The county seat · 1821
Lawrenceville History
Lawrenceville is the oldest city in Gwinnett County, incorporated on December 15, 1821, exactly three years after the county was created. It was named for Captain James Lawrence, the War of 1812 commander, and built around a square chosen partly for its springs.
The square is still there, and so is much of the county-seat role the city was created for.
The founding story
Three years to the day after the county
Gwinnett County was created on December 15, 1818, and Lawrenceville was incorporated on December 15, 1821, exactly three years later. The site was chosen partly for its nearby springs, and the city was named for Captain James Lawrence, the War of 1812 naval commander remembered for the command, do not give up the ship. The original square became the seat of the county government.
The modern era
The square and the college
The historic square still anchors downtown, with the courthouse, the Gwinnett History Museum in the 1855 Female Seminary building, and the farmers market around it. Georgia Gwinnett College opened on the city's west side in 2006, adding the education layer to the county-seat economy.
An editorial guide, not a listings site. Updated September 13, 2026. Real-estate guidance on this page is provided by Rob Dietrich, REALTOR® with eXp Realty, LLC.