Lucas, Iowa facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Lucas, Iowa
City
Lucas, Iowa
Location of Lucas, Iowa
Country	USA
State	Iowa
County	Lucas
Area
• Total	0.99 sq mi (2.57 km2)
• Land	0.98 sq mi (2.54 km2)
• Water	0.01 sq mi (0.02 km2)
Elevation	961 ft (293 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	172
• Density	175.15/sq mi (67.60/km2)
Time zone	UTC-6 (Central (CST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC-5 (CDT)
ZIP code	50151
Area code(s)	641
FIPS code	19-47100
GNIS feature ID	2395783

Lucas is a small city in Lucas County, Iowa, United States. In 2020, about 172 people lived there.

History of Lucas

A train station was built in Lucas in 1866 by the Burlington and Missouri River Railroad Company. The town was named after Lucas County and Robert Lucas, a former governor. The town officially started on May 9, 1868, and became a city on March 18, 1887. Lucas grew slowly at first, but then coal was found nearby.

John L. Lewis, United Mine Workers President plaque located in Lucas, Iowa

In 1876, the Whitebreast Coal and Mining Company started a deep mine about one mile (1.6 km) east of Lucas. This mine was very successful. In 1878, they built a special town for their workers called Cleveland. By 1880, Cleveland had 380 people. The first mine produced a lot of coal each day, using 280 miners and 33 mule drivers. The coal was sold to train companies. By the 1930s, most of Cleveland was gone.

In 1893, another company, the Lucas Coal Company, was mining coal about 83 feet (25 meters) underground. They had 24 workers.

The Big Hill mine in Lucas dug for coal about 274 feet (84 meters) below the ground. This mine was important because John L. Lewis, who later became a famous leader of the United Mine Workers of America, got his first mining job here. The mine closed in 1904 but reopened for a short time until 1907.

Mine worker groups, called United Mine Workers (UMW) locals, were formed in Lucas and Cleveland in 1899. These groups helped miners get fair wages and better working conditions.

In 1919, one of the most productive coal mines in Iowa was Lucas's Mine No. 2. It produced over 217,000 tons of coal that year and employed 360 men. The last coal mine near Lucas, the Iowa-Nebraska Mine, closed in 1923. Today, this area is part of the Stephens State Forest. In the 1930s, the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) helped plant many trees there, creating the forest you see today.

Geography of Lucas

Lucas is located at 41.029843 degrees north and -93.461595 degrees west. It sits on the north side of White Breast Creek. This creek flows into the Des Moines River.

The city covers a total area of about 0.98 square miles (2.54 square kilometers). Most of this area is land, with a very small part being water.

Population Information

2020 Census Data

In 2020, Lucas had 172 people living in 76 households. About 44 of these were families. The city had about 175 people per square mile. Most residents (90.7%) were White. A small number (1.2%) were Hispanic or Latino.

About 31.6% of households had children under 18. Many households (52.6%) were married couples. The average age in Lucas was 36.5 years. About 23.3% of residents were under 20 years old. The population was split evenly, with 50% male and 50% female.

2010 Census Data

In 2010, Lucas had 216 people living in 89 households. About 59 of these were families. The population density was about 223 people per square mile. Most residents (95.4%) were White.

About 27% of households had children under 18. The average age was 47.4 years. About 22.2% of residents were under 18. The population was 53.2% male and 46.8% female.

Education

Students in Lucas attend schools in the Chariton Community School District. The high school for the area is Chariton High School.

Famous People from Lucas

• George Bennard, who wrote the famous song "The Old Rugged Cross"
• John L. Lewis, a very important leader of the UMW

See also

In Spanish: Lucas (Iowa) para niños