Luzerne was founded following construction of the Chicago and Northwestern Railway through the territory.
- CountyBenton County
- Population112 (2020 U.S. Census)
Luzerne was founded following construction of the Chicago and Northwestern Railway through the territory.
Luzerne, Iowa gifts and souvenirs: 16 designs made from Luzerne's own map, landmarks and history, from $16 to $95. Printed to order and shipped free in the USA.
| Popular | Price |
|---|---|
| Luzerne Hometown Ornament | $23 |
| Luzerne Varsity Crewneck | from $57 |
| Luzerne Est. Tee | from $33 |
| Luzerne Town Line Mug | from $26 |
| Luzerne Market Tote | $37 |
Ceramic keepsake, gold ribbon, in 3 styles
Heavy-blend fleece, street map printed on the back
Red heavy-blend crewneck, knit-stitch town print
Soft Bella+Canvas jersey
Kids' Bella+Canvas jersey, youth sizes
Bella+Canvas toddler jersey
Bella+Canvas baby bodysuit
Glossy ceramic, dishwasher safe
Weatherproof, for the front walk
24″×16″, printed coir-look fibers, rubber back
12″×12″ printed wood, ready to hang
Soft-touch, zip cover
Sturdy all-over-print tote
Glossy top, cork back
Soft fleece, 50″×60″
20 oz, double-wall stainless
Luzerne was founded following construction of the Chicago and Northwestern Railway through the territory. Luzerne was named and platted as a town on the railroad by Isaac B. Howe, the Superintendent of the Iowa Div. of the railway, in 1868.
In October 1867 it was determined to relocate a station at "Buckeye" to an empty place in the plains midway between Blairstown and Belle Plaine. This move was a mere 2 miles to the east. The new station was named Luzerne, named by IB Howe for the Swiss town that he longed to visit. Buckeye no longer exists but would now be an empty place 2 miles to the west of Luzerne.
It might seem strange that there would be some advantage moving a station 2 miles; plus also a number of buildings that needed moving as well. The Buckeye station was run by railroad magnate John I Blair’s railroad group who owned the Cedar Rapids & Missouri River railroad which had originally planned the road to Omaha. The CR&MR was now under permanent lease to the Chicago & North Western, who wanted any excuse to squeeze out Blair if it could be to their benefit. Taking full advantage of the Luzerne station, Howe purchased the land and platted a new town there on 17 April 1868.
This was shortly after the C&NW had connected with the Union Pacific's Transcontinental railroad in Council Bluffs, giving Luzerne a direct connection with the Pacific Coast the following year.
Adapted (trimmed) from the Wikipedia article Luzerne, Iowa, revision 1374534286 by its contributors, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
We share a part of every Luzerne sale with local partners, and we'd love to print from your collection. Old photographs, maps and postcards make the best keepsakes.
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Luzerne's population was 112 in the 2020 U.S. Census, up from 96 in 2010.