Lawrence

Formed January 15, 1815 (2^nd county)

Lawrence County (16,216), Walnut Ridge (5,381)

The brown brick courthouse was built in 1965 at Main and 3^rd Streets.  United States Highway 412 becomes Main Street through the town.  The building’s designers were Erhart, Eichenbaum, Rauch, and Blass in a Modern style.  There were earlier courthouses in Walnut Ridge (1901) and Powhatan (1888).  Lawrence (1815), Jackson (1829), Smithville (1837), Clover Bend (1868), Powhatan (1869), and Walnut Ridge (1887) were all county seats.  Powhatan and Walnut Ridge served as dual county seats until 1963.  War of 1812 Naval Hero, Captain James Lawrence is the source for the county name.  Walnut Ridge is named for the walnut trees predominant in the town site.  On January 15, 1815, Lawrence County was created from New Madrid County, Missouri and Arkansas County as the 2^nd county. 

Lawrence County government consists of a sheriff, assessor, treasurer, and coroner (executive).  It has 9 Quorum Court members (legislative.)  Three Circuit Court Judges serve Lawrence, Jackson, Randolph, and Sharp counties and Two District Court Judges, an Attorney, and a County Clerk serve Lawrence County (judicial.)  The county is in northeast Arkansas northwest of Jonesboro, Arkansas.  The center of the county is 14 miles Southwest of Walnut Ridge nearer Alicia.  The county is surrounded clockwise by Randolph, Greene, Craighead, Jackson, Independence, and Sharp counties.  A leaning rectangle best describes the shape for the county.  The White River is the western border.  Walnut Ridge is located in the northern half of the county.  Walnut Ridge is the county seat and the largest city.  It is 33.2% of the county population.

The area of the county is 592.3 square miles.  It is 64 of 75 in size.  It ranks 48 out of 75 in population in the state.  It has a density of 27.4 persons per square mile making it 36 out of 75 in the state.  Lawrence County has 68.9% of its population in its incorporated areas.  United States Highway 63 crosses diagonally from Craighead County in the southeast into Randolph County in the northwest.  United States Highway 67 enters from the north, Randolph County, and exits to the south, Jackson County.  United States Highway 412 comes from Greene County to the east, joins United States Highway 63, and goes into Randolph County to the northwest.