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Pulaski County, Virginia facts for kids

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Pulaski County
Pulaski County Courthouse
Pulaski County Courthouse
Official seal of Pulaski County
Seal
Map of Virginia highlighting Pulaski County
Location within the U.S. state of Virginia
Map of the United States highlighting Virginia
Virginia's location within the U.S.
Country  United States
State  Virginia
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)
 • Total 33,800 Decrease
 • Density 100/sq mi (40/km2)
Time zone UTC−5 (Eastern)
 • Summer (DST) UTC−4 (EDT)
Congressional district 9th

Pulaski County is a county located in the southwestern part of the U.S. state of Virginia. In 2020, about 33,800 people lived here. The main town and county seat is Pulaski. Pulaski County is also part of the larger Blacksburg-Christiansburg metropolitan area.

History of Pulaski County

Pulaski County was created on March 30, 1839. It was formed from parts of two other counties, Montgomery and Wythe. This made it the 87th county in Virginia. The county was named after Count Casimir Pulaski. He was a Polish nobleman who came to America and 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 Continental Army's cavalry (soldiers who fight on horseback). Sadly, he was badly wounded in battle and died on October 11, 1779.

This area is part of the Blue Ridge Mountains. It has rolling hills and was mostly settled by small farmers. Many of these settlers were Scots-Irish and German immigrants, or their children. They moved south from Pennsylvania in the mid to late 1700s. As new settlers arrived, most Native American groups in the area were forced to leave or were killed. These new settlers were mostly "yeomen," meaning they owned their own small farms. They had fewer enslaved people than farmers in other parts of Virginia. However, by 1840, about one-quarter of the people living in Pulaski County were enslaved African Americans. The county had 3,739 people in total. This included 2,768 free white people and 971 Black people. A small number, 17, of the Black residents were free Black people.

Geography and Nature

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Pulaski County covers a total area of 330 square miles (850 km2). About 320 square miles (830 km2) of this is land, and 10 square miles (26 km2) (3.0%) is water. Pulaski County is one of many counties that are part of the Appalachian Regional Commission. This group works to help the economic development of the Appalachian region.

Pulaski County is home to Claytor Lake State Park. This park is located on Claytor Lake, a large human-made lake. The lake covers 4,500 acres (18 km2) and is 21 miles (34 km) long. It was created on the New River for a hydroelectric project. This project generates electricity using water power. Claytor Lake State Park is on the north side of the lake. It has 497 acres (2.01 km2) with places for camping, cabins, picnic areas, and a swimming beach. There is also a marina for boats. The lake is named after W. Graham Claytor, Sr., who helped supervise the building of the dam and the creation of the lake.

Pulaski County also has other public places where you can go boating. These include Harry DeHaven Park in Allisonia and a site in Dublin. Gatewood Reservoir is another water area, covering 162 acres (0.66 km2). It is owned by the Town of Pulaski and provides water for the town.

Neighboring Areas

Pulaski County shares borders with several other counties and one independent city:

Protected Natural Areas

  • Jefferson National Forest (part of this large forest is in Pulaski County)

Main Roads and Highways

Major roads that run through Pulaski County include:

  • I-81
  • US 11
  • SR 99
  • SR 100
  • SR 114
  • SR 9

Population and People

Historical population
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

The United States Census counts the population every ten years. In 2020, Pulaski County had 33,800 people. This was a slight decrease from 34,872 people in 2010.

Who Lives in Pulaski County?

The 2020 census showed the different groups of people living in Pulaski County:

Pulaski County, Virginia - Demographic Profile
(NH = Non-Hispanic)
Race / Ethnicity Pop 2010 Pop 2020 % 2010 % 2020
White alone (NH) 31,972 29,716 91.68% 87.92%
Black or African American alone (NH) 1,744 1,633 5.00% 4.83%
Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH) 61 49 0.17% 0.14%
Asian alone (NH) 179 177 0.51% 0.52%
Pacific Islander alone (NH) 7 3 0.02% 0.01%
Some Other Race alone (NH) 25 100 0.07% 0.30%
Mixed Race/Multi-Racial (NH) 452 1,418 1.30% 4.20%
Hispanic or Latino (any race) 432 704 0.96% 2.08%
Total 34,872 33,800 100.00% 100.00%

Note: The U.S. Census counts Hispanic/Latino people as an ethnic group. This means they can be of any race.

