Collier's New Encyclopedia (1921)/Lawrence (Massachusetts)

LAWRENCE, a city and one of the county-seats of Essex co., Mass., on both sides of the Merrimac river, and on the Boston and Maine railroad; 29 miles N. W. of Boston. The river at this point has a gradual descent of 26 feet in a distance of half a mile, affording excellent water power. It is dammed by a solid granite wall 900 feet long and 30 feet wide, the water being drawn off through a system of canals and distributed to the various factories. Lawrence is a great cotton and woolen milling center, and has extensive manufactures of foundry and machine shop products, wall paper, stationery, cars, carriages, sewing machines, steam engines, boilers, hardware, belting, hats, boots and shoes and flour. The city has an admirable public school system, public library, court house, waterworks system, numerous public parks, daily and weekly newspapers, electric lights, and electric street railways connecting Andover, Haverhill, Lowell and neighboring towns. The charitable and educational institutions include the City Hospital, Roman Catholic Hospital, Essex County Truant School, and High school. Pop. (1910) 85,892; (1920) 94,270.