The Martinsville-Henry County Historical Society hosted its first-ever Ghost Walk on October 19, offering attendees a unique way to learn about local history by meeting “ghosts” of prominent historical figures from the area. The event, which took participants through the streets of Uptown Martinsville, saw over 175 visitors, with tours departing every 15 minutes.
The idea for the ghost walk came from Beverly Woody, a Martinsville Middle School teacher and Historical Society board member. “I’ve been wanting to do one,” Woody said, noting that she drew inspiration from similar events in Roanoke. Woody, who is in her first year on the Historical Society board, saw the ghost walk as a chance to both educate the public and share the stories of lesser-known local historical figures. The tour also included Phillip Wizeman as an American Sign Language interpreter.
“I tried to find local people in history that no one had heard much about, so they could tell their story,” Woody said. One story she was particularly excited to share was that of Lucy Manns, an African American woman who, in 1949, refused to give up her seat to a white man on a Trailways bus. “She sat in the front and refused to give up her seat. She was arrested and spent 30 days in jail—six years before Rosa Parks,” Woody said. Manns’ story was the final one on the tour, with LaTina Price portraying her.
The first “ghost” visitors encountered was Elizabeth Perkins Letcher Hairston, the wife of Colonel George Hairston of Beaver Creek Plantation and played by Allyson Villasenor. Next was the Rev. George Preston Watkins, portrayed by Jackie Dillard, who founded Grace Presbyterian Church and also started the first African American funeral business in the area.
Pocahontas Hundley “Pokey” Bassett, played by Liz Ashby, was another key figure. “She was very instrumental in starting Bassett industries,” Woody said, noting that Pokey Bassett’s contributions to the business are often overlooked.
Sallie Reamey Pannill Smith, played by Grace Webster, made her ghostly appearance where her home once stood—the site now occupied by the municipal building. Smith was a surgical nurse who had two brothers killed in World War I, buried two Union soldiers in her rose garden, and had her home featured in the old Garden Club tours. “Her home was torn down in 1962 to build the municipal building, so she’s going to be very upset about that,” Woody joked.
Martinsville Mayor LC Jones also participated, portraying Dr. Dana Baldwin, the first African American doctor in Martinsville. “He started so many businesses for the African American community,” Woody explained.
Another ghost was Hettie Fontaine Stultz, played by Paloma Wizeman, who spoke about her husband, William Richard Stultz, the founder of the first African American dry cleaning business in the area. He tragically died in an explosion.
Before the walk began, attendees met Colonel George Waller, portrayed by Andy Doss. Waller was a Revolutionary War patriot and an early settler of Henry County.
The production was put together on a tight budget, with cast members getting creative with their costumes. Some of the outfits were borrowed from the Patrick & Henry Community College theater department. “It’s a lot easier for men—fashion doesn’t change as much as it does for women,” Woody noted, adding that she had donated some of her old work clothes for costumes. “It’s kind of a hodgepodge, and everybody was just seeing what they had.”
Woody, who was initially unsure about how much support she would receive for the event, started to plan it in late August. She was pleasantly surprised by the community’s enthusiasm. “I want to portray more of the African American community, who got very little recognition,” she said, expressing hope that the ghost walk will become an annual tradition. “I want it to be an event everyone looks forward to each year—where they anticipate who the new ghosts will be and learn about people who contributed to Martinsville’s success.”
For many of the actors, this was their first time performing, but the event was a resounding success. “Saturday night’s ghost walk was a great success,” Woody said, adding that the Historical Society hopes to keep the tradition going for years, bringing in new historical figures to highlight each time.
In a final twist, Woody mentioned that the old courthouse museum, where the Historical Society is based, has a history of paranormal activity. “There’s supposed to be ghosts in the museum—so many interesting trials occurred there, and there was so much tragic history before the Civil War,” she said.
The Martinsville-Henry County Heritage Center & Museum is open for tours Tuesday through Friday.
