Situated near the center of Van Buren County, in northern Lawrence Township, the village of Lawrence, Michigan is largely a residential community.
The Paw Paw River and Brush Creek flow through the northern part of the village. The chief routes to and from the village is I-94, which forms its southern border. Red Arrow Highway and Paw Paw Street (CR-365, CR-673), intersect in the center of town, while CR-215 (Corwyn Road) ends at Paw Paw Street, within the village limits.
Other cities and villages within twenty miles of Lawrence include Hartford, Bangor, Breedsville, Paw Paw, Decatur, Watervliet, Lawton, Coloma, Mattawan, Bloomingdale, Gobles, and South Haven.
Largely a residential community today, most of the village's homes are on relatively small parcels in neighborhood areas around the central business district north and south of St. Joseph Street, while larger residential lots are found north of the Paw Paw River, along Bangor Road and County Road 215, as well as along the outer edges of the neighborhood areas.
Commercial areas in the village begin at the intersection of St. Joseph Street and Paw Paw Street, and extending north to Baker Street, east to Village Park, and west to 1st Street. Outside of the Central Business District, there are commercial areas along South Paw Paw Street, at the former railroad crossing and Corwin Road intersection.
Industrial areas are established along the former Kalamazoo & Chicago Railroad line, near the Michigan Street and South Paw Paw street crossings, and the Lawrence-Crandall Business Centre was developed in 1997, occupying a 110-acre industrial part northwest of the I-94 interchange with CR-365.
Parks within the village include Village Park, a 2.5-acre park on a village block, bordered by the Red Arrow Highway and the Baker, Elizabeth, and Exchange streets. The Central Business District is situated west of the park, while single-family homes are north and east. North River Park is a 1-acre park adjacent to the Paw Paw River, on the west side of Paw Paw Street. A canoe launch is provided, and the site is along the 68-mile Paw Paw River Water Trail. The Robert Brausch Jr. Park is a 1-acre park at the Lawrence Crandall Business Centre.
Lawrence was founded in 1835 by John Allen, who originally named it Mason after Governor Stevens T. Mason. Although platted, the townsite was not recorded. By 1843, the settlement was known as Brush Creek, for the stream that passes through the community. In 1844, Mr. Allen's mortgage was foreclosed, and John R. Baker acquired most of the town. He arranged for it to be re-platted, and named it Lawrence after the township. On April 17, 1844, the Weston post office was transferred here and renamed Lawrence. The community was incorporated as a village in 1869 and re-incorporated in 1879.
First appearing on a census roll in 1860 with a population of 339, Lawrence's peak population was 1,059 in 2000. Since then, it has decreased slightly to just below 1,000.
The focus of this portion of our guide is on the village of Lawrence, Michigan. Appropriate resources include websites representing the village government or any local businesses, industries, schools, places of worship, organizations, attractions, events, and recreational or sporting opportunities.
Recommended Resources
Based in Lawrence, Michigan, the company builds and installs coolers and freezers in restaurants and grocery stores, including custom-designed applications for nearly every temperature environment. In business for more than forty years, ACT also manufactures cooler and freezer combinations, reach-in display combos, food-storage warehouse coolers, floral cold storage warehouses, metrology labs, clean rooms, and mortuary coolers. Leasing options are discussed.
https://www.americancooler.com/
Lawrence Public School District
The public school district offers a PK-12th-grade curriculum through an elementary school and a combined junior/senior high school, each of which is featured here. The board of education, a staff directory, food service operations, human resources, technology services, transportation options, and emergency drills. Its athletics and youth recreation programs are highlighted, including an athletic calendar. Online registration is available, and lunch menus are posted on the site.
https://www.lawrencetigers.com/
The civil township is headquartered in the village of Lawrence, Michigan. The official website posts its administrative address, office hours, phone and fax numbers, and official notices, and a list of administrators. Lawrence Township cemeteries are featured, with information about cemetery operations, ordinances and code, and property tax information, including the deferment of summer property taxes requests. Township policies on digging are included, with links to other resources.
https://www.lawrence-township.org/
Lawrence United Methodist Church
The UMC congregation meets at its facilities on South Exchange Street in Lawrence, Michigan. Weekly schedules, a calendar of upcoming programs and events, and an overview of its ministries and missions are set forth, including its food pantry and community services, along with a photo gallery, inspiring stories, a telephone number, and a contact form. A video archive of daily devotions and messages from the church's pastor is available, and notices and announcements are published on the site.
http://www.lawrencemethodistchurch.org/
Van Buren Intermediate School District
The VBISD was created to provide educational and support services to its constituencies, with includes Bangor Public Schools, Bloomingdale Public Schools, Covert Public Schools, Decatur Public Schools, Gobles Public Schools, Hartford Public Schools, Lawrence Public Schools, Lawton Community Schools, Mattawan Consolidated School, Paw Paw Public Schools, and South Haven Public Schools. An overview of the District's services, ISD public calendars, and a directory is included.
https://www.vbisd.org/
Situated in Lawrence Township, the village is near the center of Van Buren County, Michigan. The official municipal website offers a profile of the community, a directory of apartments and mobile homes, churches, community services, financial resources, schools, industries, retail stores, restaurants, and government facilities and services. Council meeting schedules and agendas are posted, along with public hearings, and election results. Photos, and community events are highlighted.
http://www.lawrencemi.org/
