Lawrence

Formed January 1, 1814 (13^th county)

Lawrence County (12,015), Monticello (1,445)

The red brick Neo-Classical Revival courthouse was built in 1911 and stands on Broad Street at Courthouse Square.  Mississippi State Highway 184 is Broad Street.  The courthouse was remodeled in 1925, renovated in 1969 and enlarged in 1970.  Ruben Harrison Hunt provided the designs.  A Justice Court augments the courthouse.  The county was founded on January 1, 1814 from Marion County as the 13^th county with Monticello as the only county seat.  The county is named for War of 1812 hero James Lawrence.  The county seat is named for the estate of President Thomas Jefferson.  Lawrence County was the birthplace for 1 Mississippi Governor, Andrew H. Longino. 

Lawrence County government consists of a sheriff, an administrator, an attorney, a collector, a coroner, an assessor and a clerk (executive).  It has 5 Supervisors (legislative.)  Two Chancery Court Judges serve Lawrence, Covington, Jefferson Davis, Simpson, and Smith counties, Three District Court Judges serve Lawrence, Jefferson Davis, Lamar, Marion, and Pearl River counties and a court clerk serves Lawrence County (judicial.) Lawrence County is in southern Mississippi.  Jackson, Mississippi is north and New Orleans, Louisiana is south of the county.  The county center is 2.7 miles Southeast of Monticello.  The county is surrounded clockwise by Simpson, Jefferson Davis, Marion, Walthall, Lincoln, and Copiah counties. 

The area of the county is 431 square miles.  It is 63 out of 82 in the state.  It ranks 64 out of 82 in population in the state.  It has a density of 27.9 persons per square mile making it 54 out of 82 in the state.  Lawrence County has 16.7% of its population in its incorporated areas.  United States Highway 84 crosses the county from east to west from Jefferson Davis County to Lincoln County.  The county is shaped like the State of Alabama.  Monticello is located near the center of the county.  Monticello is the county seat and the largest city.  It is 12.0% of the county population.