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Virginia County
Henry County, Virginia
Martinsville Speedway and furniture heritage - from Martinsville Speedway (one of NASCAR's most beloved and historic tracks, the Martinsville paperclip-shaped short track has hosted Cup Series races since 1949 and is famous for its unique grandfather clock trophy awarded to race winners) to Henry County's furniture and textile manufacturing heritage (the Martinsville-Henry County region was once the furniture capital of the world, with dozens of major manufacturers operating in the area and shaping the regional economy and identity through much of the 20th century, a heritage preserved in the Virginia Museum of Natural History located in Martinsville).
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Office: Henry County Department of Public Safety – 1024 DuPont Road, Martinsville, VA
Notes: Coordinates fire suppression/prevention, EMS, disaster management/mitigation, and technical rescue through partnerships with 8 volunteer fire departments and 5 volunteer rescue squads. Martinsville-Henry County 911 (MHC911), established as a consolidated center in 1990, is the shared Public Safety Answering Point for both jurisdictions, serving a combined population of roughly 55,000 and handling around 140,000 inbound calls a year – one of the busiest emergency communications centers in the region, staffed 24/7/365 with 26 authorized personnel, all certified as Emergency Medical Dispatchers able to give life-saving pre-arrival instructions over the phone.
Roads & Utilities
ROADS & TRANSPORTATION
Roads: US-58 and US-220 are primary corridors; the county borders North Carolina to the south
Transit: No dedicated fixed-route county transit identified; confirm current regional options directly with the county
Business & Permits
BUILDING & PERMITS
Office: Henry County Building Department – 3300 Kings Mountain Rd, Martinsville, VA
Fire Marshal permits: 1024 DuPont Road, Martinsville, VA – code enforcement, fire protection system acceptance testing, plan review assistance for new/existing construction, fire cause investigation, smoke alarm installation in residences; enforces the Virginia Statewide Fire Prevention Code (derived from the International Fire Code)
Notes: The Fire Marshal’s Office also assists with county Emergency Management. Confirm whether your property falls within Martinsville city limits, as the city maintains its own separate Planning Department (55 W Church St) distinct from the county’s building department.
Veterans Services
VETERANS SERVICES
State VSO: Virginia Department of Veterans Services – dvs.virginia.gov (statewide office locator for the nearest Veterans Service Representative)
Notes: Confirm current local point of contact directly with dvs.virginia.gov
Libraries
LIBRARIES
System: Blue Ridge Regional Library – Bassett Branch (3969 Fairystone Park Highway, Bassett, VA, (276) 629-2426) and Collinsville Branch (2540 Virginia Ave, Collinsville, VA 24078, (276) 647-1112, open daily 10 AM–6 PM)
Notes: The Bassett Public Library began in 1939 through the efforts of the Bassett Garden Club, joined the Blue Ridge Regional Library System in 1992, and opened its current 6,000-square-foot building in December 1998 with major fundraising support from Bassett Furniture, Stanley Furniture, and Patrick Henry Bank – a genuine reflection of the region’s furniture-industry heritage funding local civic infrastructure. The original Bassett Branch building is now the Bassett Historical Center.
Parks & Recreation
PARKS & RECREATION
Key Assets: Martinsville Speedway, a 0.526-mile NASCAR short track in nearby Ridgeway (just outside Martinsville), opened in 1947 by Henry Clay Earles and part of NASCAR’s inaugural 1948 season – one of NASCAR’s original paved short tracks and still hosting Cup Series races today; Philpott Lake, a 3,000-acre reservoir offering boating and fishing; the Smithsonian-affiliated Virginia Museum of Natural History; Henry County’s deep manufacturing heritage in furniture and textiles is honored through the Furniture Heritage Plaza and Textile Heritage Trail; the annual Smith River Fest (18th year in 2026), held at the Monogram Foods Smith River Sports Complex in Axton
Notes: Henry County has been actively “reinventing itself” as its historic textile and furniture manufacturing industries have declined, with new investment in education (New College Institute) and continued strength in motorsports tourism via Martinsville Speedway – check current festival and race schedules directly, as dates and events change annually
GIS & Maps
GIS & MAPS
GIS Portal: Henry County GIS – accessible via henrycountyva.gov
Parcel Search: Henry County Commissioner of the Revenue records
Addressing/911: Coordinated through Martinsville-Henry County 911 (MHC911)
Animal Services
ANIMAL SERVICES
Facility: Henry County Animal Shelter – Martinsville, VA (confirm current physical address directly, as several sources listed varying addresses)
Notes: A separate independent nonprofit, SPCA of Martinsville-Henry County, also serves the shared region. Confirm current hours and adoption policy directly with the county – like several smaller Virginia shelters covered in this project, the Henry County shelter maintains an active Amazon Wish List for community donations.
Environmental & Waste
ENVIRONMENTAL / WASTE MANAGEMENT
Environmental Complaints: Virginia Department of Environmental Quality – deq.virginia.gov
Notes: Contact Henry County Administration directly for current refuse collection and recycling program details, as specifics were not independently confirmed for this entry
NOTES
Henry County and the independent City of Martinsville function as a genuinely closely intertwined community, sharing 911 dispatch and much of their civic identity around their manufacturing legacy – furniture and textiles – and Martinsville Speedway, one of NASCAR’s original short tracks, still hosting major races today. The Bassett Branch Library stands as a real, tangible marker of that furniture-industry heritage, having been substantially funded by Bassett Furniture and Stanley Furniture. All contact information above was sourced from official county and tourism pages as of this writing; phone numbers and hours should be reconfirmed directly with the relevant office before a visit.
