Lawrence, Kansas
Lawrence, Kansas | |
|---|---|
City and County seat | |
Douglas County Courthouse (2021) | |
|
Seal | |
| Nickname(s): | |
| Motto: From Ashes to Immortality[3] | |
Location within Douglas County and Kansas | |
KDOT map of Douglas County (legend) | |
| Coordinates: 38°57′35″N 95°15′51″W / 38.95972°N 95.26417°W[4] | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Kansas |
| County | Douglas |
| Founded | 1854 |
| Incorporated | February 20, 1858[5] |
| Named after | Amos A. Lawrence |
| Government | |
| • Type | City commission |
| • Mayor | Mike Dever[6] |
| • City manager | Craig Owens[7] |
| Area | |
• Total | 34.97 sq mi (90.57 km2) |
| • Land | 34.14 sq mi (88.42 km2) |
| • Water | 0.83 sq mi (2.14 km2) |
| Elevation | 991 ft (302 m) |
| Population | |
• Total | 94,934 |
• Estimate (2024)[12] | 97,271 |
| • Density | 2,700/sq mi (1,000/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−6 (CST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−5 (CDT) |
| ZIP codes | 66044–66047, 66049 |
| Area code | 785 |
| FIPS code | 20-38900 |
| GNIS ID | 485609[9] |
| Interstate highway | I-70 |
| Public Transportation | Lawrence Transit |
| Website | lawrenceks |
Lawrence is a city in and the county seat of Douglas County, Kansas, United States,[4] and the sixth-largest city in the state. It is in the northeastern sector of the state, astride Interstate 70, between the Kansas and Wakarusa Rivers. As of the 2020 census, the population of the city was 94,934.[10][11] The city is a college town with a significant student population, because it is home to both the University of Kansas (KU) and Haskell Indian Nations University (HINU).
Lawrence was founded by the New England Emigrant Aid Company (NEEAC) and was named for Amos A. Lawrence, an abolitionist from Massachusetts, who offered financial aid and support for the settlement.[13] Lawrence was central to the Bleeding Kansas period (1854–1861), and the site of the Wakarusa War (1855) and the Sacking of Lawrence (1856). During the American Civil War it was also the site of the Lawrence massacre (1863).
Lawrence began as a center of free-state politics. Its economy diversified into many industries, including agriculture, manufacturing, and education, beginning with the founding of the University of Kansas in 1865 and Haskell Indian Nations University in 1884.
- ^ "Behind LFK: The acronym created by local printmaker and KU alumna". kansan.com. University Daily Kansan. October 14, 2015. Retrieved October 3, 2018.
- ^ E.g. "Larryville Life". LJWorld.com. Lawrence Journal-World. Retrieved October 3, 2018.
- ^ "Lawrence: From Ashes to Immortality". Legends of America. Retrieved July 3, 2018.
- ^ a b "Lawrence, Kansas", Geographic Names Information System, United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior
- ^ "Incorporated Cities Alphabetical with Dates" (PDF). Kansas Historical Society. Archived from the original (PDF) on December 16, 2018. Retrieved May 24, 2019. List of Cities in Kansas and their incorporation dates. Lawrence is in the 2nd column on the 4th page.
- ^ "City of Lawrence Members". LawrenceKS.CivicWeb.net. iCompass. 2024. Retrieved February 29, 2024.
- ^ "City Manager Staff".
- ^ "2019 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 24, 2020.
- ^ a b U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Lawrence, Kansas
- ^ a b "Profile of Lawrence, Kansas in 2020". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on November 12, 2022. Retrieved November 12, 2022.
- ^ a b "QuickFacts; Lawrence, Kansas; Population, Census, 2020 & 2010". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on August 24, 2021. Retrieved August 23, 2021.
- ^ "City and Town Population Totals: 2020-2024". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved September 9, 2025.
- ^ "About Us | City of Lawrence, KS". Ci.Lawrence.KS.us. November 21, 1996. Archived from the original on May 5, 2012. Retrieved May 21, 2012.