LeClaire is a city in
Scott County, Iowa
Scott County is a county located in the U.S. state of Iowa. As of the 2020 census, the population was 174,669, making it the third-most populous county in Iowa. The county seat is Davenport.
Scott County is included in the Davenport– Moline ...
, United States. The population was 4,710 in
2020
2020 was heavily defined by the COVID-19 pandemic, which led to global Social impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, social and Economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, economic disruption, mass cancellations and postponements of events, COVID- ...
, a 65.4% increase from 2,847 in
2000
File:2000 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: Protests against Bush v. Gore after the 2000 United States presidential election; Heads of state meet for the Millennium Summit; The International Space Station in its infant form as seen from ...
, making it one of the fastest-growing communities in the
Quad Cities
The Quad Cities is a region of cities (originally four, see History) in the U.S. states of Iowa and Illinois: Davenport and Bettendorf in southeastern Iowa, and Rock Island, Moline and East Moline in northwestern Illinois. These cities are t ...
. LeClaire is considered a suburb and part of the
Quad Cities Metropolitan Area
The Quad Cities metropolitan area, more formally known as the Davenport–Moline–Rock Island Metropolitan Statistical Area, is the metropolitan area associated with the Quad Cities in the U.S. states of Iowa and Illinois. The area consists of t ...
, which include the area of
Davenport and
Bettendorf, Iowa
Bettendorf is a city in Scott County, Iowa, United States. It is the 15th largest city of Iowa and the third-largest city in the "Quad Cities". It is part of the Davenport– Moline– Rock Island, IA- IL Metropolitan Statistical Area. The popu ...
, and
Rock Island,
Moline, and
East Moline, Illinois
East Moline is a city in Rock Island County, Illinois, United States. The population was 21,374 at the 2020 census. East Moline is part of the Quad Cities, along with the cities of Rock Island, Illinois, Rock Island, Moline, Illinois, Moline, and ...
.
History
The city takes its name from
Antoine LeClaire
Antoine Le Claire (also "LeClaire"; December 15, 1797 – September 25, 1861) was a US Army interpreter, landowner in Scott County, Iowa, and Rock Island County, Illinois, businessman, philanthropist and principal founder of Davenport, Iowa.
...
, a
Métis
The Métis ( ; Canadian ) are Indigenous peoples who inhabit Canada's three Prairie Provinces, as well as parts of British Columbia, the Northwest Territories, and the Northern United States. They have a shared history and culture which derives ...
trader of
First Nations
First Nations or first peoples may refer to:
* Indigenous peoples, for ethnic groups who are the earliest known inhabitants of an area.
Indigenous groups
*First Nations is commonly used to describe some Indigenous groups including:
**First Natio ...
-
French Canadian
French Canadians (referred to as Canadiens mainly before the twentieth century; french: Canadiens français, ; feminine form: , ), or Franco-Canadians (french: Franco-Canadiens), refers to either an ethnic group who trace their ancestry to Fren ...
descent, who originally owned the land.
["Clearing up the spelling of the town called 'LeClaire'"]
''Quad-City Times
The ''Quad-City Times'' is a daily morning newspaper based in Davenport, Iowa, and circulated throughout the Quad Cities metropolitan area ( Davenport, Bettendorf and Scott County in Iowa; and Moline, East Moline, Rock Island and Rock Isla ...
'', 2010-06-28. Accessed 2010-06-28. Although the city's official name is "LeClaire," it is often spelled "Le Claire,"
and has also been recorded as "LeClare."
The town was incorporated in 1855, having been settled by
European Americans
European Americans (also referred to as Euro-Americans) are Americans of European ancestry. This term includes people who are descended from the first European settlers in the United States as well as people who are descended from more recent Eu ...
as early as the 1830s.
A Canadian Pacific Rail train derailed on 3 January 2020 around 11:00 a.m. near the
Buffalo Bill Museum
The Buffalo Bill Museum, located in LeClaire, Iowa, is focused on life along the Mississippi River and local history.
