Herculaneum, Missouri

Herculaneum, Missouri
Country	United States
State	Missouri
Settled	1808
Population	3,468 (2010 census)
Area (sq mi)	4.10 mi²
Current mayor	Bill Haggard

Herculaneum is a city in eastern Jefferson County, Missouri, and its oldest continuously-settled and incorporated community today. It had a population of 3,468 at the 2010 census.

History

Though it was not the first organized community to be established in what became Jefferson County, Herculaneum was during the early 19th century the most important town in that region. It had its origins in the arrival of Moses Austin in what was then the Spanish colony of Louisiana in 1798. Austin, a native of Connecticut, obtained a land grant from the Spanish colonial government to conduct lead-mining operations in the vicinity of present-day Potosi. Austin's enterprise was successful, making the Potosi area one of the most important economic centers of the future state of Missouri; as it was some distance from the Mississippi River, though, Austin sought a shipping point from which the excavated lead could be more easily sent to market. In 1808, he and an associate of his, Samuel Hammond, selected a spot on the mouth of Joachim Creek, not only because it lay on the Mississippi but also because it was situated upon high bluffs, on which towers could be erected for the processing of the raw lead into shot. It is thought that these eroded limestone bluffs inspired Austin to name the new town for the ancient Roman city of Herculaneum, destroyed with Pompeii and other towns by the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in AD 79--Austin supposedly was reminded of the ruins of the old city's amphitheater.

Herculaneum grew rapidly, on account of its connection to the lead-mining activities. The first shot tower in America west of Pittsburgh was opened in 1809, and by 1813 three were in operation there; these produced a considerable amount of the lead ammunition and cannonballs used by the American army in the War of 1812. During these years, Herculaneum was one of the most significant towns in the region south of St. Louis, and upon the creation of Jefferson County in 1818, it became the county seat. In addition to the courthouse, it had at this time some thirty to forty houses, several stores, a post office, and a school.

Beginning in the 1830s, Herculaneum began to decline, for several reasons; the demand for a more centrally-located county seat led to its being relocated westward to Hillsboro in 1839, taking away one of the older city's functions, and by this time, other shipping points for the lead trade had emerged. Additionally, the railroads that began to be constructed through the county in the 1850s bypassed Herculaneum, and for a time it appeared that the town might be abandoned entirely. It was revitalized in 1887, however, when the St. Joseph Lead Company, now dominating most mining operations in the region, chose it as a lead smelting site. The plant built by the company, which at its completion included a 550-foot-tall smokestack, was for some time thereafter the largest lead smelter in the United States, producing some 225,000 tons of refined lead per year. By the early 20th century, Herculaneum had recovered considerably, having at that point a population of about 800 and a number of business establishments in addition to the smelting plant.

Herculaneum maintained a slow but steady growth throughout the 20th century. It benefited from the construction of U.S. Route 61, and later Interstate 55, through the town, and beginning in the 1960s it received an influx of suburban dwellers from the north as the St. Louis metropolitan area expanded.

The lead smelting plant was purchased in 1981 by the Doe Run Company, which maintained operations there until 2013. By 2000, there was mounting concern over the dangers of lead pollution in the Herculaneum area; dust from the transport of lead ore had accumulated on the land roundabout, and by-product "slag" had in some cases leached into neighboring water sources. After an investigation revealed levels of lead concentration in the soil that were well above what regulations permitted, the Doe Run Company was fined $65 million in 2010, and this contributed to its decision to shut down the smelter in 2013. For the time being, the decline of the lead business has not hurt Herculaneum's livelihood seriously, given growth in the county at large. The community celebrated its bicentennial in 2008 with a series of events, including the unveiling of a new flag for the city.

Geography

Herculaneum is located along Interstate 55 and U.S. Routes 61-67 in eastern Jefferson County, bounded on the east by the Mississippi River. It is directly adjacent to Pevely to the north, and to the cities of Festus and Crystal City to the south. Its exact coordinates are 38°15’33”N 90°23’16”W.

The original area of settlement sits on high ground between the Mississippi River to the east, Joachim Creek to the south, and U.S. 61-67 to the west. Most of the city's newer development, by contrast, is farther west along Interstate 55. Herculaneum has a total area of 4.10 square miles, and an average elevation of 422 feet.

Demographics

At the 2010 census, Herculaneum had a total of 3,468 inhabitants, grouped into 1,309 households, with a population density of 854.2 people per square mile. This figure represented a significant increase from the 2000 census, when Herculaneum had a population of 2,805. 95.44% of the inhabitants were White, 1.76% were African-American, 0.29% were Native American, 1.07% were Asian, 0.29% were from some other race, and 1.15% were from two or more races. Hispanics of any race were 0.89% of the population.

