Lawrence County, Missouri
Lawrence County is located in the southwest portion of the U.S. state of Missouri, in the area of the Ozarks. As of the 2020 census, the population was 38,001. Its county seat is Mount Vernon. The county was organized in 1845 and named for James Lawrence, a naval officer from the War of 1812 known for his battle cry, "Don't give up the ship!"
Lawrence County | |
|---|---|
The Lawrence County Courthouse in Mt. Vernon | |
Location within the U.S. state of Missouri | |
Missouri's location within the U.S. | |
| Coordinates: 37°07′N 93°50′W | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Missouri |
| Founded | February 14, 1845 |
| Named for | James Lawrence |
| Seat | Mount Vernon |
| Largest city | Monett |
| Area | |
| • Total | 613 sq mi (1,590 km2) |
| • Land | 612 sq mi (1,590 km2) |
| • Water | 1.6 sq mi (4 km2) 0.3% |
| Population (2020) | |
| • Total | 38,001 |
| • Density | 62/sq mi (24/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−6 (Central) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−5 (CDT) |
| Congressional district | 7th |
| Website | www |
A previous Lawrence County, established in 1815 with its county seat at what is now Davidsonville Historic State Park in Arkansas, covered much of what is now southern Missouri and the northern third of Arkansas. When the Arkansas Territory was created from Missouri Territory in 1819, some of that earlier county became organized as Lawrence County, Arkansas.
Just before that, in 1818, Missouri divided its part of the old Lawrence County into Wayne County and Madison County; with population increases, those counties were later divided into others, including the present Lawrence County.