Lucas, Iowa
Encyclopedia
Lucas is a city in Lucas County, Iowa
, United States. The population was 243 at the 2000 census.
and Robert Lucas
. A plat
for the town was filed on May 9, 1868 and the town was incorporated on March 18, 1887. The town grew slowly until coal was discovered in the area.
In 1876, the Whitebreast Coal and Mining Company began working a 250 feet (76.2 m) shaft one mile (1.6 km) east of Lucas. This proved successful, and in 1878, they platted a company town
there, which they named Cleveland 41°1′57.21"N 93°26′38.71"W. By 1880, Cleveland had a population of 380, and the first mine was producing 650 to 700 tons of coal per day by the labor of 280 miners and 33 mule drivers. A second mine was opened 3/4 mile from the first, and the two mines sold coal to the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad
, and several other railroads to the south and west. Very little remained of Cleveland by the 1930s.
In 1893, the Lucas Coal Company was working a two-foot coal seam 83 feet (25.3 m) down, employing 24 men.
The Big Hill mine in Lucas worked a 4 feet (1.2 m) coal seam 274 feet (83.5 m) below the surface using room and pillar
methods, with a shaft not far from the Burlington
station. This mine was closed in April 1904 and stripped of equipment, but by mid-1905, plans were in place to reopen it. The reopening lasted until 1907, when the mine was again closed, as the rock directly above the coal was sandstone and it was saturated with water. This mine is noteworthy because John L Lewis got his first coal mining job here, before going on to head the United Mine Workers of America.
In 1902, United Mine Workers Local 799 in Lucas had 121 members and Local 1120 in Cleveland had 350 members.
By 1912, Local 799 in Lucas had just 24 members and Local 1120 does not appear.
In 1919, Lucas was home to the second most productive coal mine in Iowa, Mine No. 2 of the Central Iowa Fuel Company. This produced 217,169 tons of coal that year and employed 360 men.
The last coal mine in the Lucas area was the Iowa-Nebraska Mine, closed in 1923. This mine was located about 1.5 miles (2.4 km) southwest of Lucas (41°0′50.65"N 93°28′50.03"W). The former mine site is now in the Lucas Unit of the Stephens State Forest. The site is now the site of Mine Pond and the Mine Pond Campground in the state forest. This forest was a base of operations for the Civilian Conservation Corps
in the 1930s. The CCC established the pine and hardwood forest that now dominates this land.
Lucas is located on the north bank of White Breast Creek, a tributary of the Des Moines River
that flows east through the Southern Iowa drift plain.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the city has a total area of 1 square miles (2.6 km²), of which 1 square miles (2.6 km²) is land and 1.03% is water.
There were 95 households out of which 37.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 60.0% were married couples living together, 3.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.4% were non-families. 26.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.56 and the average family size was 3.07.
In the city the population was spread out with 28.4% under the age of 18, 7.4% from 18 to 24, 31.3% from 25 to 44, 21.4% from 45 to 64, and 11.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 91.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 100.0 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $31,250, and the median income for a family was $38,750. Males had a median income of $26,458 versus $21,607 for females. The per capita income for the city was $13,145. About 6.9% of families and 10.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 13.4% of those under the age of eighteen and none of those sixty five or over.
Lucas County, Iowa
-2010 census:The 2010 census recorded a population of 8,898 in the county, with a population density of . There were 4,238 housing units, of which 3,689 were occupied.-2000 census:...
, United States. The population was 243 at the 2000 census.
History
The Burlington and Missouri River Railroad Company established a station at Lucas in 1866, named after Lucas CountyLucas County, Iowa
-2010 census:The 2010 census recorded a population of 8,898 in the county, with a population density of . There were 4,238 housing units, of which 3,689 were occupied.-2000 census:...
and Robert Lucas
Robert Lucas (governor)
Robert Lucas was the 12th Governor of the U.S. state of Ohio, serving from 1832 to 1836. He served as the first Governor of Iowa Territory from 1838 to 1841.-Early life:...
. A plat
Plat
A plat in the U.S. is a map, drawn to scale, showing the divisions of a piece of land. Other English-speaking countries generally call such documents a cadastral map or plan....
for the town was filed on May 9, 1868 and the town was incorporated on March 18, 1887. The town grew slowly until coal was discovered in the area.
