Lawrenceville in Gwinnett County, Georgia — The American South (South Atlantic)
The Land Lottery of 1820
Photographed By Duane and Tracy Marsteller, May 6, 2022
1. The Land Lottery of 1820 Marker
The state of Georgia divided land ceded by the Cherokee Nation into 250-acre lots for farming and gave them away in the Land Lottery of 1820. To be eligible, participants had to be at least 18 and a Georgia resident for three years. Lottery winners drew a slip of paper with a lot number from a drum while losers got only a blank sheet.Most early pioneers were Protestants from Virginia and the Carolinas seeking opportunity on the frontier. Within 10 years, the lottery had tripled Gwinnett County's population.
[Captions]
(Background) To select the winners of the land lottery, slips of paper some with lot numbers, some blank were placed in a drum and drawn one at a time. With each draw, the results were recorded next to the participant's name: either with the winning lot number, or more likely, a blank. The phrase drawing a blank comes from lotteries like this one. Sketch by George I. Parrish, Jr.
(Bottom) Map of Gwinnett County Land Lots Source: Gwinnett Historical Society
Erected 2018 by Gwinnett County
Photographed By Duane and Tracy Marsteller, May 6, 2022
2. The Land Lottery of 1820 Marker
Featured marker is on the right.
this page online
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Notable Events • Settlements & Settlers. A significant historical year for this entry is 1820.
Location. 33° 57.279′ N, 83° 59.351′ W. Marker is in Lawrenceville, Georgia, in Gwinnett County. Marker can be reached from the intersection of South Perry Street (Georgia Route 20) and Luckie Street, on the left when traveling south. Marker is located on the west side of Gwinnett County Bicentennial Plaza. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 275 S Perry St, Lawrenceville GA 30046, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Gwinnett County Creation (here, next to this marker); Fort Daniel and the Georgia Frontier (a few steps from this marker); From Near and Far (a few steps from this marker); Gwinnett: A Great Investment (within shouting distance of this marker); Gwinnett County Bicentennial Time Capsule (within shouting distance of this marker); Unsurpassed Quality of Life (within shouting distance of this marker); The Land We Love (within shouting distance of this marker); Lake Lanier is Born (within shouting distance of this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Lawrenceville.
Credits. This page was last revised on May 12, 2022. It was originally submitted on May 12, 2022, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee. This page has been viewed 161 times since then and 51 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on May 12, 2022, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee.
