Lawrenceville, Georgia | |
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| Nickname: The Crepe Myrtle City | |
 Interactive map of Lawrenceville, Georgia | |
| Coordinates:33°57′08″N83°59′36″W / 33.95222°N 83.99333°W /33.95222; -83.99333 | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Georgia |
| County | Gwinnett |
| Established | December 15, 1821 |
| Named after | James Lawrence |
| Government | |
| • Type | Council–manager 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 | 2,237.3/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 thecounty seat ofGwinnett County, Georgia, United States.[4] It is asuburb ofAtlanta, located about 30 miles (50 km) northeast ofdowntown Atlanta. It was incorporated on December 15, 1821. As of the2020 census, the population of Lawrenceville was 30,629.[5]
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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 CommodoreJames Lawrence, commander of the frigateChesapeake during theWar of 1812. Lawrence, a native ofNew 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]
Most of Lawrenceville's residents farmed cotton.[7]
During the tumultuous era of theCivil 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 four to one.
Despite its initial reluctance to join the secessionist cause, Lawrenceville found itself drawn into the conflict, as it rallied to support theConfederate 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 theConfederate army.
While Lawrenceville itself remained untouched by the direct clashes of battle, it was not spared the ravages of war. The infamousMarch to the Sea led byGeneral 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 whenUnion 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 theCivil War.[8]
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 inCincinnati, 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 defeatingJoe Louis by unanimous decision on September 27, 1950.[citation needed]
Lawrenceville was one of many venues in the nation whereHustler magazine publisherLarry Flynt faced obscenity charges in the late 1970s. On March 6, 1978, during a lunch break in his Lawrenceville trial, his local attorney Gene Reeves and he were shot by a sniper near the courthouse. Both survived, though Flynt was seriously disabled. Years later, imprisoned serial killerJoseph 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 movieThe People vs. Larry Flynt.[citation needed]
TheGwinnett Justice and Administration Center was built in 1988 at a cost of $72 million to replace the originalGwinnett County Courthouse, which had been built in 1872 shortly after the Civil War.
Since 1988, Lawrenceville has been the headquarters of thePresbyterian Church in America.[9]
Lawrenceville is located in central Gwinnett County. According to theUnited States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 13.5 square miles (35.0 km2), of which 0.1 sq mi (0.3 km2), or 0.83%, is covered by water.[10]
Nearby cities areDacula 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, andGrayson to the southeast.
Lawrenceville has ahumid subtropical climate (Köppen climate classificationCfa).
| 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) |
| Averageprecipitation inches (mm) | 4.83 (123) | 4.66 (118) | 4.91 (125) | 3.96 (101) | 3.90 (99) | 4.70 (119) | 4.63 (118) | 5.05 (128) | 4.37 (111) | 3.54 (90) | 4.13 (105) | 4.85 (123) | 53.53 (1,360) |
| Source:[11][12] | |||||||||||||
| 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[13] | |||
| Race | Number | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| 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 or multiracial | 1,140 | 3.72% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 8,553 | 27.92% |
As of the2020 United States census, 30,629 people, 10,524 households, and 7,071 families resided in the city.
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Atlanta Biologicals is located in Lawrenceville.[citation needed]
Peach State Federal Credit Union, headquartered in Lawrenceville, serves 39,800 members acrossBarrow,Clarke,DeKalb,Forsyth,Gwinnett,Jackson,Oconee, andWalton Counties.[citation needed]
It hosts the headquarters of KiK Consumer Products, parent company ofBioLab Inc.
According to the City of Lawrenceville's 2045 Comprehensive Plan, the primary employment sectors in Lawrenceville as of 2025 include healthcare (9,451 workers), public administration (7,822 workers), education (5,346 workers), and retail (3,292 workers), reflecting the city's role as a regional center for medical services, government operations, and education.[15]
Several major employers in Gwinnett County also contribute to the local economy, including Gwinnett County Public Schools, Gwinnett County government, Northside Hospital, Publix, Georgia Gwinnett College, Gwinnett Technical College, and America's Best Contacts and Eyeglasses.[16]
The Lawrenceville 2045 Comprehensive Plan is the city's official long-range planning document, outlining its vision, goals, and strategies for development through 2045. The plan was developed with input from residents, stakeholders, and officials, and addresses areas such as land use, transportation, housing, economic development, broadband access, and community development. It is intended to guide growth and infrastructure investment, while maintaining aspects of the city's historic character.[15]
The plan emphasizes redevelopment of underused parcels and promotes mixed-use developments, with the objective of improving walkability and situating new projects near public transportation hubs. These developments aim to integrate residential, commercial, and recreational spaces within the city.
Transportation initiatives in the plan include expanding access to public transit and enhancing infrastructure for pedestrians and cyclists. Proposed improvements involve the addition of bike lanes and active transportation routes to support a multimodal mobility network.
The housing strategy outlined in the plan includes efforts to preserve existing affordable housing while supporting the development of mixed-income and executive housing options. The plan aims to accommodate a range of income levels and housing needs.
The plan includes initiatives to support workforce diversity, local entrepreneurship, and digital accessibility. Efforts are underway to expand broadband internet access, particularly in underserved areas, as part of a broader strategy focused on digital equity and innovation.
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TheOld Seminary Building,Isaac Adair House andGwinnett County Courthouse in Lawrenceville are listed on theNational Register of Historic Places.
TheLawrenceville Arts Center, the new home of the Aurora Theatre, brings art and culture together in the center of the historic square. It 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 center averages 80,000 visitors per year and is owned by theCity of Lawrenceville.[17]
TheLawrenceville 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.
TheLawrenceville 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.[18] The Gwinnett County Public Library and the City of Lawrenceville are preserving theHooper-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 about 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, picnic pavilion, multipurpose trail, and 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.[19]
The City of Lawrenceville hosts an average of 30 free community events annually in the downtown historic district.[citation needed]
The City of Lawrenceville was designated a Tree City by the Arbor Day Foundation on February 18, 2023.[20]
The City of Lawrenceville was declared a Purple Heart City on August 24, 2020, by Mayor David Still.[21]
The annual Polish Pierogi Festival occurs in August, and includes food booths, music, and competitions.[22][23]
TheTriple-AMinor League BaseballGwinnett Stripers of theInternational League play atCoolray 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 andGwinnett County Transit serve the city.
Gwinnett County Airport is partially located in Lawrenceville.[citation needed]
Northside Hospital Gwinnett is located in Lawrenceville.[citation needed]
TheCDC and ATSDR Specimen Packaging, Inventory and Repository (CASPIR) biorepository located in Lawrenceville, Georgia holds over 6.5 million samples.[24]
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| Footnotes | ‡This populated place also has portions in an adjacent county or counties | |
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