Millard Fillmore was president of the United States. Henry Clay introduced the Compromise of 1850 settling western territorial disputes. The Erie Railroad reached Dunkirk, on Lake Erie, being the first railway to make connections with the Lakes. Iowa became a state in 1846.
On February 11, 1847, Michael Zimmer, a soldier in the army, received 160 acres of land from the government after his discharge. In 1851, he sold this property that later would include St. Lucas to Mathias Duclos.
In 1848 and 1849, the Indians and troops were being gradually removed from Ft. Atkinson in Iowa to Minnesota. During these years, settlers from Oldenburg, Indiana, began to settle on the banks of the Turkey River, partly in Fayette County and partly in Winneshiek County. Their intention was to organize a Catholic Colony. In 1852, the town on the western edge of this property received its first name, Stathel Town, after Anthony Stathel who was the brother-in-law of Mathias Duclos. Stathel donated 20 acres and Duclos 15 acres to the Catholic Church. Three parish churches were planned -- one at Stathel Town, one at Twin Springs, now Festina, and another at Spillville. Festina was the first to have a church. In 1854, Stathel Town was renamed Old Mission. Stathel Town Catholics finally built their church in 1855 where the community center stands today.
The first mass was held there on October 18, 1855, the feast of St. Luke. The 28 parish families agreed that he would be a good patron and St. Luke's Parish and the name St. Lucas became reality. In 1855, the total cost of the church including furnishings was $96.63. Previous to the present church dedicated on July 7, 1915, a church was built in 1870 and an addition in 1883.
Anton Stathel built the first place of business in the area -- a small grocery store in his home, and in 1851 a postal service where mail was delivered by stage coach every three to four weeks. The post office went through several changes and finally Theodore Perry brought it to St. Lucas with the official sign, St. Lucas Post Office. The first grocery store and saloon in St. Lucas were built by Henry H. Kuennen. At the time, the town sported a hotel, while J.C. Mihm started a barber shop, Theodore Reicks, a blacksmith shop and Barney Meyer, a creamery.
In 1855, there were 15 pupils in school under the schoolmaster, Henry H. Kuennen. In 1905, Father F. X. Boeding built the first school which burned down in 1911. The school that stands yet today was then built in that same year. Following, in 1914, the church was built across the street from the school. Reverend F. L. Schuh pushed to improve upon the school following the death of Father Boeding. By 1940, the twelfth grade was added to the high school and St. Luke's School became accredited in 1941. A recreation center added to the school in 1950, was given by William Henry Regnery, a Chicago publisher who lived in the parish as a boy. In 1967, because of financial difficulties, the high school closed. St. Lucas high school students became part of the Turkey Valley School District with a few students attending North Fayette Schools and South Winneshiek Schools. When the Catholic elementary closed in 1997, the school had completed 142 years of educating the youth of the community.
It is hard to talk about the history of St. Lucas and the surrounding townships without combining the strong traditions of the German culture and the Catholic Church. In a time when government and religion are often considered strange bedfellows, it was the dependency on each other that made St. Lucas grow. From the time of its inception with Mr. Duclos; to the time that Father Boeding made the entire area Catholic and only German was to be spoken in the homes, church and school; to Father Schuh who changed that language to English and promoted the growth of the community as well as the church and school; to the present day St. Lucas, a small, strong-willed community becoming more global and accepting in its attitude to the outside world, we still see a closeness of proud families and great traditions.