Lawrenceville, Georgia
Lawrenceville, Georgia
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2284713

Lawrenceville, Georgia

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2284713

Lawrenceville, Georgia

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Lawrenceville, Georgia

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

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.[citation needed]

Most of Lawrenceville's residents farmed cotton.

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 four to one.

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.

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