Lawrenceville, New Jersey

Map of Lawrenceville CDP in Mercer County

Lawrenceville is a census-designated place and unincorporated area located within Lawrence Township in Mercer County, New Jersey. As of the United States 2000 Census, the CDP population was 4,081. Lawrenceville is located roughly halfway between Princeton and Trenton.

Geography

Lawrenceville is located at 40°18′11″N 74°44′13″W (40.302993, -74.736976)Template:GR.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of 2.7 km² (1.0 mi²), all land.

Lawrenceville mainly comprises the area flanked by Lawrenceville-Pennington Road to the south, Cold Soil Road to the north, Keefe Road to the west, and Lawrenceville Road (U.S. Highway 206) to the east. Lawrenceville School, across Route 206, is usually considered part of the village as well. Before tract development beginning in the early 1970's, the village was clearly defined as stretching two to three blocks back from Route 206. As the farmland behind the historic village was filled in with residential developments, the boundary has become less clear. Likewise, the boundary to the south is vague; while Lawrenceville-Pennington Road forms one boundary, but nearby Interstate 295 forms an even more impenetrable barrier.

The historic village center along Main Street (Lawrenceville Road changes name in the center of the village) has long been the main focus of Lawrenceville itself. It includes the post office, a bank, several restaurants, the fire station, and the local oil and water companies.

Area residents often refer, incorrectly, to all of Lawrence Township as Lawrenceville. The confusion over the township's name is partly caused by the fact that the local Post Office is located in the Lawrenceville CDP. The Postal Service also instructs Lawrence Township residents not to use Lawrence Township, but instead use Lawrenceville, Princeton or Trenton for their mailing address. The area is also collectively known in colloquial terms as the "City of Lawrence" due to its importance in the central Jersey region, acting as a transition between the capital city of Trenton and the research and corporate powerhouse of Princeton.

Demographics

Historical population

Census	Pop.	Note	%±
1990	6,446		—
2000	4,081		−36.7%
source:

As of the censusTemplate:GR of 2000, there were 4,081 people, 1,747 households, and 1,070 families residing in the CDP. The population density was 1,515.1/km² (3,926.5/mi²). There were 1,776 housing units at an average density of 659.3/km² (1,708.7/mi²). The racial makeup of the CDP was 88.12% White, 3.58% African American, 0.07% Native American, 6.30% Asian, 0.54% from other races, and 1.40% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.46% of the population.

There were 1,747 households out of which 32.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.7% were married couples living together, 10.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 38.7% were non-families. 32.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.33 and the average family size was 2.99.

In the CDP the population was spread out with 24.2% under the age of 18, 5.8% from 18 to 24, 32.2% from 25 to 44, 27.7% from 45 to 64, and 10.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 83.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 77.7 males.

The median income for a household in the CDP was $74,107, and the median income for a family was $98,972. Males had a median income of $65,189 versus $37,972 for females. The per capita income for the CDP was $37,919. About 0.6% of families and 1.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including none of those under age 18 and 4.1% of those age 65 or over.

History

Lawrenceville was founded as Maidenhead in 1697, as part of the county of Burlington in the colony of West Jersey. In 1714, the village became a part of Hunterdon County.

In 1798, the New Jersey Legislature legally incorporated the Township of Maidenhead. In 1816, it was renamed Lawrence Township, after Captain James Lawrence, a naval hero of the War of 1812. The village was renamed Lawrenceville at the same time. In 1838, Mercer County was formed from parts of three counties, and Lawrence Township was included in the new County. The Township's boundaries and geographic relationships have remained the same since that time.

During the Revolutionary War, George Washington's troops marched through Maidenhead after the Battle of Trenton on Christmas 1777, chasing British troops. They met at the Battle of Princeton, just over the township line.

Government

Lawrenceville is part of Lawrence Township, and has no separate political or administrative definition.

Education

One of Lawrence Township Public Schools' four elementary schools, Lawrenceville Elementary, is located in Lawrenceville. The others are Eldridge Park Elementary, Ben Franklin Elementary, and Slackwood Elementary.

Lawrenceville is home to the Lawrenceville School, a private boarding high school founded in 1810. Notre Dame High School is also located here.

Rider University is located in Lawrence Township, just south of Lawrenceville.

Commerce

The dominant economic force in Lawrenceville itself is the Lawrenceville School. Lawrence Township is home to several large corporate facilities, including the world headquarters of Educational Testing Service, offices for the Lenox division of Department 56, the main educational facility for Bristol Myers Squibb, and the offices of the Peterson's Guide division of Thomsen Learning. All are located on corporate campuses outside of the village of Lawrenceville.

Main Street in Lawrenceville, the traditional center of the village, is home to several restaurants and shops. Formerly home to a family grocery, hardware store, and pharmacy, it now includes some boutiques and destination restaurants, but retains some businesses for residents, including the village water and oil companies, a pizza parlor, a barber, and the township fire department and post office. The village businesses share an organization, Lawrenceville Main Street, which organizes events and promotes the business district to visitors.

Probably the most famous business in the village of Lawrenceville is the now-closed Jigger Shop, which served generations of Lawrenceville School students as soda fountain and school store. Lawrenceville School now has its own school store on campus.

Notable residents

Notable current and former residents of Lawrenceville include:

• George H. Brown (1810-1865), represented New Jersey's 4th congressional district in the United States House of Representatives from 1853 to 1855.

External links

Template:Geolinks-US-cityscale Lawrenceville Main Street business association