martinsville and Henry County, but neighboring counties as well. Many people from the counties of Franklin, Pittsylvania, Patrick (Virginia)as well as Rockingham and the City of Eden (North Carolina)are employed here.
The image below is of Bassett, Va. and Bassett Furniture Industries |
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Townships in Henry County developed around industry. Fieldale formed around Fieldcrest Mills, Inc., Stanleytown was a product of the Stanley Furniture Corporation and Bassett was built by Bassett Furniture Industries.
Most of these industries began in the early part of the 20th century. The area, prior to industrialization, was largely agricultural. Tobacco was the largest cash crop then, as it still is in rural areas of Henry County. |
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