Pulaski County, Virginia Genealogical Records Information

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Pulaski County History and Information

Pulaski County Facts

Pulaski County was named for Casimir Pulaski, the Polish patriot who served in the American army during the revolutionary war and who was killed during the siege of Savannah in 1779. It was formed from Montgomery and Wythe counties in 1839. Its area is 333 square miles, and the county seat is Pulaski. The population is 35,127 according to the 2000 census. The 1844-57 marriage bonds are also in Montgomery County. See Extended History for More information.

The Official County Website is located at http://www.pulaskicounty.org/ . Cities, Towns and Communities include Dublin, Fairlawn, Hiwassee and Pulaski

Microfilm available for Pulaski County at The Library of Virginia
Pulaski County, Virginia History Books at Amazon.com
Family History Library - The largest collection of free family history, family tree and genealogy records in the world.

There are free downloadable and printable forms to help with your research. These include U.S. Census Extraction Forms, U.K. Census Extraction Forms, Research Calendar, Ancestral Chart, Research Extract, Correspondence Record , Family Group Sheet , Source Summary Form.

Pulaski County Court Records

See Also Virginia Land Records, Marriage Records, Court & Probate Records

PLEASE READ!! Please call the clerk's department to confirm hours, mailing address, fees and other specifics before visiting or requesting information because of sometimes changing contact information.

   Pulaski County Clerk of the Circuit Court has Marriage Records from 1839 , Land Records from 1839 , Probate Records from 1839 and Court Records from 1839 and is located at the County Courthouse on 45 Third Street, NW, Suite 101, Pulaski, VA 24301; 540/980-7825, Fax: 540/980-7835 . The 1844-57 marriage bonds are also in Montgomery County
   The Clerk of the Circuit Court is a constitutional official that is elected by the voters of Pulaski County.
The Clerk is charged with responsibilities that include judicial and non-judicial duties.
   The Clerk provides administrative support for Circuit Court by preparing, recording, and maintaining court orders, subpoenas, and pleadings. The Clerk's Office also manages juries, disposal of evidence, collection of criminal fines and costs. Inquiries concerning the Court's procedures and policies and the records should be directed to the Clerk's Office, which serves as a repository for the Court's records.
   Non-judicial duties include the authority to probate wills, grant administration of estates, appoint guardians, issue marriage licenses. The Clerk acts as the Register of Deeds by recording all deeds, deeds of trust, real estate liens, releases and powers of attorney.
   The Clerk acts as the county archivist by maintaining records of the Court, real estate, probate and numerous other county records. Records management is an immense and critical responsibility of the Clerk's Office due to the volume and types of records.

There are a few online databases for Court, Land and Probate Records which include: Virginia Land, Marriage, and Probate Records, 1639-1850, Virginia County Records, Volume VI, Volume VII and Volume IX

Click Here to Search Virginia Court, Land, Wills & Financial Records! - Researchers often overlook the importance of court records, probate records, and land records as a source of family history information.

Below is a list of online resources for Pulaski County Court Records. Email us with websites containing Pulaski County Court Records by clicking the link below:

Pulaski County, Virginia Court Books at Amazon.com
Virginia Immigration & Emigration Records - Immigration records help the family historian to understand the movements of their ancestry as they relocated to different parts of the world.

