Lawrence County is known as the "Mother of Counties"
because 31 of Arkansas' present counties 
were
carved from the original Lawrence County.
Named for Captain James Lawrence, a naval officer killed in
the War of 1812, the county was the second formed by the Missouri
legislature, which had jurisdiction over the region until Arkansas
became a territory in 1819. When created on January 15, 1815,
Lawrence County covered more than half of the present state,
plus a strip across the southern part of Missouri. Davidsonville,
the site of the first Arkansas post office, land office, and
courthouse, was the original county seat of Lawrence County.
The seat of justice was moved three times before relocating
to Powhatan in 1869. With the completion of the railroad through
eastern sections of the county, Walnut Ridge also became a county
seat. Lawrence County maintained dual courthouses until 1963,
when it reverted to the single-district plan and Walnut Ridge
became the sole county seat.
Most of the historic records remained in the old Victorian
Courthouse at Powhatan and are now part of the state park museum
located there. Lake Charles State Park is nearby, offering fishing,
camping, boating, swimming, beach, picnic areas, pavilions, trails
and playgrounds.
Three major rivers, the Black, the Spring, and the Strawberry,
flow freely through the county, providing fishing and boating.
The Shirey Bay/Rainey Brake Wildlife Area on the Black River
offers a good habitat for ducks and fish.
The western half of Lawrence County lies on the Ozark Foothills
and the eastern half is delta land. Rice and soybean farming,
cattle and poultry growing, and manufacturing are important economic
factors. U.S. Highway 67, 63, and 412 are major travel corridors
that cross within the county.
Williams Baptist College is located at the edge of Walnut
Ridge, along with the Walnut Ridge Regional Airport (see picture
to the right). The airport is fully equipped with three 5,000-foot
runways, ILS, AWOS, and VOR. Adjacent to the airport is the Walnut
Ridge Industrial Park, which covers over 2,200 acres. Several
major manufacturers are located in the park: S-B Power Tool Company,
Douglas/Quikut, and many more. The park is owned by the city
of Walnut Ridge and is controlled by the Walnut Ridge Airport
Commission.
