If you’re punching zip code 24055 into a GPS, you aren't just looking for a coordinate on a map. You’re likely headed to Bassett, Virginia. It's a place that sits heavy with history, tucked into the rolling foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Some people call it a "furniture town." That’s a massive understatement. Honestly, it’s a community that essentially built the American middle-class living room for the better part of a century.
Henry County is full of these pockets of industrial grit and mountain beauty, but Bassett feels different. It’s got a specific pulse. You feel it when you cross the Smith River. This isn't just a 5-digit number for mail delivery. It’s a region defining itself after the world changed around it.
What is the Actual Area for Zip Code 24055?
Basically, the 24055 zip code covers the census-designated place (CDP) of Bassett and several surrounding unincorporated areas in Henry County. It’s not a massive footprint in terms of urban sprawl, but the terrain makes it feel expansive. We are talking about roughly 50 to 60 square miles of land, much of it characterized by steep ridges and deep, green valleys.
The Smith River is the lifeblood here. It snakes through the zip code like a cold, clear ribbon. If you're looking for the post office, it's right there in the heart of the "downtown" area—though downtown in Bassett is more of a linear stretch of historic industrial buildings and small storefronts.
People get confused about where Bassett ends and Stanleytown or Fieldale begins. In 24055, the lines are blurry. You might live in a neighborhood that locals call "North Bassett," but your mail says 24055, and your neighbor two miles away might have a different zip code entirely. It’s a patchwork.
The Furniture Legacy You Can Still Feel
You can't talk about zip code 24055 without talking about the Bassett family. In the early 1900s, John David Bassett and his kin looked at the vast stands of oak and maple and realized they shouldn't just be shipping raw lumber north. They should be making the tables. The chairs. The bedroom suites.
They did.
By the mid-20th century, Bassett Furniture Industries was a titan. It wasn't just a factory; it was the entire ecosystem of the town. The company built the houses. They influenced the schools. They provided the steady paycheck that allowed thousands of families in Henry County to buy their first cars and send their kids to college.
📖 Related: The Gwen Luxury Hotel Chicago: What Most People Get Wrong About This Art Deco Icon
Then came the late 90s and the early 2000s. Global trade shifted.
The sound of the whistles faded. Many of those massive brick plants went silent. It was a gut punch to the 24055 area. But here is the thing: the town didn't disappear. If you walk through Bassett today, you see a strange, beautiful transformation. Some of those old warehouses are being eyed for loft spaces. Others host small-scale manufacturing. The DNA of "making things" is still very much present, even if the scale is different now.
Nature and the Smith River Trail System
If you are visiting zip code 24055 for the first time, you’ve got to get on the water. The Smith River is famous among fly-fishermen. Seriously. Because of the Philpott Dam upstream, the water stays cold year-round. This creates a "tailrace" fishery where brown trout thrive in a climate where they usually shouldn't.
It’s a bit of a local secret, but the secret is getting out.
The Smith River Trail System is a major draw. You have the Philpott Lake area just a short drive away, offering boating and camping that feels incredibly remote despite being so close to the town center.
- The Bassett Access point is a popular spot to drop in a kayak.
- You can paddle down toward Fieldale.
- The scenery is all sycamore trees and old bridge pilings.
It’s quiet. You might see a blue heron or a deer drinking at the bank before you see another person. This outdoor recreation pivot is how the 24055 area is rebranding itself for a new generation of residents who want to work remotely but live somewhere where they can hike a trail before breakfast.
Real Estate and Living in 24055
Is it affordable? Yes. Compared to Northern Virginia or even Roanoke, the 24055 zip code is a bargain. But there is a catch. The housing stock is a mix of "company houses" built in the 1920s-1950s and mid-century ranch homes.
👉 See also: What Time in South Korea: Why the Peninsula Stays Nine Hours Ahead
You’ll find:
- Small, 2-bedroom cottages that need some love but have incredible "bones."