Pulaski County Vital Records

See Also Research In Tax Records

Virginia's tax records are a rich—and largely untapped—resource. During the Colonial period, there were three basic forms of taxation: the quitrent, the parish levy, and the poll tax.
The quitrent was a land tax that had its roots in English manorial society where “the land obligations due the manor, such as plowing and haying the lord's land, were computed to an annual money payment. Upon payment, the obligations were `quit' for the year.” Those living south of the Rappahannock River paid a quitrent to the Crown. An original, incomplete list of land owners for the region in 1704 is in the Public Record Office in London and has been published several times, not always reliably. Residents of the Northern Neck, between the Rappahannock and Potomac Rivers, paid quitrents to the agents of Lord Fairfax. Many original rent rolls of the Fairfax proprietary are housed at the Huntington Library in San Marino, California. Extant original rent rolls and facsimiles for Virginia are available at The Library of Virginia.
The parish levy was an annual tax paid by all tithables for support of their ministers, maintenance of the parishes' glebe lands (the parsonage and lands producing income for the parish), and support of the poor of the parish.
The poll tax, except for a brief period from 1645 to 1648, was the main source of revenue for the colony of Virginia. The annual poll tax was computed by dividing the total expenses of the colony and individual counties by the total number of tithables. The result was levied on each tithable.
Tithables were variously defined during the colonial period. The first definition, in 1624, was “every male head above sixteen years of age.” All agricultural workers were added in 1629. In 1643 all males and black females aged sixteen or over were tithables. Imported male servants of any age were added in 1649.
The definition of “tithable” was rewritten in 1658. Tithables included free males aged sixteen or over, imported blacks of either sex, imported white male servants, and Indian servants of either sex; white women employed in agriculture were added in 1662. Complaints from planters with increasing numbers of indentured servants and slaves led to a revision in 1680 that declared Virginia-born male slaves taxable at age twelve and imported male servants taxable at age fourteen; nonwhite women and free males remained taxable at age sixteen.
The laws of Virginia were revised in 1705. From then until 1782, all males and nonwhite females aged sixteen or over were tithables. Wives of free nonwhite males were added in 1723.
Virginia's tax system changed after the Revolutionary War to include taxing land and personal property in 1782, with further revision in 1787. The bulk of those tax lists prior to 1850 survive and are available on microfilm at The Library of Virginia.

Below is a list of online resources for Pulaski County Tax Records. Email us with websites containing Pulaski County Tax Records by clicking the link below:

Pulaski County, Virginia Tax Books at Amazon.com

Pulaski County Genealogical Addresses

See Also Other Virginia Genealogical Addresses

The Repositories in this section are Archives, Libraries, Museums, Genealogical and Historical Societies. Many County Historical and Genealogical Societies publish magazines and/or news letters on a monthly, quarterly, bi-annual or annual basis. Contacting the local societies should not be over looked. State Archives and Societies are usually much larger and better organized with much larger archived materials than their smaller county cousins but they can be more generalized and over look the smaller details that local societies tend to have. Libraries can also be a good place to look for local information. Some libraries have a genealogy section and may have some resources that are not located at archives or societies. Also, take a special look at any museums in the area. They sometimes have photos and items from years gone by as well as information of a genealogical interest. All these places are vitally important to the family genealogist and must not be passed over.

Below is a list of online resources for Pulaski County Genealogical Addresses. Email us with websites containing Pulaski County Genealogical Addresses by clicking the link below:

Wilderness Road Regional Museum and New River Historical Society, P.O. Box 373, Newbern, VA 24126, (540) 674-4835
Radford Public Library, 30 First Street, Radford, VA 24141, (540) 731-3621
Pulaski County Genealogy Club, P.O. Box 1299, Pulaski VA 24301-1299
Local Virginia Researchers, Find a local researcher or become a local researcher.
The Library of Virginia, 800 East Broad Street, Richmond, Virginia 23219-8000; 804-692-3500
Virginia Genealogical Society, 5001 West Broad Street, Suite 115, Richmond, Virginia 23230-3023; Telephone (804) 285-8954
Please note that because of our close proximity to the Library of Virginia and the Virginia Historical Society, the Virginia Genealogical Society does not maintain a research facility or surname material.
Virginia Historical Society, 428 North Boulevard, Richmond, Virginia 23220, Phone: 804.358.4901
Mail: P.O.Box 7311, 23221-0311;Hours: Monday-Saturday 10-5 / Sunday 1-5 (galleries only)
Virginia Newspapers & Periodicals Records - Newspapers and periodicals are the diaries of local communities. They are excellent sources of family history details - often recorded nowhere else. Look for obituaries, marriages, legal notices, and more found in our Historical Newspaper Archives.
Virginia Genealogical Society Books at Amazon.com

Pulaski County Church & Cemeteries

Click Here to Search Virginia Obituary Records! - This database is a compilation of obituaries published in U.S. newspapers, collected from various online sources. Obituaries can vary in the amount of information they contain, but many of them are genealogical goldmines, including information such as names, dates, places of birth and death, marriage information, and family relationships.

There are many churches and cemeteries in Pulaski County. Some transcriptions are online. A great site is the Pulaski County Tombstone Transcription Project.