About Henry County
Henry County is southern Virginia’s furniture heritage and NASCAR county – the Martinsville-Henry County region’s industrial past as the furniture capital of the world shaped generations of working families while Martinsville Speedway continues to draw NASCAR fans from across the country to one of the sport’s most historic venues.
Henry County’s administrative offices are in Collinsville, with the independent City of Martinsville serving as the primary commercial and cultural hub for county residents across the southern Virginia Piedmont.
All Services
Browse every category and topic available for this county.
Henry County Assessor at 3300 Kings Mountain Road, Martinsville, VA 24112, phone 276-634-4690. VA assessed at 100% fair market value.
Courts & Legal
Henry County Circuit Court at 3160 Kings Mountain Road, Martinsville, VA 24112, phone 276-634-4880, handles probate.
Marriage & Vital Records
Marriage licenses, divorce records, and birth & death certificates are handled by the following office(s):
CIRCUIT COURT CLERK
1 East Main St, Martinsville, VA 24112
(276) 634-4880
Genealogy
County-level record sources
Henry Circuit Court Clerk’s Office, Martinsville (probate/estate case files – see Probate section above).
Local societies
No dedicated Henry County genealogical society was confirmed in available directories.
Probate & Estate
Losing someone and having to deal with courts and paperwork at the same time is hard. This section won’t make that easier, but it should tell you what to expect, what it costs, and where to go – so at least you’re not walking in blind.
Where to go
Henry Circuit Court 3160 Kings Mountain Road, Suite B, Martinsville, VA 24112 (276) 634-4892
Henry County is in South Central Virginia along the North Carolina border, county seat Martinsville (an independent city). Virginia has NO separate probate court – probate (“qualification”) is handled entirely by the Circuit Court Clerk’s Office. Henry County shares its Circuit Court with the independent City of Martinsville.
Step 1: figure out which path applies
Virginia calls the probate process “qualification” rather than “appointment,” and it happens administratively at the Circuit Court Clerk’s Office, not before a judge, unless a dispute arises.
Small Estate Affidavit (Va. Code § 64.2-601, the “Virginia Small Estate Act”) – available when the decedent’s entire personal probate estate (excluding real estate) does not exceed $75,000, at least 60 days have passed since death, and no personal representative has been appointed or has a pending application in any jurisdiction. If a will exists, it must first be admitted to probate (recorded with the Clerk) even though no executor is appointed. As of July 1, 2026, the affidavit must be filed on the statewide form (CC-1685).
Single Small Asset Release (Va. Code § 64.2-602) – any person or institution holding a single asset of $35,000 or less may release it directly to a successor once 60 days have passed since death and no personal representative has qualified, without any affidavit required at all.
Real Estate Affidavit (Form CC-1612) – if the decedent owned only real estate, this can be recorded directly in land records without full probate. Real estate generally cannot be transferred through the small estate affidavit process.
Full Qualification / Administration – the standard path for larger or more complex estates. The personal representative appears before the Clerk, takes an oath, files the will and death certificate, and typically posts a surety bond. The estate is then supervised by a Commissioner of Accounts throughout administration.
Step 2: filing for administration
The person seeking to qualify as executor or administrator brings the original will (if any) and a certified death certificate to the Henry Circuit Court Clerk’s Office.
The Clerk reviews the will’s validity and admits it to probate.
The personal representative takes an oath and qualifies, posting a bond if required; the Clerk issues Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration.
The Commissioner of Accounts oversees the estate going forward.
The personal representative notifies creditors, pays valid debts, and manages estate assets.
Remaining assets are distributed to beneficiaries or heirs, and the estate is closed once final accounting is approved.
What it costs
Virginia imposes a PROBATE TAX on most wills admitted to probate and grants of administration: $1 state tax + $0.33 local tax for every $1,000 of estate value. No tax is imposed on estates valued at $15,000 or less.
Filing fees for qualification vary by estate size; confirm current Henry County fees directly.
Virginia does NOT impose a state estate tax or inheritance tax – repealed for deaths on or after July 1, 2007. Only the federal estate tax may apply, and only to very large estates.
Probate filings, estate administration, and guardianship matters are handled by the following office(s):
Public Safety & Arrests
Arrest records, inmate search, and law enforcement services are handled by the following office(s):
SHERIFF
3235 Kings Mountain Rd, Collinsville, VA 24078
(276) 638-8751
Elections & Voting
Voter registration, polling locations, and elections information are handled by the following office(s):
VOTER REGISTRAR
3300 Kings Mountain Rd, Collinsville, VA 24078
(276) 634-4680
ELECTIONS
Henry County Electoral Board, 3300 Kings Mountain Rd, Collinsville, VA 24078
(276) 634-4680
Health & Human Services
Offices & Contacts
Health services, social services, and assistance programs are handled by the following office(s):
Health District
West Piedmont Health District, 200 Fairy St, Martinsville, VA 24112
(276) 656-6900
Department of Social Services
300 East Church St, Martinsville, VA 24112
(276) 656-3000
Public Health Information
PUBLIC HEALTH
Office: West Piedmont Health District (Virginia Department of Health) – serves Henry County
Services: Immunizations, WIC, environmental health, vital records
Notes: Virginia delivers public health primarily through regional Virginia Department of Health districts rather than standalone county health departments; Memorial Hospital of Martinsville & Henry County provides regional acute care
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