- Larger, colonial-style homes on the ridges with views of the mountains.
- Rural acreage where you can basically disappear into the woods.
The market here isn't about bidding wars. It’s about value. You’re seeing more people from the Northeast or the West Coast moving in because they can buy a house outright for what would be a down payment elsewhere. They bring their laptops, set up Starlink or local high-speed fiber, and suddenly Bassett is a hub for the "zoom town" movement.
The Challenges Nobody Mentions
I’m not going to paint a picture of a perfect utopia. Bassett has challenges. When a town’s identity is tied to a single industry for a century, the transition to something new is messy. There are dilapidated buildings. There are areas where the poverty rate is higher than we’d like to see.
The infrastructure is older. Some roads are winding and narrow, designed for 1940s truck traffic, not modern logistics. And while the community is incredibly tight-knit, it can feel "insider-heavy" to a newcomer. You’re a "come-here" until you’ve lived there for twenty years. That’s just the way it is in rural Virginia.
Philpott Lake: The Crown Jewel
Just on the edge of the zip code 24055 influence is Philpott Lake. It covers about 3,000 acres and has no private residential development on its shoreline. That is rare. Most lakes are lined with docks and mansions. Philpott is surrounded by federal land managed by the Army Corps of Engineers.
It feels wild.
If you go to Fairy Stone State Park—which is right nearby—you can hunt for "fairy stones." These are natural staurolite crystals shaped like little crosses. Local legend says they are the tears of fairies, but geologically, they are just a cool quirk of the metamorphic rock in this specific part of the Appalachian chain.
✨ Don't miss: Where to Stay in Seoul: What Most People Get Wrong
Logistics and Getting Around
You need a car. There’s no way around it. While the 24055 area is compact, public transit isn't a thing here. You are about 15 minutes from Martinsville, where you’ll find the big-box stores like Walmart and Target.
You’re roughly an hour from Roanoke-Blacksburg Regional Airport.
Greensboro, North Carolina, is about an hour and fifteen minutes south.
This puts Bassett in a "sweet spot." You are isolated enough to enjoy the silence of the mountains, but you aren't so far out that you can't get to a major hospital or a shopping mall in a reasonable amount of time.
The Future of 24055
What’s next? There is a lot of talk about "heritage tourism." People are interested in the industrial history of the South. There are efforts to preserve the old Bassett High School and other landmarks.
The community holds events like the "Bassett Heritage Festival" which draws people back home every year. It’s a mix of classic car shows, bluegrass music, and deep-fried everything. It’s authentic. It doesn't feel like a manufactured "experience" for tourists. It feels like a family reunion.
Actionable Steps for Exploring or Moving to Bassett
If you're seriously looking at zip code 24055, don't just browse Zillow.
- Visit the Smith River: Rent a kayak or bring a fishing rod. If you don't like the river, you won't "get" Bassett.
- Check the connectivity: If you're a remote worker, verify the specific fiber optic availability for the street address. It varies wildly from one ridge to the next.
- Stop by the Bassett Historical Center: It is one of the best genealogical and local history repositories in the Southeast. If you have family roots in Virginia or North Carolina, they probably have a file on you.
- Drive the backroads: Take Highway 57 and just get lost for an hour. Look at the way the fog hangs in the hollows.
Bassett isn't a place that shouts. It’s a place that waits for you to notice it. Whether you are looking for a quiet retirement, a cheap place to start a homestead, or just a weekend getaway from the city, the 24055 zip code offers a slice of Virginia that is gritty, beautiful, and stubbornly real.
Investigate the local zoning if you plan to buy land. Henry County is generally "pro-use," but the topography can make building a challenge. Always get a perc test for septic before committing to a rural lot. The red clay soil in this part of the state can be notoriously difficult for drainage.
If you want a community where people still know their neighbors and the pace of life is dictated by the flow of the river rather than the rush of the interstate, you’ll find it here. It’s a town that knows how to survive. It’s been doing it for over a hundred years.