Lawrence (1983: Doomsday)

Lawrence is a moderate-sized state located in Kansas. It is home to the famous Lawrence Artifact Retrieval Service.

Pre-Doomsday
Lawrence was the 6th largest city in Kansas and the County Seat of Douglas County. Located in northeastern Kansas, Lawrence was the anchor city of the Lawrence, Kansas Metropolitan Area. which encompasses all of Douglas County. As of the 1980 census, the city population was 52,738.  Lawrence was a college town and is the home to the University of Kansas and Haskell Indian Nations University.

Doomsday
Lawrence, for the most part, was spared the horrors of the nuclear holocaust. Not a single bomb fell on Douglas County. The radiation fortunately did not blow in the county's direction either. 32% of all Douglas citizens, however, were outside when the bombs fell. Most of them were in cars. The nuclear blast blinded many people temporarily. 1% of the population suffered long-term eye damage from the blast.

Post-Doomsday
The people of Lawrence were shaken up by learning that the USA was no more. For about a month, there was relative chaos and anarchy. The power was cut off when rioters with machine guns shot at the power lines. However, Richard Warren suggested that the people of Lawrence live like the war didn't happen. People lived like there was no war. The power was restored and the city ran smoothly.

In 1984. the debt began spiraling out of control. The mayor was quickly replaced by the lieutanant mayor, who was even worse. The Edict of Winchester was issued, which prevented hastily appointed mayors. In 1985, however, the Edict of Bowerstock was issued, reforming the government. The city was formally released from the United States. The Mayor became the President and the city was officially known as the Republic of Lawrence.

In 1986, the people began feeling holed up. They began walking the abandoned highways, searching abandoned towns and cars. The Edict of Warren officially created the Lawrence Department of Exploration. The citizens were allowed to leave Lawrence with a pass. This attracted survivors to Lawrence. The population grew, as did people's taste for adventure. In 1988, the Department of Exploration began mass-producing hazmat suits for the best explorers. Lawrence, which had denied the apolalypse for so long, now embraced Doomsday with open arms.

In 1989, Warren's Reclaimation Services opened. Endorsed by the DoE, people told the employees of lost artifacts, family possessions, and desired objects. Dwayne Warren constantly explored Kansas City and Topeka. He took pictures of the ravaged cities from the inside and took artifacts back to Lawrence. From there, they decontaminated the artifact and offered it to the asker. If the asker did not want it, it was put up for auction.

In 1991, outposts popped up along Kansas' Major Highways. This allowed Lawrence to contact other post-doomsday nations.