Lucedale () is a city in George County,

Mississippi Mississippi ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern and Deep South regions of the United States. It borders Tennessee to the north, Alabama to the east, the Gulf of Mexico to the south, Louisiana to the s ...

, United States. It is part of the

Pascagoula, Mississippi Pascagoula ( ) is a city in and the county seat of Jackson County, Mississippi, United States. It is the principal city of the Pascagoula metropolitan area, and is part of the Gulfport, Mississippi, Gulfport–Biloxi, Mississippi, Biloxi–Pascag ...

Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 2,923 at the 2010 census, up from 2,458 at the 2000 census. It is the

county seat A county seat is an administrative center, seat of government, or capital city of a county or parish (administrative division), civil parish. The term is in use in five countries: Canada, China, Hungary, Romania, and the United States. An equiva ...

of George County.

History

Lucedale was one of several settlements created after the Mobile, Jackson and Kansas City Railroad penetrated northern Jackson County (now George County) in the late 1890s. Lucedale was founded in 1901, and was named after Gregory Marston Luce, who operated a lumber business there. In 1906, a black man was hanged from a telegraph pole near the Lucedale railroad depot by a crowd of 300, after allegedly assaulting a white woman. Mississippi's first execution by electrocution was administered to a convicted wife-killer in Lucedale in 1940, using the only portable electric chair ever employed in the United States. The "death wagon" and chair had been on display outside the Mississippi capitol prior to arriving in Lucedale, and photos of the execution were published in state newspapers, the executioner commenting: "he died with tears in his eyes for the efficient care I took to give him a good clean burning".

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 ...

, Lucedale has a total area of , all land.

Demographics

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 2,869 people, 975 households, and 504 families residing in the city.

Arts and culture

Lucedale Public Library is part of the Jackson-George Regional Library System.

Education

Lucedale is served by the George County School District. As of 2010, the district spends US$6,732 per pupil—63% on instruction, 30% on support services, and 7% on other elementary and secondary expenditures—and 15 students existed for every full-time equivalent teacher.

Infrastructure

Highways

Mississippi Highway 198 Mississippi Highway 198 (MS 198) is a state highway in the U.S. state of Mississippi Mississippi ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern and Deep South regions of the United States. It borders Tennes ...

passes through the city as Main Street *US 98 *Highway 63

Public safety

Lucedale Police Department consists of a police chief, 11 patrolmen, and one investigator. Lucedale Fire Department was established in 1901, and consists of a fire chief, three firemen, and four volunteer firemen.

Healthcare

George Regional Hospital in Lucedale is a 50-bed, non-profit, community owned hospital serving George County, Greene County, Stone County, and northern Jackson County.

Notable people

* Ruthie Bolton, Olympic gold medalist basketball player * Janice Lawrence Braxton, Olympic gold medalist basketball player * Ty Fryfogle, football

wide receiver A wide receiver (WR), also referred to as a wideout, and historically known as a split end (SE) or flanker (FL), is an eligible receiver in gridiron football. A key skill position of the offense (American football), offense, WR gets its name ...

for the

Indiana Hoosiers The Indiana Hoosiers are the intercollegiate sports teams and players of Indiana University Bloomington, named after the demonym for people from the state of Indiana. The Hoosiers participate in NCAA Division I, Division I of the National Coll ...

* Carolyn Haines, author, also credited as Caroline Burnes * Annibel Jenkins, English professor, scholar * Alonzo Lawrence, football

defensive back In gridiron football, defensive backs (DBs), also called the secondary, are the players on the defensive side of the ball who play farthest back from the line of scrimmage. They are distinguished from the other two sets of defensive players, the ...

* Jake W. Lindsey, recipient of the

Medal of Honor The Medal of Honor (MOH) is the United States Armed Forces' highest Awards and decorations of the United States Armed Forces, military decoration and is awarded to recognize American United States Army, soldiers, United States Navy, sailors, Un ...

* Dee McCann, professional football player * Doug McLeod, member of the

Mississippi House of Representatives The Mississippi House of Representatives is the lower house of the Mississippi Legislature, the lawmaking body of the U.S. state of Mississippi. According to the state constitution of 1890, it is to comprise no more than 122 members elected for ...

* Eric Moulds, professional football player * John Nix, professional football player * Justin Steele, professional baseball player * Claude Passeau, professional baseball player * McKinnley Jackson, professional football player

References

External links

* {{authority control Cities in Mississippi Cities in George County, Mississippi County seats in Mississippi Cities in Pascagoula metropolitan area