Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: WEDNESDAY, March 24, 1993 TAG: 9303240107
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-3 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: PAUL DELLINGER STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: PULASKI LENGTH: Medium
CITIZENS SUGGEST 43 NAMES FOR COURTHOUSE
People in Pulaski County came up with a total of 43 names for the county's recently restored stone courthouse.Suggestions ranged from "Historic Flame Courthouse" and "The Courthouse That God Spared" to a disgruntled resident's proposed "The Monument to Sleaze." That letter was unsigned.
The courthouse was rebuilt following a 1989 fire and now houses county offices such as treasurer and commissioner of revenue.
One person suggested including the names of two men involved in the original construction. The only other person's name that emerged was Count Pulaski, for whom the county and town are named.
Terri J. Gregory, community relations coordinator, gave the list of submissions to the county Board of Supervisors.
"There were several duplications of names and I was really pleasantly surprised at the number of suggestions," she said.
The county actually has two courthouses. The brick courthouse, adjacent to the 1896 stone building, eventually will house all the courts and related offices. They are now temporarily located in a building on East Main Street (Virginia 99) while the brick structure is being expanded and renovated.
The stone arches at the old courthouse entrance, added in 1907 after they were used at the entrance to the county exhibit at the Jamestown Exposition, also may welcome visitors to the county at other points.
Stone mason Randall Jones is preparing an estimate of the cost of duplicating the stone arch wide enough for a 4-foot-square sign to hang beneath it with a changeable message. The arch itself would be permanently inscribed with the words, "Pulaski County Pride."
The first location for the mobile arch, if constructed, probably will be on Lee Highway (U.S. 11) at the entrance from the city of Radford.
The board will consider a name for the stone courthouse, from this list and perhaps other sources, at its April meeting.