Did you know that our community has star power? Throughout the years, attractions, residents as well as businesses of Martinsville - Henry County, Virginia have been featured in various media types. The stars of our community have been featured on some of the most popular TV shows and channels to include, "Wheel of Fortune", "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire", The Food Network, QVC Shopping Network, CBS's "The Amazing Race" and ABC's "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" to name a few. But that should come as no surprise, because it is hard to overlook the talent and skill that so many Martinsville - Henry County residents possess. The beautiful scenery, gracious amenities as well as convenient location make Martinsville - Henry County a perfect location for filming.
Martinsville - Henry County As Seen On:
TV
Wheel of Fortune (2011)
Tonya Carter and Stacey Roach are amond the stars of Martinsville-Henry County. Both ladies were contestants on the hit game show "Wheel of Fortune" that aired between October 24th and 31st. Carter tried out for the show in Danville, Virginia and was later notified that her name had been selected for an audition in Roanoke, Virginia. She and members of her family flew to Culver City, California to tape the show. Carter was in position number one, played several rounds and even landed on the one million dollar wedge once. Roach had been a fan of the show since she was 10 years old and uses games similar to "Wheel of Fortune" to teach her students at Mt Olivet Elementary School the importance of vowels and consonants in language skills. Roach also tried out for the show at a Wheelmobile in Danville, auditioned in Roanoke and later flew to California to tape the show. She solved four out of siz puzzles and advanced to the bonus round. Carter and Roach had a combined winning total of $12,550 and felt being on "Wheel of Fortune" was the experience of a lifetime. Both ladies really enjoyed talking to Pat Sajak and Vanna White while on set. Read more here.
World Progress Report (2011)
The Virginia Museum of Natural History was featured on the PBS show, World Progress Report with Joan Lunden. Museum highlights included award-winning temporary and permanent exhibits, ground-breaking scientific research and collections and the innovative educational programs for visitors of all ages. With over 22 million items in collections, the museum is at the forefront of scientific discovery of the natural world in Virginia. Eight scientists actively engage in research on subjects ranging from dinosaurs to millipedes. The museum shares new discoveries through various types of media to include exhibits, programs, publications, field trips and teacher education. Experience the natural diversity of Virginia!
Extreme Home Makeover Edition (2010)
The work of Nationwide Homes of Martinsville was featured on the season finale of ABC's "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition", Season 7. The show aired May 16th and featured the Williams family of Pine Mountain Valley, Georgia. Our very own, Nationwide Homes of Martinsville, Virginia built and donated the single-story, energy-efficient home to the family and recruited dozens of builders to assist with the project. This was the first time a modular home had ever been used on the show. The entire home was built indoors at the production facility in Martinsville and then transported to Pine Mountain, Georgia.
Great American BBQ Showdown (2010)
Tommy Houston, BBQ guru and owner of Pigs-R-Us in Martinsville, Virginia, was featured on this Food Network reality TV show. Four passionate barbecue teams, armed and dangerous with their best barbecue recipes, competed in the South Carolina BBQ Championship held in Greenwood, South Carolina. The teams had to ace all four competition categories: pork, chicken, ribs and beef brisket in order to win $2,500 and the title of "Grand Champion." Tommy's superb cooking skills paid off as the team won the title of Reserve Grand Champion in the contest.
The Amazing Race (2009)
Steve and Linda Cole of Bassett, Virginia competed in this CBS reality TV show as they vied to win a $1 million dollar prize. Challenges that the couple participated in included running down a mountain-side in the Swiss Alps, bungee jumping off a 70-story dam and transporting 200 pounds of cheese across a muddy hillside. The couple's role in the race ended as they came in tenth place at a check point in Salzburg, Austria, but left the Cole's with a lifetime of memories.
Quest for the NASCAR Sprint Cup (2009)
According to NASCAR, this weekly, half-hour series is a "fast-paced, up-close HD look at the twelve drivers competing in the 10-race Chase for the Sprint Cup". The series aired each week during the 2009 season on the network Versus and featured Martinsville Speedway in several episodes.
On the Road: Martinsville (2009-2010)
This series of programs airing on Blue Ridge PBS highlighted several businesses and attractions in Martinsville - Henry County that make our community so unique. The series was made possible, in part, with a grant from The Harvest Foundation, an organization supporting expanded coverage of Martinsville - Henry County as a place where everyone has the opportunity to live, work, and play.
Driver X (2005)
In this reality TV show, 25 professional stock and sports car drivers compete for a chance to drive for the legendary Jack Roush and race in NASCAR'S Craftsman Truck Series. The series aired on The Discovery Channel from October 2005 to February 2006 and featured Martinsville Speedway as the competitors were tested on their ability to drive the challenging paper-clip shaped short track.
Cooking with Paul (2003-2011)
The Cooking with Paul Show began in 2003. Since then, Paul has been doing shows featuring businesses and various people who live, work and play in Martinsville - Henry County. The Cooking with Paul Show airs on local station BTW 21 Wednesdays at 1 pm and 8 pm, Fridays at 6 pm and Saturdays at 10 am. You can also watch Paul's show live stream on BTW 21 at the same times. Fans of Chef Paul who are in the Rocky Mount viewing area can see the show on Channel 12. Check the local listings for times.