One exhibit is the Lone Star, a wooden, paddlewheel steam-powered towboat that is housed in a special pier. Local history ex ...
in downtown LeClaire, just yards from the
Mississippi River
The Mississippi River is the second-longest river and chief river of the second-largest drainage system in North America, second only to the Hudson Bay drainage system. From its traditional source of Lake Itasca in northern Minnesota, it f ...
. At least a dozen rail cars and tankers toppled off their tracks, forcing police to send a
hazardous materials
Dangerous goods, abbreviated DG, are substances that when transported are a risk to health, safety, property or the environment. Certain dangerous goods that pose risks even when not being transported are known as hazardous materials ( syllabi ...
team to the site. Officials say
Canadian Pacific Railroad
The Canadian Pacific Railway (french: Chemin de fer Canadien Pacifique) , also known simply as CPR or Canadian Pacific and formerly as CP Rail (1968–1996), is a Canadian Class I railway incorporated in 1881. The railway is owned by Canadi ...
had found no significant air or water contamination. No one was injured and no buildings were damaged in the
derailment
In rail transport, a derailment occurs when a rail vehicle such as a train comes off its rails. Although many derailments are minor, all result in temporary disruption of the proper operation of the railway system and they are a potentially ...
, although some vehicles in a nearby parking lot were damaged.
LeClaire is known as the site of the reality television series ''
American Pickers
''American Pickers'' is an American reality television series that premiered on January 18, 2010 on History, produced by A&E Television Networks in collaboration with Cineflix Media. In the series, the hosts travel across America in search of rar ...
'', aired by the
History Channel
History (formerly The History Channel from January 1, 1995 to February 15, 2008, stylized as HISTORY) is an American pay television network and flagship channel owned by A&E Networks, a joint venture between Hearst Communications and the Disney ...
, and home to Antique Archeology, an antiques store featured on the show. It is the birthplace of William Frederick Cody, aka
Buffalo Bill
William Frederick Cody (February 26, 1846January 10, 1917), known as "Buffalo Bill", was an American soldier, Bison hunting, bison hunter, and showman. He was born in Le Claire, Iowa, Le Claire, Iowa Territory (now the U.S. state of Iowa), but ...
Cody.
Geography
LeClaire is located at (41.596233, -90.356252).
According to the
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The Census Bureau is part of the ...
, the city has a total area of , of which is land and is water.
Demographics
2010 census
As of the
census
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording and calculating information about the members of a given population. This term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common censuses incl ...
of 2010, there were 3,765 people, 1,500 households, and 1,089 families living in the city. The
population density
Population density (in agriculture: standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geographical term.Matt RosenberPopul ...
was . There were 1,602 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 96.2%
White
White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully reflect and scatter all the visible wavelengths of light. White on ...
, 1.0%
African American
African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ens ...
, 0.1%
Native American, 0.4%
Asian
Asian may refer to:
* Items from or related to the continent of Asia:
** Asian people, people in or descending from Asia
** Asian culture, the culture of the people from Asia
** Asian cuisine, food based on the style of food of the people from Asi ...
, 0.6% from
other races
Other often refers to:
* Other (philosophy), a concept in psychology and philosophy
Other or The Other may also refer to:
Film and television
* ''The Other'' (1913 film), a German silent film directed by Max Mack
* ''The Other'' (1930 film), a ...
, and 1.8% from two or more races.
Hispanic
The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or Hispanidad.
The term commonly applies to countries with a cultural and historical link to Spain and to Vic ...
or
Latino
Latino or Latinos most often refers to:
* Latino (demonym), a term used in the United States for people with cultural ties to Latin America
* Hispanic and Latino Americans in the United States
* The people or cultures of Latin America;
** Latin A ...
of any race were 3.0% of the population.
