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The lead smelting plant was purchased in 1981 by the Doe Run Company, which maintained operations there until 2013. By 2000, there was mounting concern over the dangers of lead pollution in the Herculaneum area; dust from the transport of lead ore had accumulated on the land roundabout, and by-product "slag" had in some cases leached into neighboring water sources.<ref>[https://www.stltoday.com/business/local/in-lead-belt-doe-run-looks-to-expand-hazardous-waste/article_4f37a87c-01dc-5efb-95b9-daff31ae6af5.html In Lead Belt, Doe Run looks to expand hazardous waste landfill at nation's largest lead recycling facility]. ''St. Louis Post-Dispatch'', November 11, 2018.</ref> After an investigation revealed levels of lead concentration in the soil that were well above what regulations permitted, the Doe Run Company was fined $65 million in 2010, and this contributed to its decision to shut down the smelter in 2013.<ref>[https://www.stltoday.com/news/local/metro/after-doe-run-former-company-town-adjusts-to-a-new/article_a33847f2-a854-518a-be7e-65f4f2d3933f.html After Doe Run: Former company town adjusts to a new reality]. ''St. Louis Post-Dispatch'', April 7, 2018.</ref> For the time being, the decline of the lead business has not hurt Herculaneum's livelihood seriously, given growth in the county at large. The community celebrated its bicentennial in 2008 with a series of events, including the unveiling of a new flag for the city.<ref>http://cityofherculaneum.org/bicentennial.html</ref>
The lead smelting plant was purchased in 1981 by the Doe Run Company, which maintained operations there until 2013. By 2000, there was mounting concern over the dangers of lead pollution in the Herculaneum area; dust from the transport of lead ore had accumulated on the land roundabout, and by-product "slag" had in some cases leached into neighboring water sources.<ref>[https://www.stltoday.com/business/local/in-lead-belt-doe-run-looks-to-expand-hazardous-waste/article_4f37a87c-01dc-5efb-95b9-daff31ae6af5.html In Lead Belt, Doe Run looks to expand hazardous waste landfill at nation's largest lead recycling facility]. ''St. Louis Post-Dispatch'', November 11, 2018.</ref> After an investigation revealed levels of lead concentration in the soil that were well above what regulations permitted, the Doe Run Company was fined $65 million in 2010, and this contributed to its decision to shut down the smelter in 2013.<ref>[https://www.stltoday.com/news/local/metro/after-doe-run-former-company-town-adjusts-to-a-new/article_a33847f2-a854-518a-be7e-65f4f2d3933f.html After Doe Run: Former company town adjusts to a new reality]. ''St. Louis Post-Dispatch'', April 7, 2018.</ref> For the time being, the decline of the lead business has not hurt Herculaneum's livelihood seriously, given growth in the county at large. The community celebrated its bicentennial in 2008 with a series of events, including the unveiling of a new flag for the city.<ref>http://cityofherculaneum.org/bicentennial.html</ref>
==Geography==
Herculaneum is located along Interstate 55 and U.S. Routes 61-67 in eastern Jefferson County, bounded on the east by the Mississippi River. It is directly adjacent to [[Pevely, Missouri|Pevely]] to the north, and to the cities of [[Festus, Missouri|Festus]] and [[Crystal City, Missouri|Crystal City]] to the south. Its exact coordinates are 38°15’33”N 90°23’16”W.
The original area of settlement sits on high ground between the Mississippi River to the east, Joachim Creek to the south, and U.S. 61-67 to the west. Most of the city's newer development, by contrast, is farther west along Interstate 55. Herculaneum has a total area of 4.10 square miles, and an average elevation of 422 feet.<ref>https://web.archive.org/web/20120125061959/http://www.census.gov/geo/www/gazetteer/files/Gaz_places_national.txt</ref>
==References==
==References==