Lawrence University and the Fox Valley
Lawrence University shares a proud history with the Fox Valley community. Ever since the Rev. William Harkness Sampson, Appleton's first permanent resident, arrived in a dugout canoe and selected a wooded bluff above the Fox River as the site for a new college, Lawrence has been an integral part of the Fox Valley.
The college opened its doors in 1849 on the present site of Appleton's YMCA. Lawrence's benefactor, Boston merchant and philanthropist Amos Lawrence, envisioned an institution of higher learning that would be noted for excellence and serve the growing number of people settling in the area. Samuel Appleton, a relative of Amos Lawrence, donated $10,000 to fund the library; in appreciation, his name was given to the town that grew up around the college.
Then, as today, Lawrence shared with Appleton and the broader Fox Valley community a profound interest in the continued vitality of the region. Lawrence values its roots in the Fox Valley and is committed to contributing toward the strength of this region. It does so in many ways. Follow the links at the left to read about some of those ways.
