Lawrenceville, Georgia
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. As of the 2020 census, the population of Lawrenceville was 30,629. In 2019, the U.S. Census Bureau estimated the city population to be 30,834.[5]
Lawrenceville, Georgia | |
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Nickname: The Crepe Myrtle City | |
![]() Location in Gwinnett County and the state of Georgia | |
![]() ![]() Lawrenceville Location of Lawrenceville in Metro Atlanta | |
Coordinates: 33°57′08″N 83°59′36″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 |
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!"[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.
During the Civil War, Gwinnett County voted against secession. The county seat of Lawrenceville sent three delegates who unanimously voted against it. This was due to a low slave population with a ratio of 4 whites to 1 slave. Lawrenceville helped contribute to the Confederate war effort. The Lawrenceville Manufacturing Company, a cotton mill built in the 1850s, produced completed textile products such as uniforms. Although Lawrenceville would see no battles throughout the war, the city would be targeted by General Sherman's famous March to the Sea, falling to frequent raids. The Lawrenceville Manufacturing Company would be burned down by Union soldiers, causing a serious blow to the city's commercial sector. 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.
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.
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.
Since 1988, Lawrenceville has been the headquarters of the Presbyterian Church in America.[8]
Geography
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.[9]
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).
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) |
Average high °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) |
Average low °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: [10] |
Demographics
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[11] |
![](../I/Downtown_Lawrenceville%252C_Georgia_-_June_2006.jpg.webp)
2020 census
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.
2010 census
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.[13]
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.
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
![](../I/Aurora_Theatre.jpg.webp)
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.
The annual Polish Pierogi Festival occurs in August, and includes food booths, music, and competitions.[14][15]
Gwinnett County Public Library operates a library in Lawrenceville.[16]
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
- J.A. Alford Elementary School (Discovery)
- Baggett Elementary School (Discovery)
- Benefield Elementary School (Discovery)
- Bethesda Elementary School (Berkmar)
- Cedar Hill Elementary School (Discovery)
- Corley Elementary School (Berkmar)
- Craig Elementary School (Brookwood)
- Gwin Oaks Elementary School (Brookwood)
- Lawrenceville Elementary School (Central Gwinnett)
- Simonton Elementary School (Central Gwinnett)
- Kanoheda Elementary School (Berkmar)
- Margaret Winn Holt Elementary School (Central Gwinnett)
- Jackson Elementary School (Peachtree Ridge)
- Woodward Mill Elementary School (Mountain View)
- Freeman's Mill Elementary School (Mountain View)
- Lovin Elementary School (Archer)
- K.E. Taylor Elementary School (Collins Hill)
- McKendree Elementary School (Collins Hill)
- Jenkins Elementary School (Central Gwinnett)
- Rock Springs Elementary School (Collins Hill)
Middle schools
- Moore Middle School (Central Gwinnett)
- J.E. Richards Middle School (Discovery)
- Creekland Middle School (Collins Hill)
- Jordan Middle School (Central Gwinnett)
- Five Forks Middle School (Brookwood)
- Alton C. Crews Middle School (Brookwood)
- Sweetwater Middle School (Berkmar)
High schools
- Archer High School
- Central Gwinnett High School
- Discovery High School
- Gwinnett School of Mathematics, Science, and Technology
- Maxwell High School
- Mountain View High School
- Phoenix High School
Other schools
- Gwinnett Intervention Education (GIVE) Center East
- Hooper-Renwick School
- Sola Fide Academy
Colleges and university
Within Lawrenceville are two public colleges:
Infrastructure
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.
Notable people
- Moisés Arias, television and film actor
- Jonathan Babineaux, former NFL defensive tackle
- Ezzard Charles, boxing champion who defeated Joe Louis
- Wes Chatham, actor, The Help and Barbershop
- EJay Day, singer, finalist on first season of American Idol
- Carder England, poker player
- Rachel Farley, country music singer
- Jennifer Ferrin, actress
- Ric Flair, retired professional wrestler
- Rachel G. Fox, teen actress
- Jeff Francoeur, former MLB right fielder
- Kelly Gissendaner, murderer executed in Georgia[17]
- Taylor Heinicke, quarterback for the Washington Commanders
- Russell Horning, dancer
- Ricardo Hurtado, teen actor known for School of Rock[18]
- Hamilton Jordan, Chief of Staff to President Jimmy Carter
- Michael Kelly, actor, House of Cards
- Jonathan Massaquoi, former NFL football player
- Jimmy Maurer, soccer player[19]
- Brian McCann, former MLB catcher
- Migos, rap group
- Grace Min, tennis player
- Maya Moore, basketball player, forward for the Minnesota Lynx
- Raju Rai, badminton national champion
- Ted Roof, football coach
- Junior Samples, comedian
- Kobe Smith, NFL player
- Christin Stewart, MLB baseball player
- Cassandra Trenary, ballet dancer
- Darius Walker, football player
- Courtland Winn, politician and lawyer
- Rob Woodall, politician and former member of U.S. House of Representatives
- Walker Zimmerman, soccer player
References
- "2020 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on March 18, 2021. Retrieved December 18, 2021.
- U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Lawrenceville, Georgia
- "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on July 9, 2021. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
- "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on July 12, 2012. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
- "Population and Housing Unit Estimates". Archived from the original on July 1, 2021. Retrieved May 21, 2020.
- Krakow, Kenneth K. (1975). Georgia Place-Names: Their History and Origins (PDF). Macon, GA: Winship Press. p. 130. ISBN 0-915430-00-2. Archived (PDF) from the original on March 11, 2016. Retrieved February 26, 2019.
- Flanigan, James. History of Gwinnett County, Georgia. Gwinnett Historical Society. pp. 246–251.
- "A Brief History of the Presbyterian Church in America". Presbyterian Church in America. Archived from the original on June 26, 2021. Retrieved June 26, 2021.
- "Geographic Identifiers: 2010 Demographic Profile Data (G001): Lawrenceville city, Georgia". American Factfinder. U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved November 30, 2016.
- "Average weather for Lawrenceville". Weather.com. Archived from the original on October 17, 2017. Retrieved May 7, 2017.
- "Census of Population and Housing". Census.gov. Archived from the original on July 1, 2021. Retrieved June 4, 2015.
- "Explore Census Data". data.census.gov. Archived from the original on December 13, 2021. Retrieved December 13, 2021.
- "2010 Census data for LAWRENCEVILLE, GA". zipcodes.com. Datasheer, L.L.C. Archived from the original on July 15, 2014. Retrieved July 10, 2014.
- "11th annual Polish Pierogi Festival set for Saturday". August 23, 2019. Archived from the original on August 26, 2019. Retrieved January 25, 2020.
- Caldwell, Mary. "Festivals and fun runs: 16 things to do in metro Atlanta this weekend". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Archived from the original on January 25, 2020. Retrieved January 25, 2020.
- "Hours & Locations Archived 2010-07-26 at the Wayback Machine." Gwinnett County Public Library. Retrieved on May 30, 2014.
- Blinder, Alan (September 29, 2015). "Clemency Denied, Kelly Gissendaner Nears Execution in Georgia". New York Times. Archived from the original on November 8, 2020. Retrieved September 29, 2015.
- "Wesleyan School Student Nabs Nickelodeon Gig". Peachtree Corners Patch. March 17, 2016. Archived from the original on April 17, 2017. Retrieved April 16, 2017.
- Great Crowd Support In 2-1 Loss Archived October 17, 2011, at the Wayback Machine
External links
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