Who Wants to be a Millionaire (2002)
Nancy Redd started out life as a fairly ordinary girl in Martinsville VA, but quickly proved to the world how extraordinary she really was. After graduating from Laurel Park High School, Nancy went to Harvard University to pursue a degree in Women's Studies. Her junior year, she appeared on the ABC show Who Wants to be a Millionaire and won $250,000. Winning question: In his 1963 "I Have a Dream" speech, Martin Luther King Jr. recites the first verse of which song? Nancy won the title of Miss Virginia and made the Top 10 at Miss America and won the swimsuit competition. She's now on a worldwide tour promoting her book, BODY DRAMA, for young women.
QVC Shopping Network (1995)
Karen Eggleston, a resident of Martinsville, creates sculptures from empty ostrich, emu, rhea, goose, swan, pigeon and duck eggs. Eggleston has experienced several prestigious claims to fame including when QVC, the nation's largest retailer, selected her art as one of the top 20 products to represent the state of Virginia in their 50/50 show, 50 states in 50 weeks. In effect, this designated her egg art as one of the top 1000 products in the United States. QVC selected and purchased 250 goose eggs, "Treasures" which were sold on their show. "K Egg" is the signature you'll find on all of Karen's art pieces.
Film
NASCAR 3D: The IMAX Experience (2004)
Filmed to be seen in 3D at IMAX Theaters where screens can be up to 8 stories tall, this movie puts viewers in the driver seat for a big-screen look into one of America's most successful entertainment industries- NASCAR racing. The film was released in 2004 and is narrated by Kiefer Sutherland. Filming NASCAR races in 3D was no easy task as the camera itself weighed more than 200 pounds and required four men to move it from once location to another. This film was winner of the 2005 Golden Reel Award for Best Sound Editing in Special Venue Film.
The Last American Hero (1973)
Staring names such as Jeff bridges, Ned Beatty and Gary Busey, this film was based on the true story of Junior Johnson's career as a NASCAR driver and moonshiner. This film takes us back to the early days of Martinsville Speedway. One of the driving stunts shown in the film is a technique called the "bootleg turn" where a driver escapes a pursuer by sharply turning his vehicle 180 degrees. Junior Johnson is credited with inventing the maneuver.
Blue Ridge Outdoors (2011)
Once known as the furniture and textile capital of the world and now well known as the home of the Martinsville Speedway, Martinsville-Henry County is being recognized on new fronts. Martinsville-Henry County derived a plan to use all of the available natural resources to put Martinsville-Henry County on the map as one of the best outdoor recreation destinations in Virginia. Due to the hard work of many unselfish volunteers along with the Dan River Basin Association, Blue Ridge Outdoors Magazine featured Martinsville-Henry County as the outdoor recreation destination in its May 2011 issue. With its multiple hiking, biking and walking trails along with river access points that allow water enthusiasts opportunities to paddle and explore the Smith River and the beautiful Philpott Lake nearby, you'll agree that Martinsville-Henry County is truly an outdoor recreation paradise. Read more here.
Weird Virginia (2010)
The Wedding Cake House, also referred to as the Cake House was featured in the 2010 edition of Weird Virginia, the travel guide magazine to local legends and best kept secrets of a state. Located at 308 Starling Avenue, this three-tiered home built by George Lester in the early 1900's highly resembles a wedding cake. Legend has it that the house was built to show Lester's testament of love for his bride. Others say it was a gift to a newlywed couple in the Lester family. Ever wonder what's unusual about your hometown? Visit your local library to see if your state is represented. You may find a Weird Maryland, Carolinas, Pennsylvania, etcetera to reveal the "weird" in your town.
Southern Living Magazine (2010)
Martinsville-Henry County, Virginia was featured in the Travel section of the August edition of Southern Living Magazine. The article was entitled "Going South in August" and suggested that the Martinsville Cruise-In be a stop on the trip. The Cruise-In, held the third Saturday of the month, features classic and restored as well as a variety of unique and customized vehicles. The event is held in Uptown Martinsville where guests can also enjoy the arts, shopping and dining.
Volvo (2010)
Beautiful scenery and unique landscapes is what brought Thompson Creations, to the Martinsville-Henry County area. Their sole purpose was to use the Martinsville Hydro Plant Bridge as the backdrop for a Volvo Truck print advertisement or possible commercial. While in town the crew from Thompson Creative, Blackhorse Studios and Volvo enjoyed delicious food from area restaurants, had a rejuvenating nights sleep at an area hotel and experienced great hospitality.
Southern Living Magazine (2009)
One of Martinsville's own was featured in the March 2009 edition of Southern Living Magazine. Paul Hooper, a long time resident of Martinsville, became very interested in sauce making after the company he worked for decided to close. Southern Living stated, "He went from selling apparel to making sauces by starting Hoopers Specialty Foods". Paul found a site that he could use, installed a commercial kitchen and started making tasty flavored sauces like Marinara, Basil-licious and Happy Hour.
The Web
International Business Times (2011)
International Business Times is an online newspaper based in New York City that publish various online editions across thirteen countries. In celebration of National Cupcake Week, the Movie Channel was searching for a way to satisfy its hunger for unique properties and its appetite for cake. The result was a sweet list compiled of the top 10 buildings from all around the world that looked like cakes. Martinsville was represented on this sweet list for the early 1900 three-tiered brick home built by George "Cap'n Til" Lester. The shape, three-tier structure and white brickwork definitely reminds you of a wedding cake. Therefore many residents and visitors alike often refer to the house as "The Cake House".