Unlike New England, colonial Virginia left few early church records. The first Virginians were members of the Church of England, or Anglican church, which became the Episcopal Church in 1786. Early parish registers are incomplete and challenging to use. Parish boundaries changed rapidly and are hard to pinpoint.
Since colonial times, many religious groups have established congregations in Virginia, including Baptist, Catholic, Jewish, Lutheran, Presbyterian, and Quaker or Friends, to name a few. Except for the Quakers, few of these groups kept records containing such genealogical information as birth, marriage, and death dates. A number of church vestry books and registers have been published and are available at The Library of Virginia and the FHL.

The list of published tombstone inscriptions for Virginia, if a comprehensive list existed, would be lengthy. The DAR has compiled an extensive collection of Virginia tombstone inscriptions. The collection, along with other cemetery record publications, can be found at the DAR Library in Washington, D.C., The Library of Virginia, the Virginia Historical Society, and the FHL.

Cemetery interment registers and gravestone inscriptions may often be sources of useful information for Virginia researchers. The state government does not have a long, uninterrupted, centralized file of birth and death records that are readily accessible to researchers. Wars, floods, and fires have destroyed the vital record of many of Virginia's counties. Oftentimes, information found in cemetery records and on gravestones cannot be found anywhere else. When looking for a specific cemetery in Virginia, you may wish to start with the following comprehensive resource.

Below is a list of online resources for Pulaski County Cemetery & Church Records. Email us with websites containing Pulaski County Cemetery & Church Records by clicking the link below:

Virginia Old Churches, Vol. 1
Virginia Old Churches, Vol. 2
Virginia Early Quaker Records
The Virginia Baptist Historical Society
L. T. Christian Funeral Home Records Database - indexes the client files contained in the forty-one cubic feet of records covering the period 1912-1986.
J. Henry Brown Monuments Inc., Order Book - a searchable database indexing tombstone inscriptions covering the period 1899-1907. Many of the individuals listed were born before Virginia began keeping vital statistics in 1853.
Pulaski County, Virginia Cemetery Books at Amazon.com
Pulaski County, Virginia Church Books at Amazon.com

Family Trees & Genealogy Tidbits

Click Here to Search Virginia Family Tree Records! - The use of published genealogies, electronic files containing genealogical lineage, and other compiled sources can be of tremendous value to a researcher.

When view family trees online or not, be sure to only take the info at face value and always follow up with your own sources or verify the ones they provide. Below is a list of online resources for Pulaski County Family Trees, web forums and other family type information . Email us with websites containing Pulaski County Family Trees, web forums and other family type information by clicking the link below:

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Search the Family Tree DNA Project- Use DNA testing to break through your genealogical barriers!
Sites on USGenweb: [ Pulaski County ] [ Virginia ] [ Main Page ]
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Genealogy Encyclopedia: General Abbreviations, Early Illnesses, Nickname Meanings, Worldwide Epidemics, Early Occupations, Common Terms, Censuses Explained, Free Genealogical Forms
Nichols and Related Families of Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Florida, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, and Virgina.
Meet your ancestors. Learn their stories. Start your FREE family tree.
Virginia Family & Local History Records - The Family & Local Histories Collection lets you read journals, memoirs, and other first-hand historical narratives right on your computer. Gathered from some of the world's finest libraries, these materials may provide hard-to-find town, county, and state information; tax records and wills; military, church, and court records; as well as photographs, stories, and maps.
Genealogical Document Search and Retrieval Service
Pulaski County, Virginia Family Books at Amazon.com

Extended History

Creation & Early Years:

The County of Pulaski was created from portions of Montgomery and Wythe Counties on March 30, 1839 when Pulaski County became the 87th county of the Commonwealth of Virginia. The County was named in honor of Count Casimir Pulaski, an exiled Polish nobleman who came to America and joined George Washington’s army in 1777. After becoming a brigadier-general and chief of cavalry in the Continental Army, Count Pulaski gave his life in the cause of American Freedom when he was mortally wounded at Savannah in October 1779.

On May 9, 1839 sixteen (16) gentlemen justices, newly commissioned by the Governor of Virginia, met at James Tiffany’s Tavern in Newbern to hold court and set up the new county government. One of the first actions taken by these gentlemen was the appointment of Benjamin R. Floyd, son of past Virginia Governor, as the county’s first commonwealth attorney. Shortly thereafter, the court divided the county into four districts, Northeastern, Northwestern, Southeastern and Southwestern.

