The story of Collinsville, Virginia begins in the early 1930s, on land once owned by the influential Hairston and Waller families. Over time, these large estates were divided and sold, eventually coming into the hands of local figures such as Frank Wilson, the Ford brothers, and John Redd Smith.
At that time, Heck Ford, a prominent businessman in Henry County, was determined to bring a new kind of industry to the area—something outside the traditional textile and furniture sectors. His efforts led him to Levy Bertrand Collins, better known as “Cap,” an inventor and entrepreneur from New Jersey.
Cap Collins was the mind behind the No Battery Flashlight, a cutting-edge device for its time. His flashlights gained attention for their use in cold environments where batteries failed, and were even said to have accompanied Admiral Richard Byrd on his Antarctic expeditions. Hoping to convince Collins to invest in southern Virginia, Heck Ford offered him 25 acres of land west of Martinsville. The Ford brothers and Wilson quickly matched the offer, bringing the total to 75 acres, and Collins accepted.
After relocating with his family to Henry County, Collins began laying out streets and constructing both his home and a new factory. He sold the remaining lots to help fund the project. The first street in the area was Wheeler Avenue, where both his residence and the factory were built. Though the factory no longer stands, the home remains a landmark. Construction was completed with the help of the Lester Lumber Company, whose owner was a strong supporter of Collins and his vision for the area.
Nearby, landowner John Redd Smith recognized the potential of Collins’ development. He began laying out streets of his own, dividing hundreds of acres into residential lots. Many of those new streets were named after Smith’s children, including Eliza Reamy Avenue, Susan Drive, James Street, Patsy Avenue, and John Redd Smith Boulevard. The first house built on these lots belonged to the Morris family, who operated Morris Union 76 Oil, and stood where the KFC in Collinsville is located today.
Unfortunately, the Great Depression soon took its toll. Cap Collins’ factory never produced a single flashlight. No equipment was ever installed, and his business failed before it could begin. Collins left the area and later died in Iowa.
In the early years, the area was known as Midway, as it sat between Martinsville and Bassett. The turning point came in 1938 when the state constructed a new road to replace the flood-prone route along the Smith River. This new road—now known as Virginia Avenue—connected downtown Martinsville to the Bassett Forks area. It was laid directly through the garden of John Redd Smith’s estate, known as Barbour Place.
The arrival of Virginia Avenue sparked a period of rapid growth. Collinsville’s population grew from nearly zero in 1930 to 2,000 by 1949. By 1960, it had reached 3,600 residents, surpassing Bassett to become the second-largest unincorporated town in Virginia. Lot prices rose accordingly—from $100 in 1933 to $800 in 1946 and eventually to $30,000 by the 1970s.
What began as a dream of innovation laid the foundation for one of Henry County’s most vibrant communities.
Jarred Marlowe is a local resident and historian. He is a member of the Col. George Waller Chapter of the Sons of the American Revolution, the Blue & Gray Education Society, and the committee chair for the Martinsville-Henry County 250 Committee. He may be reached at marloweja15@gmail.com.
