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A location along the Merrimack River was selected to carve out a new industrial city in the 1840s. The City of Lawrence sprang up at an astonishingly rapid pace. It was a city meant to do one thing: produce.

By the 20th century Lawrence is one of the busiest industrial cities in the world. But rapid industrialization had drastic consequences for living and working conditions in the city.

In mid-January 1912 25,000 workers left their jobs to protest a wage cut. The strike took on additional meaning as it progressed and became a national news sensation.

The events of the strike were played out by a diverse cast of characters. From ministers to militiamen, mill owners to immigrants. The city was a battleground and its community members took sides.

Attracting national and international scrutiny, the strike became a focal point for public debate. Support and opposition poured into Lawrence from around the world.

1912 lives on. Over the last 100 years, people in Lawrence and around the world have debated, suppressed, celebrated, and reexamined the strike's legacies. What does the strike mean to you?