In 1876, the Whitebreast Coal and Mining Company began working a 250 feet (76.2 m) shaft one mile (1.6 km) east of Lucas. This proved successful, and in 1878, they platted a company town
Company town
A company town is a town or city in which much or all real estate, buildings , utilities, hospitals, small businesses such as grocery stores and gas stations, and other necessities or luxuries of life within its borders are owned by a single company...
there, which they named Cleveland 41°1′57.21"N 93°26′38.71"W. By 1880, Cleveland had a population of 380, and the first mine was producing 650 to 700 tons of coal per day by the labor of 280 miners and 33 mule drivers. A second mine was opened 3/4 mile from the first, and the two mines sold coal to the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad
Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad
The Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad was a railroad that operated in the Midwestern United States. Commonly referred to as the Burlington or as the Q, the Burlington Route served a large area, including extensive trackage in the states of Colorado, Illinois, Iowa, Kentucky, Missouri,...
, and several other railroads to the south and west. Very little remained of Cleveland by the 1930s.
In 1893, the Lucas Coal Company was working a two-foot coal seam 83 feet (25.3 m) down, employing 24 men.
The Big Hill mine in Lucas worked a 4 feet (1.2 m) coal seam 274 feet (83.5 m) below the surface using room and pillar
Room and pillar
Room and pillar is a mining system in which the mined material is extracted across a horizontal plane while leaving "pillars" of untouched material to support the roof overburden leaving open areas or "rooms" underground...
methods, with a shaft not far from the Burlington
Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad
The Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad was a railroad that operated in the Midwestern United States. Commonly referred to as the Burlington or as the Q, the Burlington Route served a large area, including extensive trackage in the states of Colorado, Illinois, Iowa, Kentucky, Missouri,...
station. This mine was closed in April 1904 and stripped of equipment, but by mid-1905, plans were in place to reopen it. The reopening lasted until 1907, when the mine was again closed, as the rock directly above the coal was sandstone and it was saturated with water. This mine is noteworthy because John L Lewis got his first coal mining job here, before going on to head the United Mine Workers of America.
In 1902, United Mine Workers Local 799 in Lucas had 121 members and Local 1120 in Cleveland had 350 members.
By 1912, Local 799 in Lucas had just 24 members and Local 1120 does not appear.
In 1919, Lucas was home to the second most productive coal mine in Iowa, Mine No. 2 of the Central Iowa Fuel Company. This produced 217,169 tons of coal that year and employed 360 men.
The last coal mine in the Lucas area was the Iowa-Nebraska Mine, closed in 1923. This mine was located about 1.5 miles (2.4 km) southwest of Lucas (41°0′50.65"N 93°28′50.03"W). The former mine site is now in the Lucas Unit of the Stephens State Forest. The site is now the site of Mine Pond and the Mine Pond Campground in the state forest. This forest was a base of operations for the Civilian Conservation Corps
Civilian Conservation Corps
The Civilian Conservation Corps was a public work relief program that operated from 1933 to 1942 in the United States for unemployed, unmarried men from relief families, ages 18–25. A part of the New Deal of President Franklin D...
in the 1930s. The CCC established the pine and hardwood forest that now dominates this land.
Geography
Lucas's longitude and latitude coordinates in decimal form are 41.029843, −93.461595.Lucas is located on the north bank of White Breast Creek, a tributary of the Des Moines River
Des Moines River
The Des Moines River is a tributary river of the Mississippi River, approximately long to its farther headwaters, in the upper Midwestern United States...
that flows east through the Southern Iowa drift plain.
According to the United States Census Bureau
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the city has a total area of 1 square miles (2.6 km²), of which 1 square miles (2.6 km²) is land and 1.03% is water.
Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 243 people, 95 households, and 68 families residing in the city. The population density was 251.4 people per square mile (96.7/km²). There were 101 housing units at an average density of 104.5 per square mile (40.2/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 98.77% White, 0.82% Asian, and 0.41% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.82% of the population.There were 95 households out of which 37.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 60.0% were married couples living together, 3.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.4% were non-families. 26.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.56 and the average family size was 3.07.
In the city the population was spread out with 28.4% under the age of 18, 7.4% from 18 to 24, 31.3% from 25 to 44, 21.4% from 45 to 64, and 11.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 91.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 100.0 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $31,250, and the median income for a family was $38,750. Males had a median income of $26,458 versus $21,607 for females. The per capita income for the city was $13,145. About 6.9% of families and 10.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 13.4% of those under the age of eighteen and none of those sixty five or over.
External links
- The John L. Lewis Museum
- Stephens State Forest
- City-Data Comprehensive statistical data and more about Lucas