LAWRENCE: Picture this: A new Lawrence history book

By Lea Kahn, Staff Writer
   The last history book on Lawrence Township was published in 1997, but since history has a way of continuing to be made, the Lawrence Historical Society thought it was time to write an updated book.
   That book — “Lawrence History Revisited” — has just been published by Arcadia Publishing. Copies will be available for sale at the Lawrence Historical Society’s annual meeting, set for Sunday at 2 p.m. at the Lawrence High School Commons.
   The book, which contains more than 200 photographs, was written by Lawrence Historical Society President Laura Nawrocik and volunteer Ashley Morris. Members of the historical society’s board of trustees also helped with the book, which is dedicated to the late Robert Immordino and the late Winona Nash, who were the official Lawrence Township historians.
   ”Lawrence History Revisited” is part of Arcadia Publishing’s series of books that uses archival photographs and captions to tell the story of a community’s past and how the community developed into its modern form, Ms. Nawrocik said. The publisher printed a version on Lawrence in 1991.
   Ms. Nawrocik said the new book on Lawrence focuses on how neighborhoods developed and how transportation shaped that growth. It was natural to delve into the businesses, social institutions and people who called those neighborhoods “home,” she said.
   ”The idea for the book actually fell into our laps,” she said. “The board of trustees had discussed either writing or commissioning a book about township history. In 2011, Arcadia contacted the Municipal Clerk’s Office and asked if anyone was interested in writing a follow-up (to the 1991 volume).”
   That request was forwarded to the Lawrence Historical Society by Township Historian Dennis Waters. The board of trustees discussed it and decided to tackle the project, Ms. Nawrocik said. With the exception of an “update” in 2009 to “A Guide to Lawrenceville’s Historic Landmarks,” there has not been a book published about Lawrence history since 1997.
   ”Previous history books focused mostly on the founding of Lawrence and life in the earlier years, while ‘Lawrence History Revisited’ covers a more recent period of time,” Ms. Nawrocik said.
   The 10 chapters cover business, community and military service, emergency services, houses and neighborhoods, houses of worship, parks and recreation, people and families, schools, transportation and weather.
   Most of the photographs are from the Township Historian’s Office, but some were loaned from township residents.
   T purchase a copy of the book, which costs $22, contact the Lawrence Historical Society at www.thelhs.org.