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Franklin, Ohio
The old Franklin Post Office along the Great Miami River
The old Franklin Post Office along the Great Miami River
Flag of Franklin, Ohio
Flag
Official seal of Franklin, Ohio
Seal
Official logo of Franklin, Ohio
Logo
Motto(s): 
"Keep It Green"
Location of Franklin, Ohio
Location of Franklin, Ohio
Location of Franklin in Warren County
Location of Franklin in Warren County
Country United States
State Ohio
County Warren
Founded 1796
town 1814
city 1951
Government
 • Type Council-city manager
Area
 • Total 9.43 sq mi (24.41 km2)
 • Land 9.23 sq mi (23.90 km2)
 • Water 0.20 sq mi (0.51 km2)  1.82%
Elevation
686 ft (209 m)
Population
 (2020)
 • Total 11,690
 • Estimate 
(2023)
11,653
 • Density 1,266.80/sq mi (489.11/km2)
Time zone UTC-5 (EST)
 • Summer (DST) UTC-4 (EDT)
ZIP code
45005
Area code(s) 937
FIPS code 39-28476
GNIS feature ID 2394807
Website http://www.franklinohio.org/

Franklin is a city in Warren County, Ohio, United States, along the Great Miami River. The population was 11,690 at the 2020 census. The city lies about 15 miles (24 km) southwest of Dayton and 33.5 miles (53.9 km) northeast of Cincinnati. Ohio State Routes 73, 123 and 741 pass through Franklin, while Interstate 75 is routed to the east side of the city.

History

Franklin OH lion bridge
Franklin's Lion Bridge, spanning the Great Miami River and connecting the sections of Franklin on either side of the river (view east).

Franklin was founded by General William C. Schenck, in 1796. The settlement was named for Benjamin Franklin. Franklin was incorporated in 1814, and became a city in 1951.

One of the first four post offices in Warren County was established Franklin in 1805. The first postmaster was John N.C. Schenck, brother of General Schenck. The Franklin Post Office still stands (in a different location), and is one of four sites in Franklin listed on the National Register of Historic Places, along with the Mackinaw Historic District.

Construction of the Miami and Erie Canal occurred between 1825 and 1845. The canal followed the Great Miami River through Franklin, and the boat traffic led to new commerce. The town soon had a pork slaughterhouse, barrel making factory, sawmill, and whiskey distillery.

Franklin, Ohio - Flood of 1913
Flood of 1913

Franklin's first mayor, Dr. Absalom Death, was elected at a tavern meeting in 1837. Dr. Death went on to be director of a medical college in Cincinnati. In its history, two doctors in Franklin have been named "Dr. Death".

By the 1850s, the Franklin area was noted for breeding racehorses. One chestnut-colored mare, Nightingale, sired by Mambrino and Wood's Hambletonian, set a 3-mile harness racing record of 6:55½ in 1893.

A railroad was completed with a depot in Franklin in 1872. The town continued to prosper, and by 1890, five paparmaking mills were located in Franklin. The town's economy suffered a setback in 1896, when Franklin's only bank crashed. A longtime and trusted teller had embezzled vast amounts of money, affecting the fortunes of many individuals and businesses.

The town marshal of Franklin, George Basore, was shot and killed in 1906 while attempting to arrest an African-American man, George White. When White was arrested, a crowd of 300 gathered outside the Franklin jail intent on lynching him. The sheriff and two deputies were able to remove White and take him to nearby Lebanon for his safety. The New York Times reported: "The whole town of Franklin is wrought up over the affair. Colored people were chased out without being given time to explain". White was executed the following year.

The town was devastated by the Great Flood in March 1913, when the banks of the Great Miami River overflowed.

Franklin opened what was considered the world's first garbage recycling plant in 1971. Designed and built by the Black Clawson Company, the plant recycled metals from solid waste, and used recovered paper fibers to make roofing materials.

