Lawrence

Lawrence, county, western Pennsylvania, U.S., bordered to the west by Ohio. It consists of a hilly region on the Allegheny Plateau that is drained by the Shenango, Mahoning, and Beaver rivers. McConnell’s Mill State Park is located along Slippery Rock Creek.

New Castle, the county seat, was connected to Beaver in Beaver county by the Erie Extension Canal (opened 1833). Lawrence county was created in 1849 and named for the Lawrence, Oliver Hazard Perry’s flagship during the Battle of Lake Erie. New Wilmington is the home of Westminster College (founded 1852). Other communities include Ellwood City, Bessemer, Ellport, and Wampum. The county’s economy rests on services (health care and business), manufacturing (iron and steel), and mining (bituminous coal). Area 361 square miles (934 square km). Pop. (2000) 94,643; (2010) 91,108.