In the year 1840 the sixth census of the United States was taken. According to this census, the total population of Pulaski County was 3,739, consisting of 2,768 free whites, 971 blacks, with only 17 of this number being free blacks. Therefore, slightly over a fourth of the population of Pulaski County at this time was slaves. These slaves were owned by 109 families with most of these families owning less than 10 slaves.

In 1840 the county was largely agricultural with 1,525 people employed in this profession. There were 142 employed in manufacturing and various trades with only six (6) professional men.

Civil War Era:

Just twenty-one years later in 1861 the Pulaski Guards (soldiers) boarded a train at Dublin headed to Richmond. Organized in 1859, the Pulaski Guards were the first to leave Pulaski County for active duty. They later became a part of the famous Stonewall Brigade. The Civil War called upon the county men to make a great sacrifice over the four bloody years of the war. Well over twice as many Pulaski County men died in the Civil War than would in global World War II (at which time the county’s population had more than quadrupled).

In 1864 Confederate troops fought the Northern army at the Battle of Cloyd’s Farm in Pulaski County. Although none of the four companies organized in Pulaski County at the beginning of the Civil War took part in the Battle of Cloyd’s Farm, members of home guard companies from both Pulaski and Montgomery Counties took part in the battle. Also, there were some civilians who seized their rifles and hurried to the Cloyd’s farm to join the Confederate troops. Two future United States Presidents fought at the Battle of Cloyd’s Farm including Colonel Rutherford B. Hayes of the twenty-third Ohio Regiment and Lieutenant William McKinley of the same regiment.

The months following the Civil War brought a period of great unrest to Pulaski County. There was much poverty and hunger resulting in an alarming crime rate. However, by the end of 1869 the crime rate fell sharply and continued to decline.

LATE 1800’S:

In 1870 the old English system of county government by a court composed of gentlemen justices or magistrates came to an end. A county board of supervisors elected by the people took over at this time and performed the executive powers previously performed by the gentlemen justices. The county treasurer was also established in 1870. Formerly, the sheriff of the county had served also as the treasurer.

A decade following the reconstruction period found Pulaski County’s economy experiencing a boom. There were two incorporated towns in the county – Newbern and Dublin, some sixty-five (65) merchants and tradesmen in business, nine (9) hotels, twenty (20) flour and grist mills, and seventeen (17) saw mills scattered about the county. The 1880’s brought several heavy industries to Pulaski County including the Bertha Zinc Works, the charcoal fire Boom Furnace near Allisonia, and Pulaski Iron Company. Also, by the end of the 1880’s Dora Furnace was under construction in Pulaski. The rapid expansion of industry inspired the Norfolk & Western to build two branch lines running out of Pulaski County. While trade and manufacturing were going strong in Pulaski County, they accounted for only a minor part of the economy. The county’s biggest industry remained farming and stock raising. In addition, during this decade a number of new schools and churches were built throughout Pulaski County.

In 1886 the Town of Pulaski was incorporated under the name of “Pulaski City”. The future county seat rapidly developed into a manufacturing center and railroad town. The Norfolk & Western Railroad made a valuable contribution to the new town in its early days by building the Maple Shade Inn.

The county seat remained at Newbern until the courthouse was completely destroyed by fire on November 27, 1893. A big controversy subsequently developed between Newbern, Pulaski and Dublin as to where the county seat should be located after the burning of the Courthouse. Elections were held twice to determine the final location of the county seat. The second election finally wound up in the State Court of Appeals. In March 1895, the court ruled in favor of the Town of Pulaski as the new county seat.

The land for the new courthouse and jail was donated by the Pulaski Land and Improvement Company. The new courthouse construction was completed in 1896. The total cost of the building was approximately $25,000, including architect’s fees.

In 1898 one of Pulaski County’s citizens, Mr. J. Hoge Tyler, was elected as the Governor of the Commonwealth. During his administration a new state constitution was written. Governor Tyler’s old home, Belle-Hampton, still stands today in the Back Creek area of the Pulaski County.

EARLY 1900’S:

Shortly after the turn of the century a group of progressive Pulaski County citizens organized the “Pulaski Board of Trade”. This Board was created to seek diversified industries for Pulaski, including woodworking plants, furniture factories, overall and pants factories, cotton and woolen mills, and an ice plant. The “Board of Trade” became the Chamber of Commerce in 1952.

