Lucedale

History

Lucedale was one of several settlements created after the Mobile, Jackson and Kansas City Railroad penetrated northern Jackson County (now George County) in the late 1890s. Lucedale was founded in 1901, and was named after Gregory Marston Luce, who operated a lumber business there. Mississippi's first execution by electrocution was administered to a convicted wife-killer in Lucedale in 1940, using the only portable electric chair ever employed in the United States. The "death wagon" and chair had been on display outside the Mississippi capitol prior to arriving in Lucedale, and photos of the execution were published in state newspapers, the executioner commenting: "he died with tears in his eyes for the efficient care I took to give him a good clean burning".

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, Lucedale has a total area of , all land.

Race & ethnicity

Most-observed species

• Northern Cardinal

  Cardinalis cardinalis (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  160
• Red-bellied Woodpecker

  Melanerpes carolinus (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  159
• Turkey Vulture

  Cathartes aura (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  157
• Tufted Titmouse

  Baeolophus bicolor (Linnaeus, 1766) · Aves
  134
• Carolina Wren

  Thryothorus ludovicianus (Latham, 1790) · Aves
  134
• Carolina Chickadee

  Poecile carolinensis (Audubon, 1834) · Aves
  119
• Blue Jay

  Cyanocitta cristata (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  118
• Pileated Woodpecker

  Dryocopus pileatus (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  115