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| Pulaski County, Missouri | |
| Map | |
 Location in the state of Missouri |
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 Missouri's location in the U.S. |
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| Statistics | |
| Founded | January 19, 1833 |
|---|---|
| Seat | Waynesville |
| Largest community | Fort Leonard Wood |
| Area - Total - Land - Water |
551 sq mi (1,427 km²) 547 sq mi (1,417 km²) 4.4 sq mi (11 km²), 0.8% |
| PopulationEst. - (2015) - Density |
53,221 96/sq mi (37/km²) |
| Time zone | Central: UTC-6/-5 |
| Website: http://www.pulaskicountymo.org/home.html | |
| Named for: Kazimierz Pułaski | |
Pulaski County is a county located in the U.S. state of Missouri. As of the 2010 census, the population was 52,274. Its county seat is Waynesville. The county was organized in 1833 and named for Kazimierz Pułaski, a Polish patriot who died fighting in the American Revolution.
Pulaski County is the site of Fort Leonard Wood, a U.S. Army installation base. It comprises the Fort Leonard Wood, MO Micropolitan Statistical Area.
Pulaski County's earliest settlers were the Quapaw, Missouria and Osage Native Americans. After the Lewis and Clark Expedition of the early 19th century, white settlers came to the area, many from Kentucky, Tennessee and the Carolinas; the earliest pioneers appeared to have settled as early as 1818, and the town of Waynesville was designated the county seat by the Missouri Legislature in 1833. Like the county, Waynesville is also named after an American Revolutionary hero, Mad Anthony Wayne.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 551 square miles (1,430 km2), of which 547 square miles (1,420 km2) is land and 4.4 square miles (11 km2) (0.8%) is water.
| Historical population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1840 | 6,529 | — | |
| 1850 | 3,998 | −38.8% | |
| 1860 | 3,835 | −4.1% | |
| 1870 | 4,714 | 22.9% | |
| 1880 | 7,250 | 53.8% | |
| 1890 | 9,387 | 29.5% | |
| 1900 | 10,394 | 10.7% | |
| 1910 | 11,438 | 10.0% | |
| 1920 | 10,490 | −8.3% | |
| 1930 | 10,755 | 2.5% | |
| 1940 | 10,775 | 0.2% | |
| 1950 | 10,392 | −3.6% | |
| 1960 | 46,567 | 348.1% | |
| 1970 | 53,781 | 15.5% | |
| 1980 | 42,011 | −21.9% | |
| 1990 | 41,307 | −1.7% | |
| 2000 | 41,165 | −0.3% | |
| 2010 | 52,274 | 27.0% | |
| Est. 2015 | 53,221 | 1.8% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census 1790-1960 1900-1990 1990-2000 2010-2015 |
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As of the census of 2000, there were 41,165 people, 13,433 households, and 9,953 families residing in the county. The population density was 75 people per square mile (29/km²). There were 15,408 housing units at an average density of 28 per square mile (11/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 78.35% White, 11.99% Black or African American, 1.00% Native American, 2.27% Asian, 0.32% Pacific Islander, 2.50% from other races, and 3.57% from two or more races. Approximately 5.84% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There were 13,433 households out of which 42.30% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 60.60% were married couples living together, 9.70% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.90% were non-families. 21.60% of all households were made up of individuals and 7.20% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.68 and the average family size was 3.13.
In the county, the population was spread out with 27.50% under the age of 18, 16.60% from 18 to 24, 32.00% from 25 to 44, 15.90% from 45 to 64, and 7.90% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 28 years. For every 100 females there were 112.10 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 115.40 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $34,247, and the median income for a family was $37,786. Males had a median income of $26,553 versus $20,500 for females. The per capita income for the county was $14,586. About 8.00% of families and 10.30% of the population were below the poverty line, including 12.40% of those under age 18 and 12.30% of those age 65 or over.
Waynesville Regional Airport at Forney Field serves the community with air service; even though it's on Fort Leonard Wood, it is jointly run by the cities of Waynesville and St. Robert and is available for civilian use by private pilots and scheduled commercial passenger service.
The major east-west route is 
Interstate 44; before that, the main highway was 
U.S. Route 66, which still exists as a scenic route through the area and passes through Devil's Elbow, St. Robert, Waynesville, Buckhorn, and Hazelgreen. Names for U.S. Route 66 vary - at different places, it's called Teardrop Road, Highway Z, Old Route 66, Historic Route 66, and Highway 17. State-posted signs mark most of the alignment of the road.
Major north-south routes include:
Highway 133 runs north from Interstate 44 exit 145 about two miles east of Hazelgreen to Richland, Swedeborg, Crocker, and about two miles west of Dixon, then north out of the county.
Highway 7 runs north from Interstate 44 exit 150 about three miles west of Buckhorn to Richland, then north out of the county toward the Lake of the Ozarks region.
Highway 17 crosses Interstate 44 at exit 153 at Buckhorn, runs east through Waynesville, turns north to Crocker, and then runs north out of the county to Iberia. South of Interstate 44, Highway 17 hugs the western edge of Fort Leonard Wood, passes near Laquey, and circles south of the post until it runs out of the county and eventually joins Highway 32 in Roby.
Missouri T runs north from Highway 17 at Waynesville to Swedeborg, where it meets and ends at Highway 133 about halfway between Richland and Crocker.
Highway 28 crosses Interstate 44 at exit 163 at the eastern edge of St. Robert, runs north through Dixon, and then runs north out of the county.Major attractions along U.S. Route 66 include the Old Stagecoach Stop in downtown Waynesville, which is now a museum but began as a tavern and boarding house and is the oldest standing structure in the county. It was used as a Civil War hospital for Union troops who were garrisoned above the city in Fort Wayne, which was demolished after the war. The Old Courthouse Museum in downtown Waynesville is near the Old Stagecoach Stop. The third Pulaski County courthouse was struck by lightning on June 3, 1903 and destroyed. Three bridges cross the Big Piney River at Devil's Elbow - the modern Interstate 44 bridge, the later U.S. Route 66 alignment on Highway Z that was made possible by the Hooker Cut through a steep hillside, and the original U.S. Route 66 alignment on Teardrop Road that includes a historic bridge that is in the process of renovation. The Elbow Inn is a biker bar that is a frequent stop on the original U.S. Route 66 alignment.
The old Pulaski County Courthouse, which is on the National Register, is now a museum.
