Founded in 1978 as the Immigrant City Archives by German immigrant Earth Dengler, the Lawrence History Center’s mission is to collect, preserve, share, and animate the history and heritage of Lawrence and its people. The Lawrence History Center (LHC) has been more than an archive of the past, but an active, engaging community partner, contributing to the fabric of the current community. Its initial collection was started at the YWCA and consisted of documents of resident women immigrants. Over forty years later, its largest single collection is the Essex Company business and planning records that meticulously document the building of the City of Lawrence starting in 1845. Other collections include well over 35,000 photographs and glass plate negatives, 800 digitally mastered oral histories, one hundred years of Essex County Jail records, public health records, urban renewal documents, mayoral papers, non-current municipal records, church records, organizational records from local businesses and agencies, and an array of family and individual records that document the ethnically diverse and intellectually challenging nature of Lawrence. LHC engages the community by employing these materials through physical and online exhibits, symposia, educational programs, and research services to foster understanding of the interaction of the built community and the lives of those who live and work there. In 1992, the historic Essex Company Offices and Yard at 6 Essex Street in Lawrence, Massachusetts became LHC’s permanent home. Built in 1883 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the site consists of a main office building and four others: a carpenter’s shop, foundry (blacksmith shop), garage (stable), storage building (warehouse), and three open sheds. All buildings wrap around a historic courtyard that offers opportunities for the community to convene and experience their city’s history.
6 Essex Street
Lawrence, MA 01840
(978) 686-9230