The Lawrence tornado, called the “Great Cyclone,” struck South Lawrence at 9:10 to 9:15 AM on Saturday, July 26, 1890. It took about two minutes to pass through any point. Damages were estimated at about $60,000. Eight people were killed and 65 were injured.That July morning was oppressively... more

Preceding the Engineering Department of today (2010), the original designation was a Commissioner of Streets. The first annual report was published in 1854, the first full year that Lawrence was a city. The Commissioner of Streets was responsible for streets--paving, watering, and general... more

The material in this collection came into the Lawrence Public Library from Lawrence City Hall over a number of months at the beginning of 2009. These sewer plans are bound in twelve volumes measuring 66 x 53 cm. Each plan is hand drawn and lettered. They show the date they were accepted. Later... more

The material in this collection came into the library from Lawrence City Hall. These street plans are bound in seven volumes measuring 66 x 53 cm. Each plan is hand drawn and lettered. They show the date they were accepted. Later additions are also dated. Some of the original drawings and... more

These plans were delivered to the Library from City Hall. Preceding the Engineering Department of today (2010), the original designation was a Commissioner of Streets. The first annual report was published in 1854, the first full year that Lawrence was a city. The Commissioner of Streets was... more

The snowfall of 1935-1936 was extremely heavy. The drifts were still intact in March due to a protracted period of cold weather. An early spring thaw and heavy rains filled Lake Winnepesaukee to dangerous levels and the spill-off began to flood the Merrimack, Spicket, and Shawsheen Rivers. On... more

A collection of glass plate negatives depicting scenes from Lawrence, Mass. These fourteen negatives are 3 x 5 inch glass plates that are showing some signs of erosion. One of them is broken. Some of them had papers that showed what some of the images were. Some of these were numbered, the... more

This lithograph entitled "View of the City of Lawrence" was executed by Ed. Hoffman and published by S. W. Chandler & Bro. lithographers for A. J. Wondra. It has been dated at 1854, the year just after incorporation as a city, due to the population figures listed on the lithograph. This is... more

This collection is composed of black and white photographs. The photographs measure 5.5 x 4 inches and are mounted (possibly pasted) on gray construction paper. It is likely that the collection was once in a scrapbook. The name and years in office are written in black ink on the paper below the... more

The photographs in this collection were found in a number of locations in the Lawrence Public Library. Some of them were framed; others were rolled up. All were in poor condition. In some cases, the condition was so bad that the appraiser could not tell what the subject matter was. The items... more

This collection contains one photograph of the School Committee of Lawrence, Mass., taken on Decemeber 8, 1921. Present in the photo are Walter J. Rochefort, Irving W. Sargent, Thomas F. Greene, William P. White (Mayor, chairman, ex-officio), Bernard M. Sheridan, and Mrs. Anna M. Driscoll. Mrs.... more

The city started the 50th anniversary of Lawrence's incorporation as a city on Monday June 1, 1903. Homing pigeons were freed at the Dracut Car Barn at 7:00 AM to later come to roost in the Lawrence coops. There were monetary prizes for the fastest birds. For the next three days they hosted a... more

The Lawrence textile workers strike of 1912 began January 12 and ended March 14 of that year. 27,000 workers were affected and the cost would be figured at around $3,000,000 in lost wages, revenue, extra expense in policing, and harm to the general business community. 500 people were arrested... more

The first United States Post office in Lawrence, Mass. was established Sept. 7, 1846. The location was on Turnpike St. (now Broadway) at the intersection with Common Street. Lawrence was then Merrimack and the first Postmaster was George A. Waldo of Methuen. A year later, the post office moved... more

For 25 years, the citizens of Lawrence used wells and cisterns to supply water for domestic use. In 1848, John Tenney of Methuen, Alfred Kittredge of Haverhill, and Daniel Saunders of Lawrence, with other associates, formed a corporation called the Lawrence Aqueduct Company to bring water in... more

The Lawrence Municipal Airport was originally constructed in 1934 under the Civil Works Act. 312 acres of land in North Andover were acquired for the project. Today’s (2009) present configuration was finalized in 1946 with three runways. In 1968, both runways 05-23 and 14-32 were extended to... more

This growing collection includes photos of events that took place at the Lawrence Portuguese American club. The Club's soccer team is heavily featured.Biographical Note:     The Portuguese American community in Lawrence is as old as the city itself. When the city received its charter in 1853,... more

Lawrence Public Library photograph collections that were used as part of a Northeast Massachusetts Regional Library System digitization project.

The Lawrence Public Library has a an interesting collection of maps and atlases. Represented here are individual maps of Lawrence and Essex County.

This is an artificial and open collection of items with no connection other than being published in the Greater Lawrence, Mass. area. The organizations who created the posters include: The Friends of the Lawrence Public Library, Lawrence 150th Anniversary Committee, Feast of the Three Saints,... more