In 2000, there were 35,127 people living in the county. The average age was 40 years old. About 20.6% of the population was under 18. The median income for a household was $33,873. This means half of the households earned more than this, and half earned less. About 13.1% of the population lived below the poverty line.

Economy and Jobs

The Volvo Trucks North America plant in Pulaski County is a very important part of the local economy. It is the largest Volvo truck plant in the world. In early 2021, the plant started making battery-powered VNR Electric trucks. The facility in Dublin, Virginia employs nearly 3,000 people. They build many different types of heavy-duty trucks there.

Schools and Education

Pulaski County has several schools for students of all ages.

High School and College

  • 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 in Pulaski County

Pulaski County has several towns and other communities.

Towns

Census-Designated Places

These are areas that are like towns but are not officially incorporated as towns.

Other Communities

These are smaller, unincorporated communities.

Government and Politics

The Pulaski County Sheriff is Michael W. Worrell. He has worked in law enforcement for over twenty years in Pulaski County. He is a graduate of Pulaski County High School and Radford University.

Voting in Presidential Elections

Pulaski County has often voted for Republican candidates in recent presidential elections.

United States presidential election results for Pulaski County, Virginia
Year Republican Democratic Third party
No.  % No.  % No.  %
2024 12,732 71.75% 4,830 27.22% 182 1.03%
2020 12,127 69.79% 4,925 28.34% 324 1.86%
2016 10,322 68.06% 4,172 27.51% 671 4.42%
2012 8,920 60.76% 5,292 36.05% 468 3.19%
2008 8,857 58.85% 5,918 39.32% 275 1.83%
2004 8,769 61.53% 5,310 37.26% 172 1.21%
2000 7,089 55.83% 5,255 41.39% 353 2.78%
1996 5,387 43.78% 5,333 43.34% 1,584 12.87%
1992 6,148 43.96% 5,633 40.27% 2,206 15.77%
1988 6,844 58.40% 4,686 39.99% 189 1.61%
1984 8,242 64.90% 4,364 34.36% 93 0.73%
1980 5,747 47.73% 5,769 47.92% 524 4.35%
1976 4,764 44.84% 5,546 52.20% 314 2.96%
1972 6,281 72.01% 2,311 26.50% 130 1.49%
1968 4,409 53.35% 2,497 30.21% 1,359 16.44%
1964 3,101 46.10% 3,620 53.82% 5 0.07%
1960 3,059 58.75% 2,104 40.41% 44 0.85%
1956 3,517 63.05% 1,994 35.75% 67 1.20%
1952 2,815 62.03% 1,715 37.79% 8 0.18%
1948 1,691 48.99% 1,412 40.90% 349 10.11%
1944 1,302 37.65% 2,155 62.32% 1 0.03%
1940 1,023 31.43% 2,226 68.39% 6 0.18%
1936 1,180 33.51% 2,337 66.37% 4 0.11%
1932 1,109 32.11% 2,314 66.99% 31 0.90%
1928 1,998 52.32% 1,821 47.68% 0 0.00%
1924 1,422 43.33% 1,767 53.84% 93 2.83%
1920 1,710 48.43% 1,814 51.37% 7 0.20%
1916 721 38.68% 1,057 56.71% 86 4.61%
1912 196 13.27% 781 52.88% 500 33.85%


State Representatives from Pulaski County

Some notable people who have represented Pulaski County in state government include:

  • James A. Walker
  • James Hoge Tyler

More to Explore

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Condado de Pulaski (Virginia) para niños

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