Lucedale, Mississippi

Lucedale, Mississippi
Lucedale, Mississippi
City
	George County Courthouse in Lucedale
	Flag Logo
	Motto: "Where People & Progress Meet"
	Location of Lucedale, Mississippi
	Lucedale, Mississippi Location in the United States
	Coordinates: 30°55′29″N 88°35′26″W / 30.92472°N 88.59056°W
Country	United States
State	Mississippi
County	George
Government
• Mayor	Doug Lee
Area
• Total	6.39 sq mi (16.55 km2)
• Land	6.39 sq mi (16.55 km2)
• Water	0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2)
Elevation	281 ft (86 m)
Population (2020)
• Total	2,869
• Density	448.91/sq mi (173.33/km2)
Time zone	UTC-6 (Central (CST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC-5 (CDT)
ZIP code	39452
Area code(s)	601, 769
FIPS code	28-42440
GNIS feature ID	0672944
Website	cityoflucedale.com

Lucedale (/ˈluːsdeɪl/) is a city in George County, Mississippi, United States. It is part of the Pascagoula, Mississippi Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 2,923 at the 2010 census,^[3] up from 2,458 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of George County.^[4]

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.^[5]^[6]

Lucedale was founded in 1901, and was named after Gregory Marston Luce, who operated a lumber business there.^[7]^[8]

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.^[9]

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.^[10]^[11] 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".^[10]

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, Lucedale has a total area of 6.4 square miles (16.6 km²), all land.^[3]

Demographics

Historical population
Census	Pop.	%±
1910	797	—
1920	629	−21.1%
1930	834	32.6%
1940	1,204	44.4%
1950	1,631	35.5%
1960	1,977	21.2%
1970	2,083	5.4%
1980	2,429	16.6%
1990	2,592	6.7%
2000	2,458	−5.2%
2010	2,923	18.9%
2020	2,869	−1.8%
U.S. Decennial Census^[12]

Lucedale racial composition as of 2020^[13]
Race	Num.	Perc.
White (non-Hispanic)	1,858	64.76%
Black or African American (non-Hispanic)	753	26.25%
Native American	12	0.42%
Asian	30	1.05%
Pacific Islander	1	0.03%
Other/Mixed	119	4.15%
Hispanic or Latino	96	3.35%

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.^[14]

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.^[15]

Infrastructure

Highways

Mississippi Highway 198 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.^[16] Lucedale Fire Department was established in 1901, and consists of a fire chief, three firemen, and four volunteer firemen.^[17]

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.^[18]

Notable people

Ruthie Bolton, Olympic gold medalist basketball player^[19]
Janice Lawrence Braxton, Olympic gold medalist basketball player^[20]
Ty Fryfogle, football wide receiver for the Indiana Hoosiers^[21]
Carolyn Haines, author, also credited as Caroline Burnes^[22]
Annibel Jenkins, English professor, scholar
Alonzo Lawrence, football defensive back^[23]
Jake W. Lindsey, recipient of the Medal of Honor^[24]
Dee McCann, professional football player^[25]
Doug McLeod, member of the Mississippi House of Representatives^[26]
Eric Moulds, professional football player^[27]
John Nix, professional football player^[28]
Justin Steele, professional baseball player
Claude Passeau, professional baseball player^[29]
McKinnley Jackson, professional football player

References

^ "City of Lucedale, Mississippi". City of Lucedale. Retrieved December 20, 2016.
^ "2020 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 24, 2022.
^ ^a ^b "Geographic Identifiers: 2010 Demographic Profile Data (G001): Lucedale city, Mississippi". American Factfinder. U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved December 20, 2016.^{[dead link]}
^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
^ "Mobile, Jackson & Kansas City Railroad". Mississippi Rails. Retrieved April 27, 2024.
^ Deese, Wynelle Scott (1999). Musing Through Towns in Mississippi. Arcadia. p. 105.
^ "About George County, Mississippi". George County Mississippi Genealogy & History Network. Retrieved December 20, 2016.
^ "About Us". City of Lucedale. Retrieved December 20, 2016.
^ "Negro was lynched as guards sleped". The Troy Messenger. October 24, 1906.
^ ^a ^b Perry, Brian (March 2, 2017). "Execution Options". Columbian-Progress.
^ Cabana, Donald A. (October 2004). "The History of Capital Punishment in Mississippi: An Overview". Mississippi Historical Society.
^ "Census of Population and Housing". Census.gov. Retrieved June 4, 2015.
^ "Explore Census Data". data.census.gov. Retrieved December 16, 2021.
^ "Locations". Jackson-George Regional Library System. Retrieved April 27, 2024.
^ "George County School District". Education.com. Education.com, Inc. 2006–2013. Retrieved August 11, 2013.
^ "Police Department". City of Lucedale. Retrieved April 27, 2024.
^ "Fire Department". City of Lucedale. Retrieved April 27, 2024.
^ "George Regional Hospital". George Regional Health System. Retrieved April 27, 2024.
^ "About Ruthie Bolton-Holifield Memorabilia". SportsMemorabilia.com. SportsMemorabilia.com, LLC. 2013. Archived from the original on November 2, 2013. Retrieved August 11, 2013.
^ Voepel, Mechelle (April 28, 2006). "Hall Trio Leaves Lasting Legacy". ESPN.
^ "Ty Fryfogle". iuhoosiers.com. Retrieved December 10, 2020.
^ Nancy Jacobs (January 20, 2010). "MISSISSIPPI WRITERS: Carolyn Haines". Mississippi Writers & Musicians. Nancy Jacobs. Retrieved August 11, 2013.
^ Rogers, Justin (May 17, 2012). "Rookie safety Alonzo Lawrence signed with Detroit Lions looking for a fresh start". MLive. Retrieved December 10, 2020.
^ "World War II, Medal of Honor, Recipients G-L". U.S. Army Center of Military History. July 15, 2013.
^ "Dee McCann". WVU Stats. Archived from the original on February 22, 2014. Retrieved February 11, 2014.
^ "Doug McLeod". state.ms.us. State of Mississippi. Retrieved December 10, 2020.
^ Creg Stephenson (October 15, 2010). "Lucedale's Moulds named SEC football "legend"". The Mississippi Times. Retrieved August 11, 2013.
^ "John Nix". Pro-Football. Retrieved February 11, 2014.
^ Richard Goldstein (September 2, 2003). "Claude Passeau, 94, A Standout Pitcher For the 1945 Cubs". The New York Times. Retrieved August 11, 2013.