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Iowa State...
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Iowa Counties
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Iowa Counties
There are 99 counties in Iowa. The first two counties, Des Moines County and Dubuque County,
were created in 1834 when Iowa was still part of the Michigan Territory. In preparation for Michigan's
statehood, part of Michigan Territory was formed into Wisconsin Territory in 1836]. Two years later, the western
portion was split off to become Iowa Territory. The south-eastern part of Iowa Territory became Iowa, the 29th
state in the union, on 28 December 1846, by which point 44 counties had been created. Counties continued to be
created by the state government until 1857, when the last county, Humboldt County, was created.
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Lucas County, Iowa
Lucas County History, Geography, Demographics, Cities and Towns, and Education
County Seat: Chariton
Year Organized: 1846
Square Miles: 431
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Court House: 916 Braden Avenue
County Courthouse
Chariton, IA 50049-1700
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Etymology - Origin of County Name
Lucas is named for Robert Lucas, the first governor of the Iowa Territory and the twelfth governor of
Ohio.
Demographics:
County QuickFacts: Census Bureau Quick
Facts
History
Lucas County was established in
January 1846. It was named in honor of Governor Robert Lucas, first territorial
governor of Iowa. The county lies within the Sac and Fox Indian Purchase by the
treaties of 1837 and 1842, which included all the land in the territory west of
the Iowa River known as the Black Hawk Purchase. Not until 1845 did the Indians
finally surrender the land.
The county was established in 1846. It is believed that the Mormons were the
first non Native American settlers in the county, spending one winter at a place
called Chariton Point, about one and on-half miles southeast of Chariton. The
route they took has since been known as the "Morman Trail."
Under the act of the Second Assembly of the State of Iowa "An Act to Organize
Lucas County" was approved. Three Commissioners were then appointed to locate
the county seat. Title to the land for the county seat wasn't secured until
February 1850. This 160 acres of land cost the county $200 or $1.25 per acre.
A group of settlers then met and decided to name their town Chariton. Chariton
was the name of a Frechman who established a trading post on the Missouri River
where the Chariton River enters it. A surveyor, Williams Webb, was employed to
plat the city of Chariton. The total cost being $108.87. The newly-platted lots
were sold from $5 to $15 per lot.
The first courthouse was erected in 1850 at a cost of $374. The building being
18 x 22 feet, one and one-half stories high. In June of 1858, the people voted
to build a new courthouse for $13,500. The building was built of bricks, 60 feet
square and two stories high. The Grand Jury condemned this building in 1891.
Our present third and present courthouse was completed in February 1894 for
$59,670.86. The clock in the Courthouse Tower was presented to the county by S.
H. Mallory on January 1, 1894 and was wound and put into service May 22, 1894.
Townships were formed April 7, 1851, by the county commissioners. In 1860 the
Eighth General Assembly created the board of supervisors. In 1869 the county
purchased a 200 acre site of ground just northwest of the city of Chariton for
$10,500 to be used as the county home. The county home was in operation until
November 27, 1986 when it was closed.
The first two room jail served until 1871. Our present jail was built in 1916.
Following are a few of the "Firsts in Lucas County."
The first permanent settler was William McDermit, locating in the Cedar
Township. The First State Bank was started bin 1869 with S. H. Mallory as its
president. The first newspaper was printed in 1856 called "The Little Giant." In
1857 the "Chariton Patriot," a Republican paper, was founded by John Edwards and
in 1867 the Democrat paper named the "Chariton Leader" was founded. William
McKay of Fort Des Moines was the first District Judge. The first public library
was lad out in September 1849. By 1875 the population in Lucas County reached
11,725, today the population is 9,070. Contract to remove the tower from the
courthouse, by Rex Perry was signed July 2, 1954.
In 1992 the Town Square Project started and resulted in new circular sidewalks
in the courtyard and new sidewalks going from the circle to the outside of the
square. In 1993 the new lights around the circular sidewalk were installed. In
the summer of 1996, a sidewalk was put in around the outside of the courtyard
and new lights were installed around this. The courtroom in the courthouse was
updated with new carpet, window blinds and pews in the summer of 1997. The
county went to the Micro-Vote system for voting at the elections in the summer
of 1997. In 1999, new carpet was put in all offices in the courthouse. The
Treasurers office was moved upstairs to the west side of the courthouse and
completely remodeled. This is to accommodate the addition of the Drivers License
Registration and Renewal in the year 2000. The assessors office moved to the
main floor in the southwest corner (formerly the treasurers office).
Source: Linda Reed, Lucas County Recorder, 2002
Neighboring Counties:
- Northeast: Marion County
- East: Monroe County
- Southeast: Appanoose County
- South: Wayne County
- Southwest: Decatur County
- West: Clarke County
- Northwest: Warren County
Cities and Towns:
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- Chariton
(County Seat) |
city |
Incorporated Area |
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- Derby |
city |
Incorporated Area |
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- Lucas |
city |
Incorporated Area |
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- Russell |
city |
Incorporated Area |
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- Williamson |
city |
Incorporated Area |
County Resources:
Enter County Resources and Information Here
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County Resource Guide
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The history of our nation can be seen as a prolonged struggle to define the relative roles and powers of our governments: federal, state, and local. And the names we've given our counties, our most locally based jurisdictions, reflects the "characteristic
features of our country!"
But age, size and colorful names of our counties isn't the only reason to explore counties' role in American history, or the history of county government itself. In fact, the story of county government reflects the larger meanings of American history.
Today's counties are the most flexible, locally responsive and creative governments in the US. They are the most diverse, varying in size, population, geography, and governmental structure. In their politics and policies, they express a 1990's political slogan "Think globally,
act locally." |
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