It is named for Captain James Lawrence, hero of the War of 1812, famous for his dying words, "Don't Give Up The Ship!

"[4] Lawrenceville was selected as home to the Allegheny Arsenal, due to "The area's accessibility to river transportation and its proximity to what was then the nation's only iron producing district".

Lawrenceville maintains much of its industrial-era aesthetic, with narrow row houses and old warehouses lining streets and alleyways.

"[13] Lawrenceville's Butler Street is its main artery, housing a number of restaurants, bars, boutiques, furniture stores, and coffee shops.

Lawrenceville hosts Pittsburgh's annual Art All Night, an event for amateur artists to showcase their work in a large warehouse, open for free and to the public.

[18] In 2015, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette[19] reported an increasingly high volume of developers looking to Lawrenceville to renovate properties for resale, also known as "flipping" houses, although such opportunities have become less lucrative as prices rise.

As a result of this growth, Lawrenceville is typical of Pittsburgh's gentrification: once a working-class district, the neighborhood now caters to higher-earning buyers.

Arsenal Park remains a popular recreation spot, hosting July 4 events each year, and the VFW center and Teamster Temple are active.