Martinsville, Virginia — The American South (Mid-Atlantic)
1960s to 1980s
| — | Furnishing a Nation: The story of furniture making in Martinsville-Henry County | — |
Photographed by C. Ryan Dodson, November 4, 2026
1. 1960s to 1980s Marker
•1960 – J. Clyde Hooker, Jr., the founder’s son, becomes president of Hooker Furniture. He remains president until 2000.
•1960 – Bassett built the world’s largest chair for Curtis Brothers Furniture Company in Washington, D.C.
•1965 – Stanley Furniture makes its first acquisition, The Sandhill Furniture Company in West End, N.C., reputed to be the world’s largest manufacturer of beds.
•1967 – Stanley Furniture launches its first national advertising campaign.
•1968 – Hooker Furniture’s net sales total $9.7 Million.
•1969 – Stanley Furniture merges with Mead Corporation, a relationship that lasts until 1979.
•1970 – Gravely Furniture offers more than 35 different styles of grandfather and grandmother clocks.
•1971 – Bassett’s net sales reach $144 Million.
•1972 – With a series of acquisitions during the 1960s and early ‘70s, Bassett has a total of 31 plants nationwide.
•1972
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•1974 – American of Martinsville has $62 million in sales.
•1975 – Gravely Furniture has $13.1 million in sales.
•1979 – American of Martinsville becomes the largest supplier of hotel/motel casegoods in the world.
•1981 – A.C. Furniture Company, Inc., one of the country’s largest contract manufacturers of seating, is incorporated.
•1981 – Shenandoah Furniture started with just 12 employees doing contract work for local furniture companies. These contracts led to a major retail contract with Bloomingdale’s. As demand grew, the company expanded and Shenandoah Furniture relinquished its contract work and became a stand-alone furniture manufacturer.
•1984 – Bassett implements its Gallery Program to aid dealers in presenting furniture to the consumer as it would appear in their home.
•1984 – To commemorate Stanley’s 60th anniversary, the company introduced the Stoneleigh Mahogany Collection: 18th-century furniture inspired by the original furnishing of the home of Stanley’s founder, Thomas B. Stanley.
•1985 – Bassett Contract Furnishings is established to target
Photographed by C. Ryan Dodson, November 4, 2026
2. 1960s to 1980s Marker
•1985 – Pulaski Furniture buys Gravely Furniture and renames it Ridgeway Clocks.
•1986 – Bassett produces recliners from its new Bassett Motion Division.
•1986 – American of Martinsville was acquired by LADD Furniture, Inc., the third largest furniture manufacturer in the United States at the time.
•1987 – Hooker Furniture purchases a tobacco warehouse in Henry County, and started a separate plywood manufacturing facility that could produce most of the company’s three-ply plywood for internal use.
(captions)
J. C. Hooker (left), founder and first president of Hooker Furniture, receives a gold watch in appreciation of 36 years of leadership from A. F. Hooker on December 23, 1960. J. Clyde Hooker, Jr., who serves as president of the company from 1960 to 2000, looks on.
Bassett built the world’s largest chair for Curtis Brothers Furniture Company in Washington, D.C.
Stanley’s High Point furniture showroom circa 1960. The company also had permanent exhibits in Chicago, New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Dallas, Seattle and Stanleytown.
A 1967 two-page ad that appeared in Better Homes & Gardens. According to the ad copy, if you don’t see a piece of furniture here that you like, you can write to Stanley and include $1.00 and they will send you information of the 2,078 pieces they make.
Clay Earles of Martinsville Speedway presents stock car driver Cale Yarborough with a Gravely Furniture clock in the 1970s. It was a long-standing tradition that race winners would receive a locally made clock.
To commemorate Stanley’s 60th anniversary, the company introduced the Stoneleigh Mahogany Collection: 18th-century furniture inspired by the original furnishing of the home of Stanley’s founder, Thomas B. Stanley.
Erected 2009
Photographed by C. Ryan Dodson, November 4, 2026
3. 1960s to 1980s Marker
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Entertainment • Industry & Commerce.
Location. 36° 41.415′ N, 79° 52.262′ W. Marker is in Martinsville, Virginia. It is at the intersection of Church Street East and Broad Street, on the right when traveling east on Church Street East. The marker is located in Furniture Heritage Plaza. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 37 Church Street East, Martinsville VA 24112, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in Southern Virginia. It is also in the American South and specifically in the Upper South. Globally, it is in North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once the territory of the Mississippian Culture, one of the original Thirteen Colonies, one of the Confederate States of America, and the Antebellum South.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: 1930s to 1950s (here, next to this marker); 1990s and beyond
Photographed by C. Ryan Dodson, November 4, 2026
4. 1960s to 1980s Marker
Photographed by C. Ryan Dodson, November 4, 2026
5. The Big Chair
Photographed by C. Ryan Dodson, November 4, 2026
6. The Big Chair Dedication Plaque
Credits. This page was last revised on November 7, 2026. It was originally submitted on November 5, 2026, by C. Ryan Dodson of Danville, Virginia. This page has been viewed 7 times since then. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. submitted on November 5, 2026, by C. Ryan Dodson of Danville, Virginia. • Bernard Fisher was the editor who published this page.
