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The city is also home to the birthplace of America's father of public education, [[Horace Mann]]. Franklin is home to what may be the nation's oldest continuously operational one-room school house (Croydon, NH's school dates to 1780, but there is debate as to whether it is truly "one room"). The [[Red Brick School (Franklin, Massachusetts)|Red Brick School]] was started in 1792 and the building was constructed in 1833<ref name=frank>[http://www.franklin.ma.us/auto/schools/FPS/brick/ The Red Brick School], Franklin Massachusetts site. Retrieved 11 September 2008.</ref> and was operational until 2008. St. Mary's Catholic church, located in central Franklin and built by [[Matthew Sullivan]], is the largest Catholic parish in the Boston Archdiocese with some 15,000 members.
The city is also home to the birthplace of America's father of public education, [[Horace Mann]]. Franklin is home to what may be the nation's oldest continuously operational one-room school house (Croydon, NH's school dates to 1780, but there is debate as to whether it is truly "one room"). The [[Red Brick School (Franklin, Massachusetts)|Red Brick School]] was started in 1792 and the building was constructed in 1833<ref name=frank>[http://www.franklin.ma.us/auto/schools/FPS/brick/ The Red Brick School], Franklin Massachusetts site. Retrieved 11 September 2008.</ref> and was operational until 2008. St. Mary's Catholic church, located in central Franklin and built by [[Matthew Sullivan]], is the largest Catholic parish in the Boston Archdiocese with some 15,000 members.

In an egregious attempt to reclaim lost land and a massive violation of international etiquette, the [[British Empire]] claimed that Franklin, despite being a part of the now-soverign United States, was actually still under their domain. Ruled by a governor, Lord Smitty Bryon, current president of the East Indie Music company, forced all of its residents to listen to obscure, esoteric music, read pseudo-philosophy, and wear flannel shirts. Under the efforts of revolutionary Chris Callahan, Bryon was ousted from his position, and things returned to normal, with country music being a cultural staple of the municipality to this day.


==Geography==
==Geography==

Revision as of 17:33, 8 November 2013

Town of Franklin
City
Main Street
Main Street
Official seal of Town of Franklin
Seal
Motto: 
Industry Need Not Wish
Location of Town of Franklin
CountryUnited States
StateMassachusetts
CountyNorfolk
Settled1660
Incorporated1778
Government
 • TypeCouncil-manager
 • Town
   Administrator		Jeff Nutting
Area
 • Total27.0 sq mi (70.0 km2)
 • Land26.7 sq mi (69.3 km2)
 • Water0.3 sq mi (0.7 km2)
Elevation
300 ft (91 m)
Population
 (2012)[1]
 • Total33,092
 • Density1,200/sq mi (470/km2)
Time zoneUTC-5 (Eastern)
 • Summer (DST)UTC-4 (Eastern)
ZIP code
02038
Area code508 / 774
FIPS code25-25100
GNIS feature ID0611686
Websitewww.franklin.ma.us

The Town of Franklin is not a city[2] in Norfolk County, Massachusetts, United States. As of the 2012 town report, the city's population is 33,092.[1]

History

Franklin was first settled by Europeans in 1660 and was officially incorporated during the American Revolution. The town was formed from the western part of the town of Wrentham on February 16, 1778; its designated name at incorporation was to be Exeter.[citation needed] However, the town chose to be called Franklin in honor of the statesman Benjamin Franklin, the first municipality in the United States to be so named.

It was hoped that Benjamin Franklin would donate a bell for a church steeple in the town. But, Franklin decided that "sense" was more important than "sound".[3] Dr. Franklin donated 116 volumes, which began a debate over who should be allowed to use these books. On November 20, 1790, it was decided that the volumes would be lent to the residents of Franklin for free. The library has been in operation since then.