The median age in Herculaneum was 37.8 years, with 23.9% of inhabitants under the age of 18, 6.7% between 18 and 24 years old, 29.0% between 25 and 44, 24.4% between 45 and 64, and 16.1% 65 years old or older. The sex ratio was 49.0% male, 51.0% female.

According to the 2018 American Community Survey, Herculaneum had a median household income of $63,824, and a median family income of $70,813. The unemployment rate was 7.3%. The per capita income was $27,023. About 11.2% of the population lived below the poverty line, including 12.7% of people under the age of 18 and 17.4% of people 65 years old or older.

Government

Despite its long history, Herculaneum was not incorporated as a city until 1972. Since that time, it has had a mayor-council form of government, being run by a mayor and a six-member board of aldermen, two from each of the city's three wards; both mayor and aldermen are elected for two-year terms. There is also a city administrator, who is appointed to the position. The current mayor of Herculaneum is Bill Haggard, most recently elected in April 2021.

List of Herculaneum Mayors

• Don Stotler (1972-1975)
• William Burlage (1975-1979)
• William Wildish (1979-1980)
• Richard Marberry (1980-1981)
• Frances Pashia (1981-1987)
• Tom Griffith (1987-1991)
• Tom Robart (1991-1993)
• Jerry Martin (1993-1997)
• Tom Griffith (1997-2001)
• John Chamis (2001-2005)
• Jeff Kendall (2005-2006)
• Gina Vinyard (2006-2010)
• Bill Haggard (2010-)

Economy

Throughout much of its history, Herculaneum's economy was chiefly supported by the nearby lead-smelting plant, run by the St. Joseph Lead Company and later the Doe Run Company, which closed down most of its operations in 2013. It is currently transitioning to a service-oriented economy, especially as it becomes more of a bedroom community for those who work in the broader St. Louis area. A major scene of development in recent years has been at the crossing of McNutt Street and Interstate 55 (Exit 178), where a number of gas stations, restaurants, and other service businesses have proliferated and become a major stopover point for interstate travelers.

Education

Herculaneum is a part of the Dunklin R-V School District, formed in 1965 through the consolidation of the Herculaneum and Pevely school districts and named after former Missouri Governor Daniel Dunklin, a resident of the area. It has a total enrollment of about 1,650 students in grades PK-12, with the middle and high schools (and most administrative facilities) included in Herculaneum itself. Indeed, the high school is still labeled "Herculaneum High School." Its mascot is the Blackcats (sometimes the "Herculaneum Blackcats") and the school colors are red, black, and white.

Part of the school's facilities were built by the WPA in the 1930s, including bleachers at the football and track field that, unusually, are cut from stone. The school has long been active in community life and broader civic engagement, having in many years organized Senior Educational Trips throughout the United States for graduating high school students.

Community Life

Herculaneum has a number of small parks, which are connected by a short walking trail. This trail also passes the grave of former Missouri governor Daniel Dunklin, who spent his last years in the community and was buried there with several family members. The location has been a State Historic Site since 1965. The Herculaneum City Park is the center of most local activity, including such annual events as the Fourth of July Celebration, "Movies in the Park" in the summer, and the Jeffco Fire Engine Rally in September.

The city has devoted considerable efforts to maintaining "green spaces" and standards of civic beauty, winning the designation of "Tree City USA" from the Arbor Day Foundation every year from 2007 to 2017. Beautification programs are still ongoing today.

The local population has long recognized the value of active civic involvement, and there are an unusually high number of social organizations: the VFW, the American Legion, the Knights of Columbus, the Elks, and the Eagles, among others. Since 2008, the city has also awarded a "Citizen of the Month" designation to those especially engaged in the community.

Herculaneum was adopted as the "honorary hometown" of the 40th Airlift Squadron of the United States Air Force, based at Dyess Air Force Base in Texas, in 2007, just before the city's bicentennial celebration.

There are currently seven churches in Herculaneum:

• Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
• Buren Chapel AME
• Heart of the Apostles Fellowship
• Journey Community Church
• First Baptist Church of Herculaneum-Pevely
• First Assembly of God
• United Methodist Church

Notable People

• Daniel Dunklin (1790-1844), Governor of Missouri from 1832 to 1836; spent last years in Herculaneum and was buried there; namesake of Dunklin R-V School District
• Thomas Clement Fletcher (1827-1899), Governor of Missouri from 1865 to 1869; born and raised in Herculaneum
• Campbell Morfit (1820-1897), renowned chemist in America and Great Britain; born in Herculaneum
• Anthony Pusateri (stage name Tony Stevens) (1948-2011), choreographer and director of film, TV, and stage productions; born in Herculaneum