LeClaire is a city in

Scott County, Iowa Scott County is a County (United States), county located in the U.S. state of Iowa. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the population was 174,669, making it the third-most populous county in Iowa. The county seat is Davenport, Io ...

, United States. The population was 4,710 in

2020 The year 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 even ...

, a 65.4% increase from 2,847 in

2000 2000 was designated as the International Year for the Culture of Peace and the World Mathematics, Mathematical Year. Popular culture holds the year 2000 as the first year of the 21st century and the 3rd millennium, because of a tende ...

, making it one of the fastest-growing communities in the

Quad Cities The Quad Cities is a region of five cities (originally Tri-Cities, later four, see #History, History) in the U.S. states of Iowa and Illinois: Davenport, Iowa, Davenport and Bettendorf, Iowa, Bettendorf (the fifth to be included) in southeaster ...

. LeClaire is considered a suburb and part of the

Quad Cities Metropolitan Area The Quad Cities is a region of five cities (originally Tri-Cities, later four, see History) in the U.S. states of Iowa and Illinois: Davenport and Bettendorf (the fifth to be included) in southeastern Iowa, and Rock Island, Moline and East ...

, which includes the area of

Davenport Davenport may refer to: Places Australia *Davenport, Northern Territory, a locality *Hundred of Davenport, cadastral unit in South Australia **Davenport, South Australia, suburb of Port Augusta **District Council of Davenport, former local govern ...

and

Bettendorf, Iowa Bettendorf is a city in Scott County, Iowa, United States. The population was 39,102 at the 2020 census. Bettendorf is the fifth of the Quad Cities along the Mississippi River, along with neighboring Davenport in Iowa and Moline, East Molin ...

, 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 one of the Quad Cities at the confluence of the Rock and Mississippi rivers, along with neighboring Moline and ...

History

The city takes its name from

Antoine LeClaire Antoine Le Claire (also LeClaire; December 15, 1797 – September 25, 1861) was an American military interpreter, businessman, philanthropist, and principal founder of Davenport, Iowa. Biography Early life Le Claire was born on December 15, 1797 ...

, a

Métis The Métis ( , , , ) are a mixed-race Indigenous people whose historical homelands include Canada's three Prairie Provinces extending into parts of Ontario, British Columbia, the Northwest Territories and the northwest United States. They ha ...

trader of

First Nations First nations are indigenous settlers or bands. First Nations, first nations, or first peoples may also refer to: Indigenous groups *List of Indigenous peoples *First Nations in Canada, Indigenous peoples of Canada who are neither Inuit nor Mé ...

French Canadian French Canadians, referred to as Canadiens mainly before the nineteenth century, are an ethnic group descended from French people, French colonists first arriving in Canada (New France), France's colony of Canada in 1608. The vast majority of ...

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, including Davenport, Bettendorf and Scott County in Iowa; and Moline, East Moline, Rock Island, an ...

'', 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 are Americans of European ancestry. This term includes both people who descend from the first European settlers in the area of the present-day United States and people who descend from more recent European arrivals. Since th ...

as early as the 1830s. A Canadian Pacific Railway 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 main stem, primary river of the largest drainage basin in the United States. It is the second-longest river in the United States, behind only the Missouri River, Missouri. From its traditional source of Lake Ita ...

. At least a dozen rail cars and tankers toppled off their tracks, forcing police to send a

hazardous materials Dangerous goods are substances that are a risk to health, safety, property or the Natural environment, environment during transport. Certain dangerous goods that pose risks even when not being transported are known as hazardous materials (syll ...

team to the site. Officials say

Canadian Pacific Railway The Canadian Pacific Railway () , 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 Canadian Pacific Kansas City, Canadian Pacific Ka ...

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 is a type of train wreck that 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 sys ...

, 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'' (or also known as ''The Pickers'' for international broadcasts) is an American reality television series that premiered on January 18, 2010, on the History Channel, produced by A&E Networks in collaboration with Cineflix Me ...

'', aired by the

History Channel History (formerly and commonly known as the History Channel) is an American pay television television broadcaster, network and the flagship channel of A&E Networks, a joint venture between Hearst Communications and the Disney General Entertainme ...

, and home to Antique Archaeology, 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), better known as Buffalo Bill, was an American soldier, bison hunter, and showman. One of the most famous figures of the American Old West, Cody started his legend at the young age ...

Cody.

Geography

According to the

United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau, officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the Federal statistical system, U.S. federal statistical system, responsible for producing data about the American people and American economy, econ ...

