Lawrenceville, Georgia | |
---|---|
Nickname: The Crepe Myrtle City | |
Location of Lawrenceville in
Metro Atlanta | |
Coordinates: 33°57′08″N 83°59′36″W / 33.95222°N 83.99333°W | |
Country | United States |
State | Georgia |
County | Gwinnett |
Named for | James Lawrence |
Government | |
• Type | Mayor-council government |
• Mayor | David Still |
Area | |
• Total | 13.80 sq mi (35.73 km2) |
• Land | 13.69 sq mi (35.46 km2) |
• Water | 0.11 sq mi (0.28 km2) |
Elevation | 1,083 ft (330 m) |
Population (
2020) | |
• Total | 30,629 |
• Density | 2,237.33/sq mi (863.83/km2) |
Time zone | UTC-5 ( Eastern (EST)) |
• Summer ( DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) |
ZIP codes | 30042-30046, 30049 |
Area code | 404/ 678/ 770 |
FIPS code | 13-45488 [3] |
GNIS feature ID | 2404897 [2] |
Website |
www |
Lawrenceville is a city in and the county seat of Gwinnett County, Georgia, United States. [4] It is a suburb of Atlanta, located approximately 30 miles (50 km) northeast of downtown and neighbors Suwanee, Dacula, and Duluth. Incorporated on December 15, 1821, exactly three years to the day after the formation of Gwinnett County, Lawrenceville is the oldest city in Gwinnett, and second oldest city in Metro Atlanta. As of the 2020 census, the population of Lawrenceville was 30,629. [5]
Lawrenceville was incorporated by an act of the Georgia General Assembly on December 15, 1821. This makes Lawrenceville the second oldest city in the metropolitan Atlanta area. The city is named after Commodore James Lawrence, commander of the frigate Chesapeake during the War of 1812. Lawrence, a native of New Jersey, is probably best known today for his dying command, "Don't give up the ship!" [6] William Maltbie, the town's first postmaster, suggested the name of "Lawrenceville."
In 1821, a permanent site for the county courthouse was selected and purchased, the four streets bordering the square were laid out along with other streets in the village, and a public well was dug. Major Grace built the first permanent courthouse, a brick structure, in 1823–24 for a cost of $4,000. The courthouse presently on the square was constructed in 1885.[ citation needed]
During the tumultuous era of the Civil War, Gwinnett County stood as a notable exception, casting its vote against secession. At the heart of this dissent was Lawrenceville, the county seat, which dispatched three delegates to represent its staunch opposition to secession. This resistance stemmed partly from the county's unique demographic makeup, characterized by a relatively low slave population, where the ratio of whites to slaves stood at 4 to 1.
Despite its initial reluctance to join the secessionist cause, Lawrenceville found itself drawn into the conflict as it rallied to support the Confederate war effort. The bustling town was home to the Lawrenceville Manufacturing Company, a prominent cotton mill established in the 1850s. This mill played a vital role in producing essential textile goods, including uniforms, to supply the Confederate army.
While Lawrenceville itself remained untouched by the direct clashes of battle, it was not spared the ravages of war. The infamous March to the Sea led by General Sherman brought the conflict to its doorstep. The town became a target for frequent raids by Union forces, disrupting daily life and instilling fear among its inhabitants.
One of the most devastating blows came when Union soldiers set fire to the Lawrenceville Manufacturing Company, dealing a severe blow to the city's commercial infrastructure. This act of destruction not only symbolized the toll of war on the town's economy but also underscored the intense division and strife tearing through the nation during this tumultuous period. By the end of the war, half of the wealth of Lawrenceville was lost by the Civil War. [7]
Courtland Winn served two terms as mayor starting in 1884 when he was 21 years old.[ citation needed]
The two most famous people born in Lawrenceville gained their fame elsewhere. Charles Henry Smith, born in 1826, left as a young man and lived most of his life in other Georgia towns. During the Civil War he wrote humorous pieces for Atlanta newspapers under the name Bill Arp. He has been described as the South's most popular writer of the late 19th century, though he is not much read today. Ezzard Charles, born in 1921, grew up in Cincinnati, where opportunities for African-Americans were far better at the time than in the Deep South. He eventually became the World Heavyweight boxing champion by defeating Joe Louis by unanimous decision on September 27, 1950.[ citation needed]
Lawrenceville was one of many venues in the nation where Hustler magazine publisher Larry Flynt faced obscenity charges in the late 1970s. On March 6, 1978, during a lunch break in his Lawrenceville trial, he and his local attorney Gene Reeves were shot by a sniper near the courthouse. Both survived, though Flynt was seriously disabled. Years later, imprisoned serial killer Joseph Paul Franklin claimed to have been the shooter, but he never produced any proof and was not charged in the case. (Franklin was executed in 2013 in Missouri for a 1977 sniper slaying.) A heavily fictionalized treatment of the Flynt shooting can be seen in the 1996 movie The People vs. Larry Flynt.[ citation needed]
Since 1988, Lawrenceville has been the headquarters of the Presbyterian Church in America. [8]
Most of Lawrenceville's residents farmed cotton. [9]
Lawrenceville is located in central Gwinnett County. According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 13.5 square miles (35.0 km2), of which 13.4 square miles (34.7 km2) is land and 0.1 square miles (0.3 km2), or 0.83%, is water. [10]
Nearby cities are Dacula to the east, Buford to the north, Suwanee to the north-northwest, Duluth to the northwest, Norcross to the west, Lilburn to the southwest, Snellville to the south, and Grayson to the southeast.[ citation needed]
Lawrenceville has a humid subtropical climate ( Köppen climate classification Cfa).
