Berwick, Iowa

Berwick is an unincorporated community in Delaware Township, Polk County, Iowa, United States, on the east bank of Fourmile Creek. It is part of the Des Moines–West Des Moines Metropolitan Statistical Area.

Map of the Berwick area from 1908, showing the railroads and coal mines (red) of the region. Berwick is in the lower center.

History

Berwick's population in 1902 was 72,<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> and was 80 in 1925.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>

In the early 20th century, Berwick and Norwoodville, a mile southwest, were home to several coal mines. The Norwood-White shaft No. 1 (also known as the Klondike No. 1) was Template:Convert deep, accessing a Template:Convert coal seam. By 1908, this mine extended over roughly Template:Convert. Norwood-White shaft No. 2 was half a mile to the east. This mine was newer, covering over Template:Convert in 1908. The Delaware Coal Company had a shaft a mile northwest of Berwick, with a shaft Template:Convert deep. By 1908, this mine covered less than Template:Convert.<ref>Henry Hinds, The Coal Deposits of Iowa, Chapter I of Iowa Geological Survey Annual Report, 1908, Des Moines, 1909, pages 138–139.</ref> In 1914, Norwood-White produced over 100,000 tons of coal, ranking among the top 24 coal producers in the state.<ref>Frederick E. Saward, The Coal Trade, 1915, page 65.</ref> In 1912, United Mine Workers Local 318 in Berwick had 220 members, and Local 845 in Norwoodville, one mile south, had 129 members.<ref>Tally Sheet, Proceedings of the 23rd Annual Convention of the United Mine Workers of America Jan. 16 – Feb. 2, 1912, Indianapolis; Volume 2, page 180A.</ref>

The population was 150 in 1940.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>