Lawrenceburg, Tennessee
Encyclopedia
Lawrenceburg is a city in Lawrence County, Tennessee
Tennessee
Tennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...

, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

. The population was 10,796 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat
County seat
A county seat is an administrative center, or seat of government, for a county or civil parish. The term is primarily used in the United States....

 of Lawrence County. Lawrenceburg is located southwest of Nashville
Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville is the capital of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the county seat of Davidson County. It is located on the Cumberland River in Davidson County, in the north-central part of the state. The city is a center for the health care, publishing, banking and transportation industries, and is home...

 and named after War of 1812 hero James Lawrence
James Lawrence
James Lawrence was an American naval officer. During the War of 1812, he commanded the USS Chesapeake in a single-ship action against HMS Shannon...

.

Geography

Lawrenceburg is located at 35°14′37"N 87°20′4"W (35.243491, -87.334563).

According to the United States Census Bureau
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...

, the city has a total area of 12.6 square miles (32.6 km²), all of it land.

Demographics

As of the census
Census
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...

of 2000, there were 10,796 people, 7,718 households, and 4,967 families residing in the city. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...

 was 857.6 people per square mile (331.1/km²). There were 5,166 housing units at an average density of 410.4 per square mile (158.4/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 93.29% White, 3.94% Black, 0.43% Native American, 0.39% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.84% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...

, and 1.08% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.67% of the population.

There were 4,718 households, out of which 27.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 45.2% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...

 living together, 14.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 37.1% were non-families. 33.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 17.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.24, and the average family size was 2.84.

In the city the population was spread out with 22.6% under the age of 18, 8.5% from 18 to 24, 25.5% from 25 to 44, 23.6% from 45 to 64, and 19.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 84.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 79.1 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $25,770, and the median income for a family was $32,856. Males had a median income of $27,264 versus $20,250 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...

 for the city was $17,310. About 12.5% of families and 16.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 19.0% of those under age 18 and 16.7% of those age 65 or over.

History

According to a recent theory, the Lawrenceburg area is the likely site of "Chicasa
Chickasaw
The Chickasaw are Native American people originally from the region that would become the Southeastern United States...

" — the place where Spanish explorer Hernando de Soto and his men wintered in 1540-41 (earlier theories have suggested this campsite to have been in northern Mississippi). The Cherokee
Cherokee
The Cherokee are a Native American people historically settled in the Southeastern United States . Linguistically, they are part of the Iroquoian language family...

 sold the area to the USA in 1806.

Upon moving from East Tennessee in the early 19th century, David Crockett established a powder mill in what is now known as David Crockett State Park. Crockett was elected as a commissioner and served on the board that placed Lawrenceburg four miles (6 km) west of the geographic center of Lawrence County. Crockett was opposed to the city being located in its current location, largely out of fear of flooding. He and his family lived in Lawrenceburg for several years before moving to West Tennessee after a flood destroyed his mill.

After World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...

, the Murray Ohio Manufacturing Company
Murray (bicycles)
Murray was an American company whose assets are now owned by Briggs & Stratton and Dorel Industries. The corporate brand is a descendant of the Murray Ohio Manufacturing Company, which manufactured bicycles and lawn and garden equipment ....

, a U.S. producer of bicycles and outdoor equipment, moved its manufacturing operations to Lawrenceburg, building a new factory and assembly plant. Over the next several decades, the Murray factory grew to be one of the largest in the United States: 42.7 acres (172,800.9 m²) under roof.

On April 16, 1998, Lawrence County experienced the first F5 tornado in Tennessee's history. A total of 10 tornadoes were confirmed across Middle Tennessee that day. There were 4 fatalities across the mid state, with 105 injuries. Two fatalities were confirmed in Lawrence County. A 100-year flood struck Lawrenceburg on July 13, 1998, temporarily disabling the city's fresh water supply system. Two people were killed during the flood.

Beginning in the late 1990's, the city became home to the Southeast Law Enforcement Training Seminar. The annual educational and training event hosts around 1,000 police officers at local venues for a week each summer. Internationally recognized law enforcement specialists conduct presentations and offer courses during the convention.

Education

The city is home to Lawrence County High School, E.O. Coffman Middle School, Ingram Sowell Elementary School, David Crockett Elementary School, and Lawrenceburg Public Elementary School. The local school district also operates an adult secondary educational facility and a specialized achievement school for K-12 students within the city's borders.

Private School Sacred Heart Elementary.

Post-Secondary Lawrenceburg is home a satellite campus of Columbia State Community College.

Recent events

Lawrenceburg played host to the homecoming of former senator turned actor and 2008 presidential hopeful Fred Thompson. Nearly 10,000 people from across the country, along with members of the national media, were present in Downtown Lawrenceburg for the historic occasion.

David Crockett Days

Each August Lawrenceburg hosts the annual "David Crockett Days" celebration at the David Crockett State Park. The event features arts and crafts vendors, reenactments of life in the early 19th Century, and demonstrators dressed in period attire. Crockett Days takes place only a few hundred yards from the believed site of Crockett's home and gristmill.

