LeClaire is a city in Scott County, Iowa, United States. The population was 4,710 in 2020, 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 S ...

, 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 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, 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, Moline, and the Iowa cities of Davenport and Be ...

History

The city takes its name from Antoine LeClaire, a

Métis The Métis ( ; Canadian ) are Indigenous peoples of the Americas, Indigenous peoples who inhabit Canada's three Canadian Prairies, Prairie Provinces, as well as parts of British Columbia, the Northwest Territories, and the Northern United State ...

trader of First Nations-

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 Fre ...

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 E ...

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 List of longest rivers of the United States (by main stem), second-longest river and chief river of the second-largest Drainage system (geomorphology), drainage system in North America, second only to the Hudson B ...

. 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 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'', 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 hunter, and showman. He was born in Le Claire, Iowa Territory (now the U.S. state of Iowa), but he lived for several years ...

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 th ...

, 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 inc ...

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 RosenberPopu ...

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 ...

, 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, 0.6% from other races, and 1.8% from two or more races.

Hispanic The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, 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 viceroyalties for ...

or Latino 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 ...

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 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 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 ...

, 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 rural public school district headquartered in Riverdale, Iowa, near 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 a class of low explosive 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 number of devices ...

display, live band, road race,

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 t ...

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

''American Pickers''

LeClaire is the home of Antique Archaeology, an antique store operated by Mike Wolfe that is featured on the

's reality television series, '' American Pickers''. 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'' * Frank Fritz, star of the television show '' American Pickers'' * Christine Romans, CNN correspondent

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