In 1905 the Pulaski Mining Company’s plant was completed on a site lying between the Pulaski Iron and Dora Furnace. This was Pulaski’s fourth heavy industry. This industry, known locally as the “Acid Plant”, was contemporary with the Bertha Zinc Company, Pulaski Iron Company, and Dora Furnace. However, the Acid Plant outlived them all by many years. The Acid Plant was one of Pulaski’s larger industries employing an average of over 250 men. During World Wars I and II the plant’s production reached its peaks.

Farming in the early 1900’s continued to be the basic industry of Pulaski County and had been developed to a high degree by generations of industrious and progressive farm families. Truck crops, wheat, corn, oats and other small grain were grown in Pulaski County, however, the larger landowners concentrated on livestock. By the turn of the century the county’s first herd of purebred Aberdeen-Angus had been established on a farm owned by J. R. K. Bell. At about the same time period herds of purebred Herefords were grazing on the pastureland of Haven Howe’s New River farm. Pulaski County gained a reputation for producing some of the finest cattle, horses, and sheep in America.

Illustrating the hard working spirit of county citizens, a massive stone triple archway was built of Peak Creek stone in 1907 and shipped to Norfolk to form an impressive gateway to the Pulaski County Exhibits at the Jamestown Exposition in Norfolk. At the close of the exposition, the archway was taken down, brought back to Pulaski and, shortly thereafter, erected in front of the courthouse square as its new entranceway. A number of exhibits from Pulaski County were displayed at the exposition at the 1907 Jamestown Exposition, including minerals, metals, and other products from Pulaski County farms and manufacturing facilities. In addition, two statutes from the Bertha Zinc Works exhibited at the Exposition are presently on display at the Old Courthouse, First Floor.

During World War I several Pulaski County men received World War I citations from both the American and French governments. Among these were Dr. William P. Gilmer of Draper’s Valley and Roy Hall of Pulaski. Dr. Gilmer, a young navy medical officer was sent to France where he served in field hospitals. Roy Hall served in Pulaski County’s Company L and fought the Germans at the Argonne Forest. He was awarded the American Silver Star and the French Croix de Guerre for his bravery and heroism.

DEPRESSION & WORLD WAR II ERA:

Like the rest of America, the 1920’s brought prosperity to Pulaski County. Factories were operating, unemployment was low and farm prices were good. However, with the crash of the stock market in October 1929, this lifestyle changed. It was estimated that during the depth of the depression some 8,000 Pulaski County citizens were facing stark hunger. Many others were near the limit of self-support. Pulaski Iron Company went out of business just at the beginning of the depression and many ironworkers became unemployed. While hosiery mills were maintaining operations and employed several hundred people, mostly women, the woodworking industries that employed men were hurting. Unemployment increased and wages dropped to 10 cents per hour.

In 1934 at long last the great depression was loosening its grip on the county. Preliminary work had begun in preparation for the construction of Appalachian Electric Power Company’s $11,000,000 hydro-electric dam on New River and construction of the Lowman’s Ferry Bridge had been approved by the State Highway Commission. In addition, many young Pulaski County men were employed through federal programs such as the Works Progress Administration (WPA). Through the WPA, a number of relief works projects were completed, including highway and bridge building projects, landscaping, sanitation projects, distribution of surplus commodities, camps for the underprivileged children, and many other activities. It was under the WPA program that Calfee Athletic Stadium in the Town of Pulaski and the park on top of Draper’s Mountain Overlook were completed.

In 1939 the county celebrated its 100th anniversary. Many activities took place in August of 1939 to mark this anniversary including a day of worship with centennial services being conducted in county churches, parades, band music, the crowning of a county queen and princesses, coronation ball, horse show, fireworks and two presentations of the pageant “100 Years of Progress”.

The 1940’s brought World War II to our nation and Pulaski County. Again, Pulaski County citizens were called upon to defend our nation and ninety-four (94) citizens of Pulaski County gave their lives in this War.

