Is Lawrence part of Indianapolis?
No. Lawrence stayed outside the consolidated city when Unigov began in 1970, so it still governs itself.
Indiana · LOCAL MARKET GUIDE
How Lawrence Grew from Lanesville to Fort Ben and Oaklandon
Lawrence began as Lanesville, platted in 1849 and renamed in 1866. Fort Benjamin Harrison, or Fort Ben, joined the city in 1970, closed in 1995 and now includes Fort Harrison State Park and the Fort Ben Cultural Campus. INDOT's Pendleton Pike project covers five miles between I-465 and 65th Street.
Book a free Lawrence strategy callExplore Indiana agency servicesLanesville, annexations, 46216 and 46226
- The Encyclopedia of Indianapolis says the town was platted in 1849 as Lanesville. County commissioners renamed it Lawrence in 1866, after the township post office. Encyclopedia of Indianapolis
- Fort Benjamin Harrison was annexed into Lawrence in 1970 over Army objections. Indian Lake and Oaklandon were annexed later, and Indiana courts upheld the annexations in 1976. Encyclopedia of Indianapolis
- ZIP 46226 lists Indianapolis as its primary city, with Lawrence as an acceptable alternate name. United States Zip Codes
- ZIP 46216 lists Indianapolis as its primary city, and two ZIP sites mark 'Ft Benjamin Harrison' as a name to avoid. The City of Lawrence writes its own addresses as Lawrence, IN 46216, so use the USPS ZIP lookup to confirm which city name to print. United States Zip Codes and City of Lawrence
What became of Fort Benjamin Harrison
- Choose Lawrence says that in the early 1990s the fort was the largest employer in Lawrence, with nearly 10,000 civilian and military employees. Choose Lawrence
- The City of Lawrence's site says Fort Benjamin Harrison closed in 1995 after a 1991 federal closure decision. The state now owns much of the land as Fort Harrison State Park. City of Lawrence
- Indiana DNR's state park pages put Fort Harrison State Park at 1,700 acres. DNR also lists the Fort Harrison Inn at the park and has a Fort Harrison Golf Resort & Conference Center page. Indiana DNR
- The Encyclopedia of Indianapolis says the city and the Fort Harrison Reuse Authority worked together to redevelop the fort as a mixed-use village town center. Much of the remaining acreage became private homes, offices and retail space, and the federal government kept about 10 percent of the fort's land. Encyclopedia of Indianapolis
Fort Ben Cultural Campus, Civic Plaza and 4th Fest
- VisitIndy's event listings describe the Fort Ben Cultural Campus as having a newly renovated historic theater, a visual arts center and an amphitheater. They also say it has what one listing calls the world's largest set of musical swings. VisitIndy
- VisitIndy lists the Lawrence BBQ & Blues Festival at the Fort Ben Cultural Campus, with food and live music from area bands. It also lists Lagers in Lawrence, an Oktoberfest that's held there. VisitIndy
- Lawrence Civic Plaza, listed at 5710 Lawrence Village Parkway in Fort Ben, hosts city events. They've included the International Festival on May 10, 2025, with international food, cultural performances, music and art, and Halloween Fest in 2024. City of Lawrence
- The City of Lawrence's 4th Fest, its July 4 celebration, listed a parade, a classic car show and a Kiwanis Club fish fry in 2025. It also listed a food truck and music festival at 6 pm and fireworks around 10 pm. City of Lawrence
I-465 exit 042, Pendleton Pike and Thunderbird Road
- INDOT's interchange book lists the I-465 exit for Pendleton Pike (US 36 and State Road 67) as exit 042. INDOT
- INDOT's Pendleton Pike project covers five miles of US 36 and State Road 67 between I-465 and 65th Street. INDOT says the stretch has more frequent and severe crashes than the statewide average. INDOT
- The Pendleton Pike proposal would replace parts of the center turn lane with raised medians. Drivers would turn left at the nearest intersection or make a U-turn, and the final design may differ. City of Lawrence
- On June 27, 2025 the City of Lawrence announced that the improved intersection at Thunderbird Road and Pendleton Pike is open. The intersection has a new signal and a connector road south of it. City of Lawrence
Shadeland plants, Defense Finance and the chamber
- The Encyclopedia of Indianapolis says subdivisions sprouted in Lawrence as Western Electric, Ford and Chrysler plants opened on nearby Shadeland Avenue in Indianapolis. It adds that some manufacturing jobs on Shadeland Avenue have since been lost. Encyclopedia of Indianapolis
- Choose Lawrence says the Defense Finance and Accounting Service Center is Lawrence's largest employer, with more than 4,000 employees. Choose Lawrence
- Choose Lawrence says Lawrence works with Develop Indy on business attraction, retention and expansion. Choose Lawrence
- The Greater Lawrence Chamber of Commerce is a membership group that works to advance the community. Choose Lawrence and City of Lawrence
Building permits, Public Works petitions and Marion County
- Lawrence's Building Code chapter requires a written application to the Building Commissioner before work that alters a structure or changes its occupancy. Fences up to six feet high and one-story accessory structures under 200 square feet are exempt. A permit is invalid if the work doesn't start within 180 days of issuance. City of Lawrence Code of Ordinances
- City Public Works handouts say Marion County's Department of Business and Neighborhood Services often also requires an Improvement Location Permit for projects such as decks and sheds. Ask that county office what your project needs. City of Lawrence
- Since July 2021, variance and rezoning petitions in Lawrence have been filed with the city's Department of Public Works, and the Board of Zoning Appeals handles variances. The zoning page links variance packets for use, development standards and special exceptions, plus a rezoning packet. City of Lawrence
- The Board of Zoning Appeals packet gives the board's address as 9001 E. 59th Street, Suite 205, Lawrence, IN 46216. Filings go to permits@cityoflawrence.org or the Lawrence Government Center, and filing fees must be paid to receive a docket number. City of Lawrence
EXPLORE THE LOCAL PLAN
Choose the area.
Choose the work.
5 service pages
Lawrence
City resources identify Fort Ben and other Lawrence neighborhoods. Marketing plans distinguish the business offer from assumptions about a neighborhood audience.
City of Lawrence community and business resources“…drove a noticeable uptick in leads within just a few weeks…”
Mike BamosiGoogle review
“I had a great experience working with Jeff…”
Heather DoanGoogle review
Jeff Clerisier founded Trojan Digital Marketing in March 2018.
We have more than 1,400 live websites.
We work from Indianapolis and serve Lawrence, in Marion County, as part of central Indiana.
We also work with clients across the United States.
Questions Lawrence owners ask
Does the IndyGo Purple Line reach Lawrence?
Yes. The Purple Line opened October 13, 2024 and runs 15.2 miles from downtown Indianapolis to Lawrence.
Marketing help for Lawrence businesses
Based in Indianapolis, we serve central Indiana and clients across the United States.
Request a free strategy callLawrence, Indiana
Service area map