Henry County Facts

Population: 54,151 (2010 Census). Nearly 2 million people live within an hour's drive.

Land area: 382 square miles

Average rainfall: 44 inches

Average snowfall: 14 inches

Nearby recreational opportunities: Blue Ridge Parkway, Smith Mountain Lake, Philpott Reservoir, Fairystone State Park, Martinsville Speedway, Smith River (trout fishing), four country clubs in Henry County and numerous public golf courses within an hour's drive.

Nearby museums and opportunities for the arts: Piedmont Arts Association, the Virginia Museum of Natural History, Reynolds Homestead, Chinqua-Penn.

Professional sports: Martinsville Speedway (NASCAR Sprint Cup racing).

Henry County is located in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, in the southern Piedmont region of Virginia. Our borders are shared with Patrick County to the west, Franklin County to the north, Pittsylvania County to the east and the North Carolina line to the south.

Henry County was named for Patrick Henry, who lived here from 1780 to 1784. We originally were part of Pittsylvania County, but we went on our own in 1777.

There are two incorporated municipalities within our boundaries. The independent city of Martinsville lies in the geographic center of Henry County and the town of Ridgeway is located in the southern part of the County. Unincorporated communities within Henry County include Fieldale, Collinsville, Bassett, Stanleytown, Spencer, Laurel Park, Axton, and Chatmoss.

In the early days our residents made their money from tobacco. We then became one of the world's foremost producers of furniture and textile items. Our homegrown companies, including Tultex, Pannill Knitting, Bassett Furniture, Stanley Furniture, Hooker Furniture, and American of Martinsville, became industry leaders.

We continue to rely on many old favorites for our economic base, and we've added new technology businesses such as Drake Extrusion, RTI International, and Mehler Engineered Products. Our Board of Supervisors and our administrative staff are committed to further diversification of our economic base.

We will continue to provide more opportunities for our citizens, and our citizens will continue to meet the challenges of a changing economic landscape. When it comes down to it, the best thing about Henry County is our people. We can match anyone in the world in that commodity, and we invite you to join us.