John Warwick Thomas Statue of the founder of Thomasville, North Carolina

In the heart of downtown Thomasville, North Carolina, there is a John Warwick Thomas statue depicting the town’s founder.

John Warwick Thomas (1800-1871) founded the town of Thomasville in 1852. The town, located in Davidson County, is noted for the role it played in the furniture industry (along with neighboring North Carolina towns High Point and Lexington). The famed Thomasville Furniture Industries began here, along with several other notable furniture companies (such as Standard Chair, Lambeth Furniture, Thompson Chair, and Queen Chair Company). In fact, Thomasville is so known in the furniture industry that is commonly referred to as the “Chair Town” or “Chair City”, in reference to another local roadside stop in town: The World’s Largest Duncan Phyfe Chair. The town also hosts the state’s oldest festival: Everybody’s Day.

The Road Trip Journal & Activity Book - Everything You Need to Have and Record an Epic Road Trip! By Valerie Bromann

The Road Trip Journal & Activity Book

Everything You Need to Have and Record an Epic Road Trip!

Enjoy fun games and challenges to pass the time on your next road trip and have a keepsake to look back on for years to come with this entertaining must-have for your next vacation.

Thomas served as a state representative at 30 years old and, later, became state senator. He invested time and money into building a railroad through Davidson County (Thomasville is also home to the oldest railroad depot in the state) and built the community’s first store. Those efforts earned him the honor of having the town named after him.

A statue of the Thomasville, North Carolina founder stands in the downtown area of town, across the street from where his house stood. It stands right near the famed Thomasville Big Chair just down from the original train depot. Be sure to also check out two other nearby North Carolina roadside attractions: the World’s Largest Highboy Chest of Drawers in Jamestown and the World’s Largest Chest of Drawers in High Point.

Statue of John Warwick Thomas, founder of Thomasville, North Carolina
Statue of John Warwick Thomas, founder of Thomasville, North Carolina

John Warwick Thomas Statue of Thomasville North Carolina Founder

Address: E. Main St, Thomasville, NC 27360, right by the train track crossing (get directions)
Hours: Always visible
Cost: Free to See


Pin this North Carolina Roadside Attraction:

Statue of John Warwick Thomas, founder of Thomasville, North Carolina. This "Chair Town" is also known for The World's Largest Duncan Phyfe Chair. Visit this weird roadside attraction on your U.S. road trip through North Carolina.
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Statue of John Warwick Thomas, founder of Thomasville, North Carolina. This “Chair Town” is also known for The World’s Largest Duncan Phyfe Chair. Visit this weird roadside attraction on your U.S. road trip through North Carolina.

Valerie Bromann

Founder & ROad Trip Expert

Valerie Bromann is a a website manager, content creator, and writer from Chicago, Illinois (currently living in Dallas, Texas). As an avid road tripper who has visited hundreds of roadside attractions, Val always pull over for a world’s largest thing. Founder of Silly America and author of The Road Trip Journal & Activity Book, she visits, photographs, and writes about all the weird tourist destinations she visits and offers road trip planning advice and inspiration based on her own travels so you can hit the road for yourself.

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Last modified: January 2, 2020
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The Road Trip Journal & Activity Book - Everything You Need to Have and Record an Epic Road Trip! By Valerie Bromann

The Road Trip Journal & Activity Book

Everything You Need to Have and Record an Epic Road Trip!

BY Valerie Bromann

Enjoy fun games and challenges to pass the time on your next road trip and have a keepsake to look back on for years to come with this entertaining must-have for your next vacation.

The road trip you’ve been dreaming of starts here! Journal about your stops and get to know your fellow passengers with activities and exercises designed to pass the time and bring you closer together. Instead of “Are we there yet?” you’ll find yourself asking, “We’re there already?”. Complete with prompts you can turn to while driving between locations, this journal will one day be a memento of your life-changing trip.