Lawrence Massachusetts, located on the banks of the Merrimack River, boasts a diverse population of approximately 70,000, with roots in the cultures of the Canada, Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, Ireland, Germany, Turkey, Italy, Lebanon, to name a few. An industrial town from its inception, Lawrence, one of the original mill towns, has been the subject of much historical, economic, and social interest. It was once the largest textile city in the world. To learn more about it consult the following books:
  • Cole, Donald B. Immigrant City: Lawrence, Massachusetts, 1845-1921. Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina Press, 1963.
  • Although only seven square miles, Lawrence has always been a city of immigrant populations. Donald Cole traces the development of each ethnic group as it settled in and contributed to the history of the city.
  • Cahn, William. Lawrence, 1912: The Bread and Roses Strike. New York: Pilgrim Press, 1980.
  • William Cahn has presented a photographic history of the Strike of 1912, a watershed in the history of the American labor movement. The photographs dramatically demonstrate the events of the strike as they unfolded.
  • Cameron, Ardis. Radicals of the Worst Sort: Laboring Women in Lawrence, Massachusetts, 1860-1912. Urbana: University of Illinois Press, 1993.
  • Established as a mill city, Lawrence employed thousands of women in the production of textiles. Ardis Cameron examines the role of laboring women in an industry and a city that erupted in the strike of 1912.
  • Dengler, Eartha, Katherine Khalife, and Ken Skulski. Lawrence, Massachusetts. Dover, NH: Arcadia Publishing, 1995.
  • A history of Lawrence in photographs, this book is a record of the changing face of the city. Immigrant City Archives, the city's local history collection, provided the documents that illustrate the transformation of Lawrence from a town to a city that was a major force in the industrial development of the United States.
  • Dorgan, Maurice B. History of Lawrence, Massachusetts: With War Records. Lawrence: Dorgan, 1924.
  • One of the standard histories of Lawrence, Dorgan's book provides a careful and thorough look at the city from the time it was created by the Essex Company through 1918.
  • Goldberg, David J. A Tale of Three Cities: Labor Organization and Protest in Paterson, Passaic, and Lawrence, 1916-1912. New Brunswick: Rutgers University Press, 1989.
  • Labor unions have always played an important role in the history of the city of Lawrence. Goldberg's book puts that role in the larger context of United States labor history.
  • Leavitt, Thomas W. Mill Owners and Missionaries: A History of Lawrence General Hospital. Lawrence, MA: Lawrence General Hospital, 1975.
  • In his introduction, Thomas Leavitt states that "residents of Greater Lawrence in 1875 were not, by and large, a healthy lot." With that assertion, he launches into the history of the hospital that reflects the dynamic city and area it services.
  • Schinto, Jeanne. Huddle Fever: Living in the Immigrant City. New York: Knopf, 1995.
  • As a former Lawrence resident, Jeanne Schinto combines personal reminiscences and anecdotes with historical research to explore the realities of life in Lawrence today.
  • Views of Lawrence, Mass. Portland, ME: L. H. Nelson, n.d.
  • Lawrence is indeed a town of historic and beautiful architecture. This collection of 19th century photographs provides a tour of the most impressive structures, as well as views of natural sights.
  • Wadsworth, H. A. History of Lawrence, Massachusetts: With Portraits and Biographical Sketches of Ex-mayors up to 1880 and Other Distinguished Citizens, Including Many Business and Professional Men Now Living. Lawrence, MA: Printed by Hammon Reed, Lawrence Eagle Steam Job Print. For sale by Albert Colby's Sons, 1880.
  • Perhaps the title of this book is the best description of the city that was a little over 30 years old at the time of its printing.