Radio Broadcasting

  • WDXE-AM
    WDXE (AM)
    WDXE is a Classic Country music formatted broadcast radio station licensed to Lawrenceburg, Tennessee, serving Lawrenceburg and Lawrence County, Tennessee. WDXE is owned and operated by Lakewood Communications, LLC....

     "Classic Country 1370 / WDXE-FM
    WDXE-FM
    WDXE-FM is an Adult Contemporary music formatted broadcast radio station licensed to Lawrenceburg, Tennessee, serving Lawrenceburg and Lawrence County, Tennessee. WDXE-FM is owned and operated by Lakewood Communications, LLC....

     "Mix 106"
  • WWLX
    WWLX
    WWLX is a radio station broadcasting a Classic Hits music format. Licensed to Lawrenceburg, Tennessee, USA. The station is currently owned by Prospect Communications.-Translators:-External links:*...

     "Classic Hits WLX" / WLLX
    WLLX
    -External links:*...

     "Power 97.5 WLX"

Notable Residents

  • Michael Jeter
    Michael Jeter
    Michael Jeter was an American actor.- Early life :Michael Jeter was born in Lawrenceburg, Tennessee. His mother, Virginia , was a housewife...

     - Tony Award
    Tony Award
    The Antoinette Perry Award for Excellence in Theatre, more commonly known as a Tony Award, recognizes achievement in live Broadway theatre. The awards are presented by the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League at an annual ceremony in New York City. The awards are given for Broadway...

     winning actor for Grand Hotel
    Grand Hotel (musical)
    Grand Hotel is a musical with a book by Luther Davis and music and lyrics by Robert Wright and George Forrest, with additional lyrics and music by Maury Yeston....

    , who also had a memorable film role in The Green Mile
    The Green Mile (film)
    The Green Mile is a 1999 American drama film directed by Frank Darabont and adapted by him from the 1996 Stephen King novel of the same name...

    .
  • James Daniel Niedergeses
    James Daniel Niedergeses
    James Daniel Niedergeses was an American Roman Catholic bishop. He was the ninth bishop of Nashville serving from 1975 to 1992....

     - Roman Catholic Bishop
    Bishop
    A bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight. Within the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox Churches, in the Assyrian Church of the East, in the Independent Catholic Churches, and in the...

     of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Nashville
    Roman Catholic Diocese of Nashville
    The Roman Catholic Diocese of Nashville is a Roman Catholic diocese in Tennessee. It was founded on July 28, 1837 by the Dominican Bishop Richard Pius Miles. The Cathedral Church of the Incarnation is the seat of the Bishops of Nashville....

    .
  • David Weathers
    David Weathers
    John David Weathers is a former Major League Baseball pitcher. He bats and throws right-handed.- Early career :...

     - Pitcher for the Cincinnati Reds
    Cincinnati Reds
    The Cincinnati Reds are a Major League Baseball team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the National League Central Division. The club was established in 1882 as a charter member of the American Association and joined the National League in 1890....

    .
  • Clint Wright- Pitcher Atlanta Braves
    Atlanta Braves
    The Atlanta Braves are a professional baseball club based in Atlanta, Georgia. The Braves are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Braves have played in Turner Field since 1997....

     Organization ('11)
  • Mark Lamm- Pitcher Atlanta Braves
    Atlanta Braves
    The Atlanta Braves are a professional baseball club based in Atlanta, Georgia. The Braves are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Braves have played in Turner Field since 1997....

     Organization ('11)
  • Fred Dalton Thompson
    Fred Dalton Thompson
    Fred Dalton Thompson , is an American politician, actor, attorney, lobbyist, columnist, and radio host. He served as a Republican U.S...

     - lawyer, actor, and former US senator and Law & Order
    Law & Order
    Law & Order is an American police procedural and legal drama television series, created by Dick Wolf and part of the Law & Order franchise. It aired on NBC, and in syndication on various cable networks. Law & Order premiered on September 13, 1990, and completed its 20th and final season on May 24,...

    cast-member. Sought the GOP
    Republican Party (United States)
    The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...

     nomination for president in the 2008 campaign.
  • Davy Crockett
    Davy Crockett
    David "Davy" Crockett was a celebrated 19th century American folk hero, frontiersman, soldier and politician. He is commonly referred to in popular culture by the epithet "King of the Wild Frontier". He represented Tennessee in the U.S...

     - For a time he called Lawrenceburg, Tennessee his home. Many landmarks and businesses now include Crockett in their names. David Crockett State Park and the David Crockett Monument located on the city square are two well known spots that pay homage to the legendary outdoors-man.
  • James David Vaughan
    James David Vaughan
    James David Vaughan was a music teacher, composer, song book publisher, the founder of the Vaughan Conservatory of Music and the James D. Vaughan Publishing Company.-Biography:...

     - Credited as the father of Southern Gospel Music and founder of the "Vaughan Publishing Company" in Downtown Lawrenceburg. Vaughan also created the state's first radio station
    Radio station
    Radio broadcasting is a one-way wireless transmission over radio waves intended to reach a wide audience. Stations can be linked in radio networks to broadcast a common radio format, either in broadcast syndication or simulcast or both...

    , WOAN, in 1922 and served as the city's mayor for a stent during the 1920's.

External links

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