Climate data for Lawrenceville, Georgia | |||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
Record high °F (°C) | 80 (27) |
79 (26) |
87 (31) |
94 (34) |
97 (36) |
101 (38) |
104 (40) |
103 (39) |
100 (38) |
89 (32) |
87 (31) |
76 (24) |
104 (40) |
Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 54 (12) |
58 (14) |
66 (19) |
74 (23) |
81 (27) |
88 (31) |
91 (33) |
89 (32) |
83 (28) |
74 (23) |
65 (18) |
55 (13) |
73 (23) |
Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 31 (−1) |
33 (1) |
39 (4) |
46 (8) |
55 (13) |
64 (18) |
68 (20) |
67 (19) |
60 (16) |
50 (10) |
40 (4) |
33 (1) |
49 (9) |
Record low °F (°C) | −8 (−22) |
1 (−17) |
5 (−15) |
24 (−4) |
33 (1) |
40 (4) |
51 (11) |
44 (7) |
34 (1) |
24 (−4) |
13 (−11) |
−4 (−20) |
−8 (−22) |
Average precipitation inches (mm) | 4.66 (118) |
4.61 (117) |
5.12 (130) |
3.57 (91) |
3.17 (81) |
4.26 (108) |
4.07 (103) |
3.95 (100) |
4.10 (104) |
3.67 (93) |
4.01 (102) |
3.72 (94) |
48.91 (1,242) |
Source: [11] |
Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
---|---|---|---|
1880 | 463 | — | |
1890 | 566 | 22.2% | |
1900 | 853 | 50.7% | |
1910 | 1,518 | 78.0% | |
1920 | 2,059 | 35.6% | |
1930 | 2,156 | 4.7% | |
1940 | 2,223 | 3.1% | |
1950 | 2,932 | 31.9% | |
1960 | 3,804 | 29.7% | |
1970 | 5,207 | 36.9% | |
1980 | 8,928 | 71.5% | |
1990 | 16,848 | 88.7% | |
2000 | 22,397 | 32.9% | |
2010 | 28,546 | 27.5% | |
2020 | 30,629 | 7.3% | |
U.S. Decennial Census [12] |
Race | Num. | Perc. |
---|---|---|
White (non-Hispanic) | 8,009 | 26.15% |
Black or African American (non-Hispanic) | 10,547 | 34.43% |
Native American | 58 | 0.19% |
Asian | 2,316 | 7.56% |
Pacific Islander | 6 | 0.02% |
Other/Mixed | 1,140 | 3.72% |
Hispanic or Latino | 8,553 | 27.92% |
As of the 2020 United States census, there were 30,629 people, 10,524 households, and 7,071 families residing in the city.
As of 2010 Census, Lawrenceville had a population of 28,546. The median age was 32.4. The racial composition of the population was 48.0% white, 32.0% black or African American, 0.6% Native American, 1.1% Asian Indian, 4.7% other Asian, 10.3% from some other race, and 3.4% from two or more races. 22.3% of the population was Hispanic or Latino of any race. [14]
In the city, the population was spread out, with 26.4% under the age of 18, 11.0% from 18 to 24, 35.3% from 25 to 44, 18.2% from 45 to 64, and 9.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 32 years. For every 100 females, there were 105.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 103.9 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $32,779, and the median income for a family was $38,557. Males had a median income of $27,263 versus $24,903 for females. The per capita income for the city was $18,649. About 28.7% of families and 40.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 16.0% of those under age 18 and 11.9% of those age 65 or over.
Atlanta Biologicals is located in Lawrenceville.[ citation needed]
Peach State Federal Credit Union headquartered in Lawrenceville serves 39,800 members across Barrow, Clarke, DeKalb, Forsyth, Gwinnett, Jackson, Oconee and Walton Counties.[ citation needed]
The Old Seminary Building and Gwinnett County Courthouse in Lawrenceville are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
The Aurora Theatre is located in Lawrenceville.[ citation needed]
The annual Polish Pierogi Festival occurs in August, and includes food booths, music, and competitions. [15] [16]
Gwinnett County Public Library operates a library in Lawrenceville. [17]
The Triple-A Minor League Baseball Gwinnett Stripers of the International League play at Coolray Field.[ citation needed]
Gwinnett County Public Schools operates public schools.
The following is a list of schools with a Lawrenceville mailing address, with its high school cluster in parentheses.
Within Lawrenceville are two public colleges:
Xpress GA/ RTA Commuter buses and Gwinnett County Transit serve the city.
Gwinnett County Airport is partially located in Lawrenceville.[ citation needed]
Northside Hospital Gwinnett is located in Lawrenceville.[ citation needed]