Luzerne, Iowa
The hamlet of Luzerne is a quiet community of 105 residents four miles south of Highway 30 on County Road V44.
Nestled among rolling farm fields, Luzerne was founded in 1867 when the Chicago and Northwestern Railroad decided to move its station two miles east from Buckeye to midway between Blairstown and Belle Plaine.
While on an inspection trip, the railroad president named the community Luzerne because the surrounding hills and valleys reminded him of Lucerne, Switzerland.
The city’s only church, St. Paul’s Lutheran, was organized in 1859 and is considered the mother church of all Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod congregations in Iowa. The church operated a day school from 1866 to 1965.
Fire destroyed the congregation’s 130-year-old church building in January 2001. Determined to remain independent, members rallied to rebuild and dedicated a new church on the same site just one year later.
Annual congregational events include a summer ice cream social and a fall soup supper.
Community efforts to replace an aging, one-lane viaduct spanning the railroad tracks in Luzerne met with success when a new bridge with walkway opened in 2007. The Union Pacific Railroad and a federal grant funded the $1.3 million project.
Residents also rallied to provide new playground equipment for the city park in 2008. A community dinner raised nearly $2,000 for the Luzerne Safe Kids Zone. Donations from the city, individuals and food sales from the RAGBRAI pass-through that year, along with grants from the Benton County Community Foundation and the Mansfield Trust, made the $11,000 project a reality.
Located on the corner of East Iowa and Main streets, the park is equipped with a shelter house, picnic tables and a baseball field.
For more information, visit Luzerne’s Web site at: www.luzerneia.com.
LUZERNE CITY COUNCIL
Mayor John Brandt
Term ends Jan. 1, 2012
Jeani Brandt
Term ends Jan. 1, 2012
Dwight Glinsmann
Term ends Jan. 1, 2012
Kelly Kendall
Term ends Jan. 1, 2012
Lorin Potter
Term ends Jan. 1, 2012
Ryan Rupp
Term ends Jan. 1, 2012
The mayor and council are elected to two-year terms. Council meetings are held the first Monday of the month at City Hall, 114 E. Iowa St., at 7 p.m. Meetings are open to the public. To be included on the agenda, contact the city clerk at (319) 444-3501 at least 24 hours before the meeting.
Water is provided and billed by Poweshiek Water Association.
LUZERNE CITY STAFF
Jan Kendall, City Clerk
(319) 444-3501
Email: jkendall@netins.net
Kelly Kendall, Snow removal
(319) 444-3501
David Happel, City Attorney
(319) 472-4300
PUBLIC SAFETY
For emergencies call 911
Police – Benton County Sheriff’s Department
113 E. Third St.
Vinton, IA 52349
(319) 472-2337
Luzerne Volunteer Fire Department
111 E. Iowa St.
Luzerne, IA 52257
(319) 444-2110
Fire Chief – Dan Martin
UTILITY INFORMATION
Water – Poweshiek Water Association
(800) 543-7419 or Luzerne City Clerk (319) 444-3501
Electric – Alliant Energy (800) 822-4348
Phone Service – Coon Creek Telecommunications
(888) 823-6234 or Windstream (800) 347-1991
Internet – Coon Creek Telecommunications (888-823-6234 or Windstream (800) 347-1991
Trash/Recycling – Waste Management (800) 542-8392
EDUCATION
Belle Plaine Community School District
Administrative Offices
707 Seventh St.
Belle Plaine, IA 52208
(319) 444-3611
Belle Plaine Community High School
610 13th Ave.
Belle Plaine, IA 52208
(319) 444-3720
Central Elementary (until May 27, 2010*)
807 16th St.
Belle Plaine, IA 52208
(319) 444-3137
Lincoln Junior High (until May 27, 2010*)
1509 Ninth Ave.
Belle Plaine, IA 52208
(319) 444-3631
Longfellow Elementary
707 Seventh St.
Belle Plaine, IA 52208
(319) 444-3002
*All elementary students will attend Longfellow Elementary and 7th-12th grades will be at the high school site beginning in August 2010.
Central Lutheran School
310 Third St. W.
Newhall, IA 52315-0190
(319) 223-5271
SERVICES
U.S. Post Office
311 Locust St. NW, Blairstown, IA (319) 454-6543. Window hours: Monday through Friday, 8:30 to 11 a.m., 1 to 4:15 p.m.; Saturday, 8 to 8:45 a.m. Lobby open 24 hours.
WHERE TO WORSHIP IN LUZERNE
St. Paul’s Lutheran Church – LCMS
107 Maple St.
(319) 444-2378
Rev. Michael Musick
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