Pulaski County, Virginia facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Pulaski County
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Pulaski County Courthouse
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Location within the U.S. state of Virginia
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 Virginia's location within the U.S. |
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| Country |  United States |
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| State |  Virginia |
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| Founded | 1839 | |
| Named for | Casimir Pulaski | |
| Seat | Pulaski | |
| Largest town | Pulaski | |
| Area | ||
| • Total | 330 sq mi (900 km2) | |
| • Land | 320 sq mi (800 km2) | |
| • Water | 10 sq mi (30 km2) 3.0% | |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 33,800  |
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| • Density | 100/sq mi (40/km2) | |
| Time zone | UTC−5 (Eastern) | |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−4 (EDT) | |
| Congressional district | 9th | |
Pulaski County is a county in the southwestern part of Virginia, a U.S. state. In 2020, about 33,800 people lived there. The main town and county seat is Pulaski. Pulaski County is part of the larger Blacksburg–Christiansburg area.
Contents
History of Pulaski County
Pulaski County was created on March 30, 1839. It was formed from parts of Montgomery and Wythe counties. This made it the 87th county in Virginia.
The county is named after Count Casimir Pulaski. He was a Polish nobleman who came to America. He fought alongside George Washington during the American Revolution. He joined the army in 1777 and became a brigadier general. He was a leader of the cavalry, which are soldiers who fight on horseback. Count Pulaski was badly hurt in battle and died on October 11, 1779.
This area is in the Blue Ridge Mountains. It has rolling hills and was mostly settled by small farmers. Many of these settlers were from Scotland, Ireland, and Germany. They moved south from Pennsylvania in the mid-to-late 1700s. By 1840, about one-quarter of the people living in the county were enslaved Black Americans. There were also a small number of free Black people.
Geography of Pulaski County
Pulaski County covers about 330 square miles (850 square kilometers). Most of this is land, with about 10 square miles (26 square kilometers) being water.
Claytor Lake State Park
Pulaski County is home to Claytor Lake State Park. This park is located on Claytor Lake. The lake is human-made and covers about 4,500 acres (18 square kilometers). It is 21 miles (34 kilometers) long. The lake was created on the New River to help make electricity.
Claytor Lake State Park has 497 acres (2 square kilometers) for visitors to enjoy. You can go camping, stay in cabins, have picnics, and swim at the beach. There is also a marina for boats. The lake is named after W. Graham Claytor, Sr., who helped build the dam that created the lake.
Pulaski County also has other places to launch boats. These include Harry DeHaven Park and sites in Dublin. Gatewood Reservoir is another 162-acre (0.66 square kilometer) lake used for water supply.
Neighboring Areas
Pulaski County shares borders with these counties and one independent city:
- Bland County, Virginia – to the northwest
- Giles County, Virginia – to the north
- Montgomery County, Virginia – to the northeast
- Radford, Virginia – to the northeast (an independent city)
- Floyd County, Virginia – to the southeast
- Carroll County, Virginia – to the south
- Wythe County, Virginia – to the southwest
National Protected Areas
Part of the Jefferson National Forest is located in Pulaski County.
Main Roads
Several major highways pass through Pulaski County:
I-81
US 11
SR 99
SR 100
SR 114
SR 9
Law Enforcement
The Pulaski County Sheriff is Michael W. Worrell. He has worked in law enforcement for over twenty years. He is a graduate of Pulaski County High School and Radford University.
Population of Pulaski County
| Historical population | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1840 | 3,739 | — | |
| 1850 | 5,118 | 36.9% | |
| 1860 | 5,416 | 5.8% | |
| 1870 | 6,538 | 20.7% | |
| 1880 | 8,755 | 33.9% | |
| 1890 | 12,790 | 46.1% | |
| 1900 | 14,609 | 14.2% | |
| 1910 | 17,246 | 18.1% | |
| 1920 | 17,111 | −0.8% | |
| 1930 | 20,566 | 20.2% | |
| 1940 | 22,767 | 10.7% | |
| 1950 | 27,758 | 21.9% | |
| 1960 | 27,258 | −1.8% | |
| 1970 | 29,564 | 8.5% | |
| 1980 | 35,229 | 19.2% | |
| 1990 | 34,496 | −2.1% | |
| 2000 | 35,127 | 1.8% | |
| 2010 | 34,872 | −0.7% | |
| 2020 | 33,800 | −3.1% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census 1790–1960 1900–1990 1990–2000 2010 2020 |
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2020 Census Information
The 2020 census showed that Pulaski County had a population of 33,800 people.
| Group | Population in 2010 | Population in 2020 | Percentage in 2010 | Percentage in 2020 |
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| White (not Hispanic) | 31,972 | 29,716 | 91.68% | 87.92% |
| Black or African American (not Hispanic) | 1,744 | 1,633 | 5.00% | 4.83% |
| Native American or Alaska Native (not Hispanic) | 61 | 49 | 0.17% | 0.14% |
| Asian (not Hispanic) | 179 | 177 | 0.51% | 0.52% |
| Pacific Islander (not Hispanic) | 7 | 3 | 0.02% | 0.01% |
| Other Race (not Hispanic) | 25 | 100 | 0.07% | 0.30% |
| Mixed Race (not Hispanic) | 452 | 1,418 | 1.30% | 4.20% |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 432 | 704 | 0.96% | 2.08% |
| Total Population | 34,872 | 33,800 | 100.00% | 100.00% |
Note: The U.S. Census counts Hispanic/Latino as a separate group. People of Hispanic/Latino background can be of any race.
Economy
The Volvo Trucks North America factory in Pulaski County is very important to the local economy. Starting in 2021, this factory began making battery-powered electric trucks. It is the largest Volvo truck plant in the world. The facility in Dublin, Virginia employs nearly 3,000 people. They build many different types of heavy-duty trucks there.
Schools in Pulaski County
Colleges and High Schools
- New River Community College
- Southwest Virginia Governor School
- Pulaski County High School
Middle Schools
- Pulaski County Middle School
Elementary Schools
- Pulaski Elementary School
- Dublin Elementary School
- Critzer Elementary School
- Riverlawn Elementary School
- Snowville Elementary School
Communities
Towns
Census-Designated Places
Other Small Communities
- Caseknife
- Claytor Lake
- Newbern
- Wurno
- Little Creek
- Delton
- Tinytown
See also
In Spanish: Condado de Pulaski (Virginia) para niños
