Located twenty-five miles north of Boston, Lawrence, Massachusetts is truly a city of immigrants and industry. Lawrence was built in the 1840's as the nation's first planned industrial city. The massive mill buildings lining the Merrimack River, the striking clock and bell towers, and the breath-taking Great Stone Dam are all a tribute to Lawrence's industrial heritage.

Known as the "Immigrant City", Lawrence has always been a multi-ethnic and multicultural gateway city with a high proportion of foreign-born residents. Today Lawrence remains an urban center with 35% of its economy still manufacturing-based. Despite global trends that have seen manufacturing industries move south and overseas, the city is still a hub of textile, apparel and shoe companies like Malden Mills, KGR, Inc., Grieco Brothers, New Balance, and Cardinal Shoe. With the affordable space and close proximity to routes 93 and 495, newer companies in technology, health care, and manufacturing such as New England Affiliated Technology, the Robert Able Company, and the Gem Group, have chosen to locate in Lawrence.

In addition, Lawrence offers recreational, historical, and cultural attractions. The Lawrence Community Boating Program allows the city's youth and adults to sail on the rolling waters of the Merrimack. The Lawrence Heritage State Park is a 23-acre historic preservation of urban life that records the history of immigrant workers and life in a mill town. The city also boasts art exhibitions at Essex Art Center and a wide range of cultural activities like ethnic festivals that celebrate the diversity and rich heritage of Lawrence.