Learn More About Environmental Law in Berwick, Iowa

Berwick is an unincorporated community in 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. 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 215 feet deep, accessing a 4-foot thick coal seam. By 1908, this mine extended over roughly 200 acres. Norwood-White shaft No. 2 was half a mile to the east. This mine was newer, covering over 40 acres in 1908. The Delaware Coal Company had a shaft a mile northwest of Berwick, with a shaft 170 feet deep. By 1908, this mine covered less than 15 acres. In 1914, Norwood-White produced over 100,000 tons of coal, ranking among the top 24 coal producers in the state.