Lawrence, Kansas
Lawrence is a city in and the county seat of Douglas County, Kansas, United States, 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. Lawrence is a college town and the home to both the University of Kansas and Haskell Indian Nations University.
Lawrence, Kansas | |
|---|---|
City and county seat | |
Douglas County Courthouse (2021) | |
|
Seal | |
| Nickname(s): LFK, Larryville | |
| Motto: From Ashes to Immortality | |
Location within Douglas County and Kansas | |
KDOT map of Douglas County (legend) | |
| Coordinates: 38°57′35″N 95°15′51″W | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Kansas |
| County | Douglas |
| Founded | 1854 |
| Incorporated | February 20, 1858 |
| Named for | Amos A. Lawrence |
| Government | |
| • Type | City commission |
| • Mayor | Bart Littlejohn |
| • City manager | Craig Owens |
| 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 (2020) | |
| • Total | 94,934 |
| • Estimate (2021) | 95,256 |
| • 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 |
| Interstate highway | I-70 |
| Public Transportation | Lawrence Transit |
| Website | lawrenceks |
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. 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.