There were 1,500 households, of which 34.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.7% were
married couples
Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognized union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children, and between t ...
living together, 8.6% had a female householder with no husband present, 4.3% had a male householder with no wife present, and 27.4% were non-families. 21.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 6.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.51 and the average family size was 2.92.
The median age in the city was 40 years. 24.8% of residents were under the age of 18; 6% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 27.7% were from 25 to 44; 29.6% were from 45 to 64; and 12% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 50.6% male and 49.4% female.
2000 census
As of the
census
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording and calculating information about the members of a given population. This term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common censuses incl ...
of 2000, there were 2,847 people, 1,104 households, and 819 families living in the city. The population density was . There were 1,175 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 97.72%
White
White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully reflect and scatter all the visible wavelengths of light. White on ...
, 0.21%
African American
African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ens ...
, 0.11%
Native American, 0.42%
Asian
Asian may refer to:
* Items from or related to the continent of Asia:
** Asian people, people in or descending from Asia
** Asian culture, the culture of the people from Asia
** Asian cuisine, food based on the style of food of the people from Asi ...
, 0.60% from
other races
Other often refers to:
* Other (philosophy), a concept in psychology and philosophy
Other or The Other may also refer to:
Film and television
* ''The Other'' (1913 film), a German silent film directed by Max Mack
* ''The Other'' (1930 film), a ...
, and 0.95% from two or more races.
Hispanic
The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or Hispanidad.
The term commonly applies to countries with a cultural and historical link to Spain and to Vic ...
or
Latino
Latino or Latinos most often refers to:
* Latino (demonym), a term used in the United States for people with cultural ties to Latin America
* Hispanic and Latino Americans in the United States
* The people or cultures of Latin America;
** Latin A ...
of any race were 2.21% of the population.
There were 1,104 households, out of which 35.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 60.9% were
married couples
Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognized union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children, and between t ...
living together, 8.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.8% were non-families. 21.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 6.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.58 and the average family size was 2.98.
26.7% are under the age of 18, 7.2% from 18 to 24, 30.0% from 25 to 44, 26.3% from 45 to 64, and 9.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females, there were 99.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.4 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $45,644, and the median income for a family was $51,546. Males had a median income of $42,188 versus $26,395 for females. The
per capita income
Per capita income (PCI) or total income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. It is calculated by dividing the area's total income by its total population.
Per capita i ...
for the city was $21,243. About 2.9% of families and 5.1% of the population were below the
poverty line
The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for t ...
, including 3.4% of those under age 18 and 4.3% of those age 65 or over.
Education
LeClaire is part of the
, and is home to three of the district's schools. In-town elementary students attend Bridgeview Elementary, while students living in outlying areas are assigned to Cody Elementary. Junior high students are bussed to Pleasant Valley Junior High School (known as Blackhawk Junior High from 1970 to 2001), also on the city's outskirts. The district's four other elementary schools (Pleasant View, Riverdale Heights, Hopewell and Forest Grove), the high school, and the district's administrative offices are located in eastern
Bettendorf.
LeClaire residents have one district director on Pleasant Valley's seven-member board of education. Another director serves the city's adjacent rural areas.
From early in the town's history until 1966, the LeClaire Independent School District served the educational needs of students. Students attended a brick building at 425 N. Third Street, known as Albert Gross School, which housed kindergarten through grade 12. The last LeClaire High School graduation was in 1960, after which they were tuitioned to Bettendorf. The school continued as a K-9 facility until 1966, when the district was consolidated with the Pleasant Valley School District; at that time, high school-aged students from LeClaire began attending Pleasant Valley.
Culture
Tugfest
Tugfest is an annual three-day-long event in early August in which a rope is stretched across the Mississippi River from LeClaire, Iowa to
Port Byron, Illinois. There are 10 men's teams of 20 and one woman's team of 25, that tug against each other. The team which pulls the most rope wins, and whichever state wins the most contests wins Tugfest. The event is also associated with a large
fireworks
Fireworks are a class of Explosive, low explosive Pyrotechnics, pyrotechnic devices used for aesthetic and entertainment purposes. They are most commonly used in fireworks displays (also called a fireworks show or pyrotechnics), combining a l ...
display, live band, road
race
Race, RACE or "The Race" may refer to:
* Race (biology), an informal taxonomic classification within a species, generally within a sub-species
* Race (human categorization), classification of humans into groups based on physical traits, and/or s ...
