Pulaski

By John B. White and Raymond F. Ratcliffe Memorial Museum

In 1854, the agrarian area known as Pulaski was bisected by the Virginia and Tennessee Railroad, which brought with it access to new markets, reduced isolation created by the New River, and heavy industry. The 1870s saw the restoration of an economy decimated by war and the incorporation of Dublin and Newbern. The Pulaski Agricultural and Mechanical Association, incorporated in 1872 to promote "enterprise, industry, and thrift among the citizens," was forced to raise funds from the very Philadelphia capitalists who had laid claim to county mineral lands. By 1886, Pulaski City, a classic boomtown, became a microcosm of industrialization in the Central Appalachians. The change created a struggle between the land's agrarian past and industrialized future. Images of America: Pulaski provides glimpses into the rich history of this land. This collection of nearly 200 photographs helps tell the story of those owners of land and industry, those who labored for self-sufficiency, and those who sought to give their children a better life.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Arcadia Publishing
• Release date: Sep 18, 2012
• ISBN: 9781439635636

John B. White

The author, John B. White, a Pulaski native and former college professor and president, now serves as a local economic developer. White writes on behalf of the Raymond F. Ratcliffe Memorial Museum, which is committed to preserving Pulaski’s history.

Book preview

(Worsham).

INTRODUCTION

The land that is Pulaski carries a rich history from its days as hunting grounds along the north-flowing New River (reportedly the second oldest river in the world), to the early settlements at Neck Creek and Dunkard Bottom, to resistance to King George’s proclamation limiting white settlement—ironically leading to further settlement, trade, and economic activity. Settlers followed the Great Road, some wealthy and many dirt poor, seeking to wrest a living from the land.

In 1839, the Virginia General Assembly created Pulaski County, honoring the Polish count mortally wounded at Savannah, Georgia, in 1779. Newbern became the county seat. In 1854, technology, in the form of the Virginia Tennessee Railroad, would bisect the land and lead to the exploitation of natural resources and significant industrial development. The underlying tensions among pastoral, preservationist, and expansionist viewpoints still exist.

In 1879, with the discovery of coal nearby at the Altoona (and later Empire) mines and with investment from northern commercial interests in mineral extraction, the Bertha Iron and Zinc Company went in to blast at Martin’s Tank. Soon it and other foundries created the hotels, mercantile stores, saloons, and other businesses of a broad-shouldered, arrogant start-up incorporated in 1886 as Pulaski City.

African American workers played a critical role in the building of industrial Pulaski. Many African American families were headed north after the Civil War; for some, Pulaski was a stopping place before moving on to the more industrialized cities. For others, Pulaski became a place to settle, purchase land and homes, and build churches. Black entrepreneurs, educators, and professionals created strong communities. The later pain of Jim Crow, however, would cut deeply into the collective memory.

In November 1893, a fire at the courthouse in Newbern created a bitter battle over the site of its rebuilding. Agrarian and industrial interests battled, with the contenders being Newbern, Dublin, and Pulaski City. After a protracted battle, a new stone courthouse was completed in 1896 in the town of Pulaski.

The decision to move the county seat further propelled the town of Pulaski toward the 20th century, where it would be—certainly for the first 75 years of the decade—a center of commerce, transportation, entertainment, and the arts.

The town that exuded such progress faced more challenges ahead. Even though the period before World War I saw even more growth, the flu pandemic of 1918 killed 125 people in just three weeks during November. By 1920, two of the founding industries had closed, and the Pulaski area faced its first significant economic transition, from heavy industry to consumer manufacturing. The most trying times were yet to come, when citizens faced the Great Depression.

The winter of 1933 was the bleakest. Even though the hosiery mills, employing mostly women, continued to operate at significantly reduced production, an estimated 8,000 people faced stark hunger. Yet, during this period, there existed generosity, compassion, and resilience—characteristics that still sustain the community. Calfee Park, a 1935 WPA project, brought a modern baseball park to an area that loved the sport. In 1939, Pulaski County celebrated its centennial with fanfare, and during the week of celebration, officials dedicated Claytor Dam on New River. That investment, plus the advent of World War II, brought the Depression to a close.

In 1940, the federal government created the Radford and the New River Ordinance Works. Workers came to operate the plants, stretching the housing resources in local communities. A bus service transported workers from Pulaski to Radford. Fairlawn grew because of its proximity to the Radford facility.

Ninety-four soldiers from Pulaski County were killed from 1941 to 1945. Surviving, returning soldiers flooded Pulaski County, seeking jobs. Consumer industries absorbed many, though economic cycles often created ebbs and flows.

RCA Victor opened a veneer cabinet shop in 1947 in downtown Pulaski. The United Electrical, Radio, and Machine Workers of America sought to organize the facility, the union being expressly interested in the effects of workers’ economic status on the community. In 1948, RCA abruptly abandoned the facility. Industry’s quest for cheap labor was an all too familiar saga in Pulaski.

Furniture and textiles were kings during most of the latter half of the 20th century, providing the assurance of a job for those willing to work. The county built an addition to the courthouse in 1958. Schools expanded to absorb baby boomers. Workers completed Interstate 81 in 1965. New River Community College opened in Dublin in 1970.

The largest economic investment in Pulaski County began in 1973 with the decision of White Motors to locate at the center of the county along the interstate. Ironically, many older industries feared