PINKNEY NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION

Nurturing and preserving our beautiful corner of Lawrence, Kansas!

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The Neighborhood

About the Neighborhood

The Pinkney Neighborhood is bounded by the Kaw on the east, I-70 on the north, Iowa Street/McDonald Drive on the west and 6th Street on the south.   There are approximately 1700 households in the Neighborhood.  The City of Lawrence 2010 Consolidated Annual Performance and Evaluation Report estimated the population within the Neighborhood at approximately 3,850.

Six wonderful parks are located in our neighborhood:  Burcham Park, Clinton Park, Constant Park, Sandra Shaw Park, Woody Park, and Robinson Park. Pinkney Neighborhood is also the home base for many artists, musicians, and entrepreneurs.  Our neighborhood is perfect for taking walks (with or without your dog), jogging, bicycling, gardening, and simply enjoying family, friends, and life!

Also within the Pinkney Neighborhood: Lawrence Memorial Hospital, the Lawrence/Douglas County Health Department, Bert Nash Community Mental Health Center, Douglas County Dental Clinic, USD 497 District Office Building, Pinckney Elementary School, Veritas Christian School, Brook Creek Learning Center, and the Children’s Learning Center.

History

The Pinkney Neighborhood is one of the oldest in the city. It bears the former name of 6th Street. Until 1912, 6th Street was named Pinkney/Pinckney Street.  Although tracing the history of the neighborhood’s namesake is somewhat unclear (the original spelling on the first town map was actually “Pinkney”), the name “Pinckney” became affiliated with our neighborhood for 50+ years.  The spelling “Pinckney” is associated with Charles Cotesworth Pinckney who was a Revolutionary War general, a delegate to the Constitutional Convention, and a pro-slavery plantation owner from South Carolina who was one of the most ardent defenders of slavery at the Constitutional Convention and celebrated the inclusion of the Fugitive Slave Clause that had been written by his cousin, Charles Pinckney.  This connection with someone tied to slavery and racism led the neighborhood in June 2020 to form a committee to assess community interest in changing the name of our neighborhood.  The outcome of the committee’s work was a series of votes by neighborhood residents, ultimately renaming the neighborhood for William Pinkney (1764-1822), who gave an influential anti-slavery speech in 1789. You can learn more about the committee’s work, community input, and the overall renaming process here.

PNA is gathering historical information about previous residents, as well as historical buildings, locations, and other places and events in the neighborhood. This information will be posted on the Pinkney History and Voices of Pinkney page.  Your ideas and information are greatly welcome!

 

 

• Helpful Lawrence Area Links

  • Bert Nash Community Mental Health Center
  • City of Lawrence, Kansas
  • Heartland Community Health Center
  • Just Food Douglas County
  • Lawrence – Douglas County Health Department
  • Lawrence Memorial Hospital
  • Lawrence See-Click-Fix Reporting for Potholes, Parks Issues, Etc.
  • Pinckney Elementary School

• Other Neighborhood Associations

  • Lawrence Association of Neighborhoods
  • Brook Creek
  • Delaware Street Commons
  • East Lawrence
  • North Lawrence
  • Old West Lawrence
  • Oread
  • Sunset Hills
  • University Place
  • Schwegler

• Changing our Neighborhood Name

  Our neighborhood name of “Pinckney” was recently changed to “Pinkney.” This change occurred because Pinckney with a ‘c’ was associated with Charles Cotesworth Pinckney, a Revolutionary War general who signed the Constitution and who also was a slaveholder who believed slavery was fundamental to the American way of life (he owned a large plantation in South Carolina). Given this problematic history, neighborhood residents voted to change our neighborhood name. To learn more about the year-long process, go to our dedicated webpage. The final round of voting ultimately landed on the name of “Pinkney” in honor of William Pinkney, who gave a famous anti-slavery speech in 1789.