Lawrenceville, Georgia facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Lawrenceville, Georgia
City
Gwinnett County Courthouse
Nickname(s):  The Crepe Myrtle City
Location in Gwinnett County and Georgia
Lawrenceville, Georgia Location in Metro Atlanta
Country	United States
State	Georgia
County	Gwinnett
Named for	James Lawrence
Government
• Type	Mayor-council government
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(s)	404/678/770
FIPS code	13-45488
GNIS feature ID	2404897

Lawrenceville is a city in and the county seat of Gwinnett County, Georgia, United States. It is a suburb of Atlanta, located approximately 30 miles (50 km) northeast of downtown. It was incorporated on December 15, 1821. As of the 2020 census, the population of Lawrenceville was 30,629.

History

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!" 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.

Courtland Winn served two terms as mayor starting in 1884 when he was 21 years old.

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.

Another resident, Oliver Hardy, became a world-renowned comic actor, a member of the film duo Laurel and Hardy from the 1920s to the 1940s. He lived as a child in downtown Lawrenceville around 1900. But his stay was brief, because his family moved often within Georgia.

Since 1988, Lawrenceville has been the headquarters of the Presbyterian Church in America.

Geography

Lawrenceville is located in central Gwinnett County at 33°57′11″N 83°59′33″W / 33.95306°N 83.99250°W / 33.95306; -83.99250 (33.953052, -83.992469). 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.

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.

Climate

Lawrenceville has a humid subtropical climate (Köppen climate classification Cfa).

Demographics

Downtown Lawrenceville (as of June 2006)

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 30,629 people, 10,524 households, and 7,071 families residing in the city.

Economy

Atlanta Biologicals is located in Lawrenceville.

Peach State Federal Credit Union headquartered in Lawrenceville serves 39,800 members across Barrow, Clarke, DeKalb, Forsyth, Gwinnett, Jackson, Oconee, and Walton Counties.

Arts and culture

The Aurora Theatre

The Old Seminary Building, Isaac Adair House and Gwinnett County Courthouse in Lawrenceville are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

The Lawrenceville Arts Center (LAC), the new home of the Aurora Theatre, brings art and culture together in the center of the historic square. The LAC features a 500-seat Proscenium theatre, a cabaret, an outdoor public courtyard, and an art gallery. A second building, the Bobby Sikes Fine Arts Building, features a 225-seat theatre and black box theatre. The Lawrenceville Arts Center averages 80,000 visitors per year and is owned by the City of Lawrenceville.

The Lawrenceville Lawn is a city park offering an amphitheater, playground, volleyball courts, dog park, and walking path. It is also the location of concerts and community events.

Rhodes Jordan Park, named for the former mayor, is a 162-acre park with a fishing lake, playground, extensive sports facilities, swim facilities, 1.9 mile paved trail, and the Lawrenceville Community Garden.

Fallen Heroes Memorial & Armed Forces Monument pays tribute to all Gwinnett residents who died in the line of duty in either military or public safety service. The memorial honors roughly 700 individuals.

The Lawrenceville Heritage Trail follows a series of medallions throughout the historic downtown, each dedicated to the individuals who have made significant contributions to the City of Lawrenceville throughout its history.

Gwinnett County Public Library operates a library in Lawrenceville. The Gwinnett County Public Library and the City of Lawrenceville are preserving the Hooper-Renwick Historic School Site into the first themed library of its kind in the southeastern United States. It will incorporate cultural and historic objects and artifacts with the library's resources and information, offering the opportunity for the public to learn the history of segregation and desegregation in Gwinnett.

Lawrenceville Historic Cemetery is located approximately one-half mile from the historic square and is the resting place of several city founders.

Freeman's Grist Mill is a Gwinnett County Park located in Lawrenceville. It features a playground that replicates a gristmill, a picnic pavilion, multi-purpose trail, and the historic mill.

Lawrenceville Ghost Tours are available annually in September and October.

The City of Lawrenceville is home to several public murals commissioned by the Lawrenceville Arts Commission.

The City of Lawrenceville hosts an average of 30 free community events annually in the downtown historic district.

The City of Lawrenceville was designated a Tree City by the Arbor Day Foundation on February 18, 2023.

The City of Lawrenceville was declared a Purple Heart City on August 24, 2020 by Mayor David Still.

The annual Polish Pierogi Festival occurs in August, and includes food booths, music, and competitions.

Sports

The Triple-A Minor League Baseball Gwinnett Stripers of the International League play at Coolray Field.

Education

Gwinnett County Public Schools operates public schools.

Schools with Lawrenceville mailing address

The following is a list of schools with a Lawrenceville mailing address, with its high school cluster in parentheses.

Elementary schools

Middle schools

High schools

Other schools

• Gwinnett Intervention Education (GIVE) Center East
• Hooper-Renwick School
• Sola Fide Academy

Colleges and university

Within Lawrenceville are two public colleges:

• Gwinnett Technical College
• Georgia Gwinnett College
• Reformed University
• University of Georgia - Gwinnett Campus

Infrastructure

Transportation

Roads and expressways

• Georgia 316, U.S. 78 (Stone Mountain Freeway), US 29, GA 8, GA 20, and GA 120.

Transit systems

Xpress GA/ RTA Commuter buses and Gwinnett County Transit serve the city.

Airport

Gwinnett County Airport is partially located in Lawrenceville.

Hospitals

Northside Hospital Gwinnett is located in Lawrenceville.

Biorepository

The CDC and ATSDR Specimen Packaging, Inventory and Repository (CASPIR) biorepository located in Lawrenceville, Georgia holds over 6.5 million samples.

Notable people

See also

In Spanish: Lawrenceville (Georgia) para niños