Mitchell's Motel & Luncheonette
Known Name(s)
Mitchell's Motel & Luncheonette
Address
Highway # 220, 2 mi. S. of Martinsville Martinsville, VA
Establishment Type(s)
Motel, Luncheonette
Physical Status
Unknown
Description
Two miles south of Martinsville on Highway 220 is approximately where Rives Road hits Greensboro Road; Greensboro Road is Route 220 here. Both sides of 220 have strip-mall like buildings. If the Motel and Luncheonette was here, it is defnitely demolished.
Detailed History
1961 issue of Green Book lists the contact as L.M. Mitchell, P.O. Box 341. The 1940 census lists L.M. Mitchell (age 35), his wife Alice (age 22), and daughter Perita A. (age 4) renting a home on Roundabout Place in Martinsville. All are Black, as are several neighbors on the street. Mitchell is a laborer in a factory and his highest grade of school completed is fourth grade. Alice attended school through sixth grade and does not have a job outside of the home. All were born in Henry County, Va. Martinsville is the county seat of Henry County. Please note that this census was recorded 21 years prior to the site's listing in The Green Book so it is possible, but somewhat unlikely, that this is a different L.M. Mitchell. In the 1950 census, Latcher and Alice Mitchell and their daughters Josephine, 18, Preta, 14, and Brenda, 3, live at 1111 A Street in Martinsville. Latcher is a brickmason, Alice is a seamstress working at a dry cleaners. Latcher and Preta were born in Virginia. Alice and Josephine were born in West Virginia. Brenda was born in Pennsylvania. 1111 A Street is not 2 miles south of Martinsville on Highway 220, so either this family moved there after 1950 or a different L. Mitchell ran the business. However, the 1950 census does not list another Mitchell with a name beginning with an L.