1950’S & 60’S:

The 1950’s brought prosperity to the county. The Pulaski County Livestock Market in Dublin had grown into one of Virginia’s largest livestock markets. Most of the manufacturing plants of the 1930’s continued to operate with expanding production at this time. In addition, Radford Army Ammunition Plant, located in nearby Montgomery County, provided many jobs for Pulaski County citizens. The New River Valley Airport and Piedmont Aviation provided daily passenger service utilizing the new airport. The Airport became the first of several regional initiatives to locate in Pulaski County and remains as a long standing example of regional local government cooperation.

In 1958 the new Courthouse was built behind the Old Courthouse facing Third Street in the Town of Pulaski. In addition, a new Library was constructed and opened on Third Street in the Town of Pulaski in the late 1950’s.

In 1965 Interstate Highway System 81 was completed through Pulaski County. Also during this same year, the Ruritan National headquarters were moved from Wakefield, Virginia to Newbern.

As with previous wars, the Vietnam War impacted Pulaski County citizens as many young Pulaski County men and women were called upon to serve. Despite the controversy which followed this war, Pulaski County citizens served with dignity and honor. A Pulaski County native and citizen, Julius Long, was imprisoned for fifty-eight (58) months in a Vietnam prisoner of war camp. Mr. Long presently resides in Pulaski County.

1970’S:

In the fall of 1970 New River Community College opened. This two-year state supported school is located just north of Dublin and serves students from the surrounding counties and the City of Radford. Enrollment for the 1970-71 school session totaled 637 students. Today enrollment has grown to over 4,000 students.

The Board of Supervisors in 1971 appointed its first County Administrator. Previously, the Clerk of the Court also served as clerk to the Board of Supervisors and the chief administrative officer for the community. This appointment was made as the result of an ever increasing work load upon the court staff. In the 1970’s the county continued to grow and public water lines were constructed in many areas of the county.

Merging of high schools in Dublin and Pulaski into a county-wide high school was a big issue in the early 1970’s. A referendum was held on this issue and the consolidated county high school was approved by the voters as was the debt necessary to finance its construction. In 1974, the Dublin and Pulaski High Schools merged to become Pulaski County High School located at the center of the county near Dublin. A new elementary school, Critzer Elementary, was also built and occupied in the 1970’s.

A county building inspection department was also created in mid 1973. Previously, the building inspections within the county had been done by the Commissioner of the Revenue’s Office or the Town of Pulaski’s inspection staff.

During 1974-75 the Board of Supervisors converted the “Old Central School Building” into the County Administration Building housing county offices and several state offices. The County Administration Building has since been renovated again and still serves as the local governing body’s office building.

In 1974 White Motors built a new truck building facility at Dublin near the county high school. This heavy duty truck manufacturing facility became one of the largest employers in Pulaski County. Through various mergers and other means, this facility is known as the New River Valley Truck Assembly Plant in which both Volvo and Mack trucks are built. The assembly plant currently employs approximately 1,700 individuals.

On April 19, 1974 the Pulaski County Public Service Authority supplied water service to it first customer in Pulaski County. A new water treatment plant facility was built in Draper in 1978 to supply the county’s water needs. This facility pumps water from Claytor Lake and supplies water to PSA customers, as well as to the Town of Dublin.

The 1970’s brought a number of changes to the county’s economy. Construction activity grew as formerly agricultural land was developed into industrial parks, housing developments and highways. Despite a decrease in total acreage, the agricultural economy also grew and beef production reached an all-time high in the early 1980’s. Also, a number of small shopping facilities sprung up with large chain stores experiencing the bulk of the merchandising business during this time period.

In the 1970’s local governments addressed national environmental problems by building on the regional model started with the construction of the New River Valley Airport. Faced with new federal standards for clean water, the Town of Pulaski, the Town of Dublin, Pulaski County, the City of Radford and Montgomery County jointly merged existing sewer treatment plants into the Peppers Ferry Regional Wastewater Treatment plant.

1980’S:

This initiative was followed in the 1980’s with the joint utilization and development of landfills between the Town of Dublin, the Town of Pulaski, Pulaski County, and the City of Radford, as various landfills ran out of space and the problems of locating and citing new facilities faced the various governing bodies. The New River Resource Authority was formed and subsequently expanded to include Giles County, Montgomery County and other towns in the joint operation of the current landfill presently located on Cloyd’s Mountain.