,
carnival
Carnival is a Catholic Christian festive season that occurs before the liturgical season of Lent. The main events typically occur during February or early March, during the period historically known as Shrovetide (or Pre-Lent). Carnival typi ...
and food on both sides of the river.
Port Byron, the 2016 champion, holds an overall record of 19–11 in the competition.
Buffalo Bill Museum
The
Buffalo Bill Museum
The Buffalo Bill Museum, located in LeClaire, Iowa, is focused on life along the Mississippi River and local history.
One exhibit is the Lone Star, a wooden, paddlewheel steam-powered towboat that is housed in a special pier. Local history ex ...
, located on the riverfront in LeClaire, commemorates
Buffalo Bill
William Frederick Cody (February 26, 1846January 10, 1917), known as "Buffalo Bill", was an American soldier, Bison hunting, bison hunter, and showman. He was born in Le Claire, Iowa, Le Claire, Iowa Territory (now the U.S. state of Iowa), but ...
and contains memorabilia from his
Wild West Show
Wild West shows were traveling vaudeville performances in the United States and Europe that existed around 1870–1920. The shows began as theatrical stage productions and evolved into open-air shows that depicted romanticized stereotypes of c ...
. It also displays antiques and other items of historic interest.
''American Pickers''
LeClaire is the home of Antique Archaeology, an
antique store
An antique shop (or antiques shop) is a retail store specializing in the selling of antiques. Antiques shops can be located either locally or, with the advent of the Internet, found online.
An antiques shop can also be located within an anti ...
operated by Mike Wolfe that is featured on the
History Channel
History (formerly The History Channel from January 1, 1995 to February 15, 2008, stylized as HISTORY) is an American pay television network and flagship channel owned by A&E Networks, a joint venture between Hearst Communications and the Disney ...
's reality television series, ''
American Pickers
''American Pickers'' is an American reality television series that premiered on January 18, 2010 on History, produced by A&E Television Networks in collaboration with Cineflix Media. In the series, the hosts travel across America in search of rar ...
''. Wolfe was also a one-time LeClaire firefighter and city council member.
Bald Eagles
LeClaire offers some of the best bald eagle photography opportunities in the continental US, from December to March each year at Lock and Dam 14 on the Mississippi River. The eagles migrate along the flyway of the Mississippi River, and congregate at the lock and dam area to catch fish.
Notable people
*
William Fredrick "Buffalo Bill" Cody (1846–1917), known for his wild west shows
* Mike Wolfe, star and creator of the television show ''
American Pickers
''American Pickers'' is an American reality television series that premiered on January 18, 2010 on History, produced by A&E Television Networks in collaboration with Cineflix Media. In the series, the hosts travel across America in search of rar ...
''
* Frank Fritz, star of the television show ''
American Pickers
''American Pickers'' is an American reality television series that premiered on January 18, 2010 on History, produced by A&E Television Networks in collaboration with Cineflix Media. In the series, the hosts travel across America in search of rar ...
''
*
Christine Romans
Christine Romans is a correspondent and anchor for CNN, and also an author. She previously worked for Reuters and Knight Ridder Financial News. She is the chief business correspondent for CNN, in addition anchors '' Early Start'' from 4 a.m. to ...
, CNN correspondent
See also
*
James Gamble House
References
External links
LeClaire homepageComprehensive Statistical Data and more about LeClaire
{{authority control
Cities in Iowa
Cities in Scott County, Iowa
Iowa populated places on the Mississippi River
Cities in the Quad Cities
1855 establishments in Iowa
Populated places established in 1855