Lawrenceville
was incorporated by an act of the Georgia General
Assembly on 15 December 1821. This makes Lawrenceville
the second oldest city in the Metro Atlanta Area. The
city is named after Captain
James Lawrence,
commander of the Frigate Chesapeake during the
War of 1812.
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 is conveniently located among SR 316, Hwy 29, Hwy 20, SR 124 and SR 120 just 30 minutes from downtown Atlanta and only 45 minutes from Atlanta's Hartsfield/Jackson International Airport.
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