, the city has a total area of , of which is land and is water.

Demographics

2020 census

Note: The city's name is "Le Claire", not LeClaire, in the 2020 census data. As of the

census A census (from Latin ''censere'', 'to assess') is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording, and calculating population information about the members of a given Statistical population, population, usually displayed in the form of stati ...

of 2020, there were 4,710 people, 1,826 households, and 1,337 families residing in the city. The

population density Population density (in agriculture: Standing stock (disambiguation), 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 geog ...

was 1,012.2 inhabitants per square mile (390.8/km²). There were 1,966 housing units at an average density of 422.5 per square mile (163.1/km²). The

racial Race is a categorization of humans based on shared physical or social qualities into groups generally viewed as distinct within a given society. The term came into common usage during the 16th century, when it was used to refer to groups of va ...

makeup of the city was 89.2%

White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no chroma). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully (or almost fully) reflect and scatter all the visible wa ...

, 2.2% Black or African American, 0.3% Native American, 1.4% Asian, 0.0%

Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, Pacificans, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the list of islands in the Pacific Ocean, Pacific Islands. As an ethnic group, ethnic/race (human categorization), racial term, it is used to describe th ...

, 0.9% from other races and 6.0% from two or more races.

Hispanic or Latino ''Hispanic'' and '' Latino'' are ethnonyms used to refer collectively to the inhabitants of the United States who are of Spanish or Latin American ancestry (). While many use the terms interchangeably, for example, the United States Census Bureau ...

persons of any race comprised 3.6% of the population. Of the 1,826 households, 35.8% of which had children under the age of 18 living with them, 61.8% were

married couples Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognised union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children (if any), and b ...

living together, 5.2% were cohabitating couples, 18.7% had a female householder with no spouse or partner present and 14.2% had a male householder with no spouse or partner present. 26.8% of all households were non-families. 22.4% of all households were made up of individuals, 9.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years old or older. The median age in the city was 39.4 years. 28.9% of the residents were under the age of 20; 3.4% were between the ages of 20 and 24; 26.3% were from 25 and 44; 25.9% were from 45 and 64; and 15.6% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 49.4% male and 50.6% female.

2010 census

As of the

of 2010, there were 3,765 people, 1,500 households, and 1,089 families living in the city. The

was . There were 1,602 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 96.2%

, 1.0%

African American African Americans, also known as Black Americans and formerly also called Afro-Americans, are an Race and ethnicity in the United States, American racial and ethnic group that consists of Americans who have total or partial ancestry from an ...

, 0.1% Native American, 0.4% Asian, 0.6% from other races, and 1.8% from two or more races.

Hispanic The term Hispanic () are people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or broadly. In some contexts, Hispanic and Latino Americans, especially within the United States, "Hispanic" is used as an Ethnici ...

or Latino people 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

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

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%

, 0.21%

, 0.11% Native American, 0.42% Asian, 0.60% from other races, and 0.95% from two or more races.

or Latino people 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

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 average income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. In many countries, per capita income is determined using regular population surveys, such ...

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 ...

, including 3.4% of those under age 18 and 4.3% of those age 65 or over.

Education

LeClaire is part of the

Pleasant Valley Community School District The Pleasant Valley Community School District (PVCSD) is a suburban state school, public school district headquartered in Riverdale, Iowa, Riverdale, Iowa, near Bettendorf, Iowa, Bettendorf.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 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 large numbe ...

display, live band, road race,

carnival Carnival (known as Shrovetide in certain localities) is a festive season that occurs at the close of the Christian pre-Lenten period, consisting of Quinquagesima or Shrove Sunday, Shrove Monday, and Shrove Tuesday or Mardi Gras. 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

, located on the riverfront in LeClaire, commemorates

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 co ...

. It also displays antiques and other items of historic interest.

''American Pickers''

LeClaire is the home of Antique Archaeology, an

antique store An antique () is an item perceived as having value because of its aesthetic or historical significance, and often defined as at least 100 years old (or some other limit), although the term is often used loosely to describe any object that i ...

operated by Mike Wolfe that is featured on the

's reality television series, ''

''. 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 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 from December to March to catch fish.

Notable people

* William Fredrick "Buffalo Bill" Cody (1846–1917), known for his wild west shows * Peter Henry Rolfs (1865-1944), Dean of the College of Agriculture at the University of Florida (1915 to 1920) * Christine Romans, broadcast journalist

References

External links

LeClaire homepage
comprehensive 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