In 1989, Ronald Peters, a café owner in Franklin, was alleged to be the principal bookmaker for baseball player Pete Rose.

In 2015, The Museum of Spiritual Art opened.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 9.34 square miles (24.19 km2), of which 9.17 square miles (23.75 km2) is land and 0.17 square miles (0.44 km2) is water.

Demographics

Historical population
Census Pop.
1810 202
1830 584
1840 770 31.8%
1850 972 26.2%
1870 1,832
1880 2,385 30.2%
1890 2,729 14.4%
1900 2,724 −0.2%
1910 2,659 −2.4%
1920 3,071 15.5%
1930 4,491 46.2%
1940 4,511 0.4%
1950 5,388 19.4%
1960 7,917 46.9%
1970 10,075 27.3%
1980 10,711 6.3%
1990 11,026 2.9%
2000 11,396 3.4%
2010 11,771 3.3%
2020 11,690 −0.7%
2023 (est.) 11,653 −1.0%
Sources:

2010 census

As of the census of 2010, there were 11,771 people, 4,667 households, and 3,162 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,283.6 inhabitants per square mile (495.6/km2). There were 5,026 housing units at an average density of 548.1 per square mile (211.6/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 96.2% White, 0.9% African American, 0.2% Native American, 0.5% Asian, 0.4% from other races, and 1.7% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.6% of the population.

There were 4,667 households, of which 35.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 45.9% were married couples living together, 15.7% had a female householder with no husband present, 6.2% had a male householder with no wife present, and 32.2% were non-families. 26.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.49 and the average family size was 3.00.

The median age in the city was 36.7 years. 25.5% of residents were under the age of 18; 8.6% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 27.2% were from 25 to 44; 26.3% were from 45 to 64; and 12.5% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 48.2% male and 51.8% female.

Education

Franklin is served by the public Franklin City School District, which includes the following schools:

  • Anthony Wayne Elementary School
  • Hunter Elementary School
  • Schenck Elementary School
  • Pennyroyal Elementary School
  • Gerke Elementary School
  • Franklin Junior High School.
  • Franklin High School.

The city is also served by the private Bishop Fenwick High School under the Archdiocese of Cincinnati.

Franklin is home to the Franklin Public Library, a branch of the Franklin-Springboro Public Library.

Notable people

  • Samuel Bigger, seventh Governor of Indiana
  • Lewis D. Campbell, U.S. Representative for Ohio
  • Mary Kennedy Carter, teacher and civil rights activist
  • Will Earhart, music educator.
  • Bergen Evans, lexicographer, Rhodes Scholar, professor, and television host.
  • Edwin F. Harding, commander of U.S. National Guard 32nd Infantry Division
  • Justin Woodward Harding, judge on the tribunal presiding over the Judges' Trial
  • Darrell Hedric, college basketball coach
  • Gene Huff, member of Kentucky House of Representatives and Senate
  • Luke Kennard, Duke Blue Devils men's basketball player, 12th overall pick by the Detroit Pistons in the 2017 NBA draft
  • Travis Lakins, former pitcher for Ohio State Buckeyes baseball, former pitcher for the Boston Red Sox and Baltimore Orioles
  • Frank Lickliter, professional golfer
  • John Patterson MacLean, Universalist minister, archaeologist, and historian
  • William A. Newell, 18th Governor of New Jersey
  • James F. Schenck, U.S. Navy admiral and brother of Robert
  • John N. C. Schenck, first post master of the Miami River Valley and early plotter of Warren County
  • Robert C. Schenck, U.S. Army general and brother of James
  • William Cortenus Schenck, American army general in the War of 1812, pioneer surveyor of the Northwest Territory, and founder of Franklin; father of James and Robert
  • Derik Steiner, professional football player
  • Shannon Stewart, fashion model and beauty pageant contestant
  • Wilbur P. Thirkield, president of Howard University
  • Bob Timberlake, professional football player

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Franklin (Ohio) para niños

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