HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 5116 Offered June 28, 2006 Commending the Town of Dublin on the occasion of its 100th anniversary.  ---------- Patrons-- Crockett-Stark and Nutter ----------

WHEREAS, rich in history, the Town of Dublin, which has a population of 2,288 citizens, celebrates its 100th anniversary in 2006; and

WHEREAS, the Town of Dublin, located in Pulaski County, was first officially incorporated in 1871 and reincorporated in 1906, because the town for a time at the end of the 19th century struggled, and was surpassed by the neighboring community of Pulaski; and

WHEREAS, the earliest settlement at Dublin was established in 1776, the same year that colonists declared their independence from Britain as the United States of America; and

WHEREAS, in that historic year, Henry Jacob Trollinger and his family built and settled in a cabin located on Old Route 11, property now owned by Dr. and Mrs. W. J. Walker; and

WHEREAS, situated on the Wilderness Road, a major pathway of America's western expansion, the Town of Dublin was a peaceful village until the railroad came, bringing tremendous economic development and population growth; and

WHEREAS, the railroad's Dublin Depot was built in Dublin in 1854, serving as a busy passenger and freight hub for all of Southwest Virginia; and

WHEREAS, the citizens of Pulaski County celebrated the establishment of Dublin Depot in the Town of Dublin with a great barbecue on July 5, 1854, and between 6,000 and 8,000 citizens from surrounding counties and as far away as Lynchburg, Richmond, and Petersburg, came to enjoy the festivities, including Governor Joseph Johnson, the first governor of Virginia elected by popular vote; and

WHEREAS, ten years later, the Town of Dublin was a Confederate stronghold because of its railroad depot and on May 9, 1864, it suffered through the largest and most hard-fought battle of the Civil War in Southwest Virginia, which took place just north of town at Cloyd’s Farm; and

WHEREAS, the Confederate Army held off the Union advance long enough to evacuate the Town of Dublin; but the railroad tracks, depot, and many of the buildings were destroyed and had to be rebuilt; and

WHEREAS, today, the Town of Dublin borders the beautiful 4,475-acre Claytor Lake, a favorite tourist destination for hiking, biking, fishing, camping, and water sports; and

WHEREAS, Dublin is also the home of Pulaski County's 90-acre Randolph Park, which features an exciting water park, ball fields, tennis courts, playgrounds and picnic shelters, and 1.5 miles of hiking and nature trails; and

WHEREAS, the New River Community College is an integral partner of the Town of Dublin and Pulaski County, along with the Volvo/Mack truck plant, Camrett Logistics, Trim Systems, and the New River Valley Airport, which is now an international port of entry and trade zone in Southwestern Virginia; and

WHEREAS, the 100th anniversary of the incorporation of the Town of Dublin celebrates a thriving and historic Southwestern Virginia community; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED by the House of Delegates, the Senate concurring, That the General Assembly commend and congratulate the Town of Dublin on the occasion of its 100th anniversary; and, be it

RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the House of Delegates prepare a copy of this resolution for presentation to the Town of Dublin as an expression of the General Assembly’s appreciation of its many contributions to Pulaski County and Southwest Virginia and best wishes for a prosperous future.