Luke, Maryland
Encyclopedia
Luke is a town in Allegany County, Maryland
, United States
located along the Georges Creek Valley
. Known originally as West Piedmont, the town is part of the Cumberland, MD-WV Metropolitan Statistical Area
. The population was 80 at the 2000 census.
as it pushed its rails westward through the Piedmont area of what is now West Virginia
. When the railroad suspended building in the 1880s, the Davis brothers disbanded and sold their property to the West Virginia Pulp and Paper Company.
About that same time, William Luke
and two of his sons arrived. They assiduously applied themselves to developing the place they had adopted. When the railroad needed a name for the stop it established there, it happily accepted "Luke".
Over the next several decades, Luke prospered with the operation of the paper mill, the influx of other "heavy" industrial concerns, and the establishment of the usual supporting Mom and Pop businesses. Nearby, along the Savage River
, there was a gun factory that provided muskets with bayonet
s for the United States Army at Harpers Ferry.
With Luke's growth came citizens' concerns about educational and social issues. Schooling in private homes and business buildings was relocated to a two-room schoolhouse. Growing enrollment in the first through eighth grades brought about construction of a fine new school that opened in September, 1913. It served the town well for forty-six years, sending well educated students off to Bruce High School in Westernport. When the school closed in 1959, the building was converted for use as the town's administrative offices—the City Building.
Luke is home for a NewPage Corporation
facility, successor to the Westvaco Corporation and West Virginia Pulp and Paper Mill.
The United States lists the paper plant as one of the largest polluters of mercury
in Maryland. Mercury is a potent neurotoxin.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the town has a total area of 0.3 square mile (0.776996433 km²), all of it land.
of 2000, there were 80 people, 39 households, and 23 families residing in the town. The population density
was 288.9 people per square mile (110.3/km²). There were 58 housing units at an average density of 209.4 per square mile (80.0/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 100.00% White. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.50% of the population.
There were 39 households out of which 17.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.2% were married couples
living together, 12.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 41.0% were non-families. 38.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 28.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.05 and the average family size was 2.74.
In the town the population was spread out with 16.3% under the age of 18, 2.5% from 18 to 24, 20.0% from 25 to 44, 26.3% from 45 to 64, and 35.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 52 years. For every 100 females there were 110.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 97.1 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $21,406, and the median income for a family was $30,625. Males had a median income of $32,500 versus $0 for females. The per capita income
for the town was $15,488. There were 11.8% of families and 13.2% of the population living below the poverty line, including 33.3% of under eighteens and none of those over 64.
Allegany County, Maryland
Allegany County is a county located in the northwestern part of the US state of Maryland. It is part of the Cumberland, MD-WV Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of 2010, the population was 75,087. Its county seat is Cumberland...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
located along the Georges Creek Valley
Georges Creek Valley
Georges Creek Valley is located in Allegany County, Maryland along the George's Creek. The valley is rich in wide veins of coal, known historically as the "The Big Vein." Coal was once extracted by deep mines but is only mined today through surface mining...
. Known originally as West Piedmont, the town is part of the Cumberland, MD-WV Metropolitan Statistical Area
Cumberland, MD-WV MSA
Cumberland, MD-WV MSA, or Cumberland Metro for short, denotes the Metropolitan Statistical Area of Cumberland, Maryland and the surrounding economic region of Allegany County, Maryland and Mineral County, West Virginia, in the United States....
. The population was 80 at the 2000 census.
History
The town of Luke was settled in the early 1770s. Luke is located along the Potomac River basin at the foot of Backbone Mountain and is home to the largest private employer in Allegany County. Among the first settlers to arrive were the Davis brothers, who established a saw mill where the town of Luke now stands. The mill provided cross-ties to the Baltimore and Ohio RailroadBaltimore and Ohio Railroad
The Baltimore and Ohio Railroad was one of the oldest railroads in the United States and the first common carrier railroad. It came into being mostly because the city of Baltimore wanted to compete with the newly constructed Erie Canal and another canal being proposed by Pennsylvania, which...
as it pushed its rails westward through the Piedmont area of what is now West Virginia
West Virginia
West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian and Southeastern regions of the United States, bordered by Virginia to the southeast, Kentucky to the southwest, Ohio to the northwest, Pennsylvania to the northeast and Maryland to the east...
. When the railroad suspended building in the 1880s, the Davis brothers disbanded and sold their property to the West Virginia Pulp and Paper Company.
About that same time, William Luke
William Luke
William Luke was the founder of the Westvaco Corporation in 1888 at Piedmont, West Virginia and West Piedmont, Maryland, USA.Luke came to America from Scotland in 1852. He was a pioneer of the modern art of papermaking....
and two of his sons arrived. They assiduously applied themselves to developing the place they had adopted. When the railroad needed a name for the stop it established there, it happily accepted "Luke".
Over the next several decades, Luke prospered with the operation of the paper mill, the influx of other "heavy" industrial concerns, and the establishment of the usual supporting Mom and Pop businesses. Nearby, along the Savage River
Savage River (Maryland)
The Savage River is a river in Garrett County, Maryland, and is the first major tributary of the North Branch Potomac River from its source. The river was named for 18th century surveyor John Savage....
, there was a gun factory that provided muskets with bayonet
Bayonet
A bayonet is a knife, dagger, sword, or spike-shaped weapon designed to fit in, on, over or underneath the muzzle of a rifle, musket or similar weapon, effectively turning the gun into a spear...
s for the United States Army at Harpers Ferry.
With Luke's growth came citizens' concerns about educational and social issues. Schooling in private homes and business buildings was relocated to a two-room schoolhouse. Growing enrollment in the first through eighth grades brought about construction of a fine new school that opened in September, 1913. It served the town well for forty-six years, sending well educated students off to Bruce High School in Westernport. When the school closed in 1959, the building was converted for use as the town's administrative offices—the City Building.
Luke is home for a NewPage Corporation
NewPage Corporation
NewPage Corporation, based in Miamisburg, Ohio, is a leading producer of coated paper in North America.The company produces coated papers in sheets and rolls with many finishes and weights to offer design flexibility for a wide array of end uses...
facility, successor to the Westvaco Corporation and West Virginia Pulp and Paper Mill.
The United States lists the paper plant as one of the largest polluters of mercury
Mercury (element)
Mercury is a chemical element with the symbol Hg and atomic number 80. It is also known as quicksilver or hydrargyrum...
in Maryland. Mercury is a potent neurotoxin.
Geography
Luke is located at 39°28′32"N 79°3′28"W (39.475619, -79.057915).According to the United States Census Bureau
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the town has a total area of 0.3 square mile (0.776996433 km²), all of it land.
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 80 people, 39 households, and 23 families residing in the town. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 288.9 people per square mile (110.3/km²). There were 58 housing units at an average density of 209.4 per square mile (80.0/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 100.00% White. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.50% of the population.
There were 39 households out of which 17.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.2% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 12.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 41.0% were non-families. 38.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 28.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.05 and the average family size was 2.74.
In the town the population was spread out with 16.3% under the age of 18, 2.5% from 18 to 24, 20.0% from 25 to 44, 26.3% from 45 to 64, and 35.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 52 years. For every 100 females there were 110.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 97.1 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $21,406, and the median income for a family was $30,625. Males had a median income of $32,500 versus $0 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the town was $15,488. There were 11.8% of families and 13.2% of the population living below the poverty line, including 33.3% of under eighteens and none of those over 64.