History:
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.