Lawrence, Indiana, city government recalls first mayor 65 years ago
LAWRENCE, Ind. (WISH) — The city government of Lawrence on Friday honored its past mayors with a memorial service at the Lawrence Government Center, marking 65 years since Morris Settles was elected as the city’s first mayor.
Democratic Mayor Deb Whitfield highlighted the importance of recognizing the contributions and vision of past leaders as the city continues to grow.
Former mayors Dean Jessup and Steve Collier, as well as family members of nearly every past mayor, attended the event.
Whitfield said, “I think that’s very important to acknowledge the work, their legacy, and their vision as the city of Lawrence is continuing to grow. In order for us to succeed we need to know our past so that we can be really cognitive of what we are going to do in the future.”
The city on the northeast side of Marion County has an estimated population of 49,800, according to Stats Indiana. That’s up from 49,300 in 2020.
Since 1960, seven people have served as mayor of Lawrence, each contributing to the city’s development and progress.
This story was created from a script aired on WISH-TV. This story was formatted for WISHTV.com using AI-assisted tools. Our editorial team reviews and edits all content published to ensure it meets our journalistic standards for accuracy and fairness.
About The Author
You may also like
-
Scattered rain chances this weekend, staying muggy | July 26, 2025
-
Fort Wayne police charge woman in deadly 2021 hit-and-run
-
Team 23XI Racing’s event kicks off Brickyard weekend
-
Indiana Task Force 1 returning home after 18 days of flood recovery in Texas
-
IMPD: Man dies after shooting on West 29th Street