Lawrence County, Tennessee

Lawrence County Education, Geography, and History

Lawrence County is a county located in the state of Tennessee. Based on the 2010 census, the population was 41,869. Its county seat and largest city is Lawrenceburg.

Lawrence County comprises the Lawrenceburg, TN Micropolitan Statistical Area, which is also included in the Nashville-Davidson-Murfreesboro, TN Metropolitan Statistical Area.

Etymology - Origin of Lawrence County Name

Named in honor of James Lawrence (1781- 1813), American naval officer who died commanding the "Chesapeake" against the British frigate "Shannon," known for his dying words, "Don't give up the ship!"

Demographics:

County QuickFacts: CensusBureau Quick Facts

History of Lawrence County

Created 1817 from Hickman County and Indian lands; named in honor of James Lawrence (1781- 1813), American naval officer who died commanding the "Chesapeake" against the British frigate "Shannon," known for his dying words, "Don't give up the ship!"

Lawrence County was formed in 1817 from Hickman County and Indian lands. (Acts of Tennessee 1817, Chapter 42).

Tennessee Encyclopedia of History and Culture
On October 21, 1817, the Tennessee General Assembly created Lawrence County from territory acquired by treaty with the Chickasaw Indians. A section of Hickman County and a small portion of Giles County were included in its boundaries. Local government was established in 1818.

Both the county and the county seat were named in honor of Captain James Lawrence, US Naval hero of the War of 1812. Lawrenceburg, the county seat, was sited near the center of the county, but an important consideration in determining its location was the presence of Jackson's Military Road on the eastern border of the town. As a major thoroughfare from Natchez, Mississippi, to Nashville, the Military Road played a significant role in the economic development of the county; in April 1821 the road was relocated through the center of town.

Davy Crockett served as one of the first commissioners and justices of the peace in Lawrence County. In the four or five years he lived in the area, he operated a water-powered gristmill, a powder mill, and a distillery. Today David Crockett State Park is situated on the site of the frontiersman's land. The park attracts tourists from across the United States, especially during the annual David Crockett Days. Find more from the Tennessee Encyclopedia of History and Culture: LAWRENCE COUNTY

Geography: Land and Water

As reported by the Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 618 square miles (1,600 km²), of which, 617 square miles (1,598 km²) of it is land and 1 square miles (2 km²) of it (0.12%) is water.

Neighboring Counties

Bordering counties are as follows:

• Lewis County (north)
• Maury County (northeast)
• Giles County (east)
• Lauderdale County, Alabama (south)
• Wayne County (west)

Education

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