Lawrenceville is a city located in Gwinnett County, Georgia. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 22,397. Census Estimates of 2004 indicate a population of 26,925. The city is the county seat of Gwinnett County. Lawrenceville encompasses three zip codes (30043, 30044, 30045) and is part of the 678/770/404 area code which is used throughout metropolitan Atlanta.
Lawrenceville is located at 33°57'11" North, 83°59'33" West (33.953052, -83.992469).
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 33.8 km2 (13.1 mi2). 33.6 km2 (13.0 mi2) of it is land and 0.2 km2 (0.1 mi2) of it is water. The total area is 0.46% water.
Nearby cities include: Lilburn, Snellville, Suwanee, Grayson, and Norcross.
As of the census of 2000, there are 22,397 people, 7,484 households, and 5,313 families residing in the city. The population density is 665.7/km2 (1,723.9/mi2). There are 7,684 housing units at an average density of 228.4/km2 (591.5/mi2). The racial makeup of the city is 76.04% White, 13.61% African American, 0.22% Native American, 3.17% Asian, 0.10% Pacific Islander, 4.46% from other races, and 2.41% from two or more races. 12.14% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There are 7,484 households out of which 39.4% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.7% are married couples living together, 13.3% have a female householder with no husband present, and 29.0% are non-families. 23.0% of all households are made up of individuals and 8.5% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 2.77 and the average family size is 3.24.
In the city the population is 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 are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 32 years. For every 100 females there are 105.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 103.9 males.
The median income for a household in the city is $43,299, and the median income for a family is $48,557. Males have a median income of $34,263 versus $26,903 for females. The per capita income for the city is $19,649. 11.5% of the population and 8.7% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 16.0% of those under the age of 18 and 11.9% of those 65 and older are living below the poverty line.
At the current time, Lawrenceville is the largest incorporated city in Gwinnett County.
Lawrenceville was incorporated by an act of the Georgia General Assembly on 15 December 1821. In 1871 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 1923-24 for a cost of $4,000. The courthouse presently on the square was constructed in 1885.
William Maltbie, the town's first postmaster, suggested the name Lawrenceville in honor of Captain James Lawrence, a naval commander 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!"
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. Beginning 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 Lawrenceville in 1921, grew up in Cincinnati, where opportunities for African-Americans were far better at the time. He eventually was heavyweight boxing champion of the world.
As a boy, Oliver Hardy lived in downtown Lawrenceville around 1900. But the future movie star's stay was brief. His family moved often within North Georgia.
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. Imprisoned serial killer Joseph Paul Franklin claims to have been the shooter, but has never been charged in the case. A heavily fictionalized treatment of the shooting can be seen in the 1996 movie The People vs. Larry Flynt.
Source:
LawrencevilleGeorgia.com
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