With three governments operating within Pulaski County, the issue of consolidation was looked at in the early 1980’s. A consolidation advisory committee was appointed with members serving from all three governments to review the issue and determine advantages, disadvantages, and any cost savings. A referendum on this issue was defeated by the voters of Pulaski County. This issue divided many Pulaski County citizens in considering the impact of loosing the identity of the two towns becoming shires within Pulaski County.

In 1989 a new branch library was constructed and opened in the Town of Dublin. The library was named the Charles & Ona B. Free Memorial Library.

At the end of the 1980’s on December 29, 1989 the Pulaski County Courthouse burned again with only the stone walls left standing. Many Pulaski County citizens were devastated by this fire. As in 1883 with the Newbern Courthouse burning, the issue of moving the county seat was again brought up. However, after much discussion and debate, the citizens voted by referendum to finance rebuilding the courthouse in the Town of Pulaski. Just three years later on December 29, 1992, the newly constructed courthouse was reopened to the public. A portion of the courthouse building now features historical exhibits and other artifacts of the county with courthouse tours given periodically. Presently, the Treasurer’s Office, Commissioner of the Revenue’s Office, the Registrar’s Office and the Information Technology Department of the county are housed in the Old Stone Courthouse.

The 1980’s also saw significant shifts and a general diversification of the local economy as defense related employment at the Radford Army Ammunition Plant declined and local industries began being impacted by competition as products could be manufactured less expensively in other countries. The closing of AT&T, Burlington Industries, Flow Laboratories, and Lee Jeans all took place in the late 1980’s. Thankfully, the economic impact of these closings were buffered somewhat by the location of Bond Cote, BBA Friction, Motion Control, Renfro, and Warner Lambert. In addition, the expansion of the NRV Truck Assembly Plant attracted a number of supplier industries and other existing firms expanded.

1990’S:

In the 1990’s the county continued to grow and develop. Again, the need to regionalize facilities proved economically prudent for the taxpayer. A new regional jail facility was built in Dublin and opened in April 1999. Improvements to Pulaski County High School, as well as renovations to Snowville Elementary and Critzer Elementary Schools, were major accomplishments in the mid 1990’s for the county citizens and its school children.

In 1998, the county received a donation of some 87 acres from a life long resident of the county, Evelyn Alexander. Ms. Alexander requested the land be used for a recreation park for the county citizens. She also requested the name “Randolph” be used in naming the park once it had been built in honor of Ms. Alexander’s father, Randolph Alexander. In 1999 ground was broken for construction of this park and the park officially opened on June 30, 2001. Today, Randolph Park is a major attraction year round with children and individuals coming from as far as the Roanoke Valley to enjoy the outdoor heated swimming pool/water park, walking trails, playgrounds, and ball fields.

21ST CENTURY:

According to the 2000 US census, the county’s population was 35,127. There are five (5) magisterial districts (Robinson, Massie, Cloyd, Draper, and Ingles) within the county. Five (5) members of the Board of Supervisors serve as the governing body, each representing one of the above noted respective districts. The county public school system operates eight (8) elementary schools, two (2) middle schools, one (1) high school, one (1) alternative school, and one (1) governor’s school. The School Board members are elected by the voters every four years. There are also two public libraries within the county with one being located within the Town of Pulaski and the branch library located within the Town of Dublin. The county has one (1) medical hospital, Pulaski Community Hospital, four (4) nursing homes, and one (1) mental health facility.

In October 2002 a newly constructed Pulaski County Visitors Center opened in Pulaski County. Located off Interstate 81, this facility was built to promote tourism and showcase Pulaski County. The facility also houses the Pulaski County Chamber of Commerce. The Visitor Center is open seven (7) days per week and just recently celebrated it’s first full year of operation.

As Pulaski County enters into the twenty-first century, many new problems and issues have arisen. New challenges are faced in encouraging the growth of existing firms and recruiting new industries and businesses to Pulaski County, as the national economy moves toward imports under free trade legislation. Again, Pulaski County worked with her sister counties in the formation of the New River Valley Economic Development Alliance in 1987 to jointly market the New River Valley and Virginia’s First Industrial Facilities Authority in 1998 to jointly build industrial parks and share in the resulting tax revenues. This legislation and its implementation was a first in the Commonwealth and continues the tradition of Pulaski County citizens being hard working, honest and willing to work with their neighbors.