Downtown Lawrence

Downtown Lawrence Inc. (DLI) is a not-for-profit membership organization created forty years ago to promote the interests of the Downtown business district. DLI has over 140 members including individually-owned specialty stores, national retail chains, restaurants, bars, hair salons, and professional businesses.

Mission

The mission of DLI is to preserve, protect, and promote Downtown Lawrence as the retail, service and professional, governmental, entertainment, and social center of our community.

Explore Downtown Lawrence

• Come explore all Downtown Lawrence has to offer and experience why Downtown Lawrence is the Heart of the City.

Dining

• What are your taste buds in the mood for? Downtown Lawrence restaurants are sure to have it. Steaks, seafood, Mexican, Greek, Italian, Spanish, Chinese, sushi, gourmet burgers, fish & chips, Thai, barbecue, vegetarian - you name it - our great chefs are serving it up in style .

Shopping

• You can't find a more diverse selection of shopping choices than on and just off Massachusetts Street. From upscale fashion to gently worn kids' clothes, home furnishings to record (yes, record) albums, you'll find it in Downtown Lawrence.

Entertainment & Art

• Galleries, movie theatres, music and dance venues, live theater, sculpture exhibits and our monthly Final Fridays art walk make Downtown the cultural hub of the City of the Arts.

Service & Professional

• Need a haircut or massage? How about a lawyer or a dentist? Our members have all your needs covered.

History

Settled by members of the New England Emigrant Aid Company on August 1, 1854, what is now the town site of Lawrence was forged on the anvil of the Civil War. During its Territorial days, Lawrence was defended by John Brown in the 1855 Wakarusa War, sacked by sheriff Sam Jones in 1856, and was designated the free state capital of the Kansas Territory from 1857-1860. At least 143 men were massacred on August 21, 1863 when Lawrence was burned to the ground by the pro-slavery forces of William Quantrill. Much of the town was rebuilt following the raid, and some of those buildings still stand; bronze plaques mark the most significant historic structures. Exhibits of those pioneer years and Lawrence's free state heritage are on display at the Watkins Museum.

Explore Related Categories