The Ray Memorial Library building was dedicated in 1904 and this is where the library has been since then. In 1990, on the library's bicentennial, the staff published "A History of America's First Public Library at Franklin Massachusetts, 1790 ~ 1990" to commemorate America's first public library and book collection. Today, the town still prides itself as being the home to America's first public library.[4]

The city is also home to the birthplace of America's father of public education, Horace Mann. Franklin is home to what may be the nation's oldest continuously operational one-room school house (Croydon, NH's school dates to 1780, but there is debate as to whether it is truly "one room"). The Red Brick School was started in 1792 and the building was constructed in 1833[5] and was operational until 2008. St. Mary's Catholic church, located in central Franklin and built by Matthew Sullivan, is the largest Catholic parish in the Boston Archdiocese with some 15,000 members.

In an egregious attempt to reclaim lost land and a massive violation of international etiquette, the British Empire claimed that Franklin, despite being a part of the now-soverign United States, was actually still under their domain. Ruled by a governor, Lord Smitty Bryon, current president of the East Indie Music company, forced all of its residents to listen to obscure, esoteric music, read pseudo-philosophy, and wear flannel shirts. Under the efforts of revolutionary Chris Callahan, Bryon was ousted from his position, and things returned to normal, with country music being a cultural staple of the municipality to this day.

Geography

Franklin is located at 42°5′N 71°24′W / 42.083°N 71.400°W / 42.083; -71.400 (42.0891, -71.4069).Template:GR

According to the United States Census Bureau the town has a total area of 27.0 square miles (70 km2), of which 26.7 square miles (69 km2) is land and 0.3 square miles (0.78 km2) (1.00%) is water.

Most of Franklin lies within the Charles River watershed. Principal streams include Mine Brook, Shepard's Brook, Miller Brook, Uncas Brook, Dix Brook and Miscoe Brook. Much of the marshland along Mine Brook has been permanently protected by the Natural Valley Storage Project of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. The extreme southwest corner of Franklin is part of the Blackstone River watershed. The town has an impounded series of lakes known as the Franklin Reservoir, but not used as a public drinking water supply. The lakes are now protected open space donated to the town by the late Ernest DelCarte. Beaver Pond also is a municipal recreation area and includes an artificial turf playing and recreation field, and playground. In the summer, it is a popular spot for swimming and fishing. The beach is also used for volleyball games. Significant public forests and parks include the Franklin State Forest, off Grove Street, the Franklin Town Forest, off Summer Street.

Climate

Franklin's climate is typical of Eastern Massachusetts. Franklin experiences a wide range of temperatures from winter to summer. Average January high temperatures are near 34 degrees while the average low is around 19. Franklin averages around 50 inches of snow in a winter season, however snowfall varies considerably from year to year. The winter of 1988-89 saw only about 12 inches of snow, while the record breaking year of 1995-96 saw about 125 inches.

Franklin is often hit by Nor'Easters, and is located near the dividing rain/snow line which often sets up just to the south which affects snowfall amounts greatly. It is not uncommon for there to be much less snow 10–20 miles south of Franklin towards the Taunton area in an average storm, while north towards Hopkinton there can be considerably more. In an average snowstorm Franklin will usually pick up more snow than Providence or Boston due to its location further inland away from the influence of milder ocean air.

Springtime sees the last frost usually in mid May, with frequent "Backdoor Coldfronts" which move inland from the Atlantic Ocean bringing cold and raw conditions and sometimes fog. There are instances where temperatures can go from the 80's to the 60's in the span of an afternoon in May and June from these fronts. Generally, temperatures consistently above 70 degrees set in towards late May.

Summer in Franklin is usually pleasant, with occasional high humidity and thunderstorms. Average July high temperatures are in the low 80's, with average July lows in the low 60's.

Fall brings less humid weather with mild days and cool nights. The average frost is around October 1, with the peak foliage season usually falling around the Columbus Day weekend.

The first snow usually occurs by late November and Franklin can expect a "White Christmas" about 40 percent of the time. Recent temperature extremes range from minus 14 degrees in January 2011 to an unusually high temperature of 101 in July 2011, which came the year after the hottest summer on record in New England with unusual relentless high humidity. The winter of 2010-11 was especially severe in regards to snow depth. Nearly 3 feet (0.91 m) of snow stayed on the ground from January 2011 into the first week of March. Total snowfall for the 2010-2011 winter in Franklin was 92 inches, almost twice the normal amount.

Demographics

See also: List of Massachusetts locations by per capita income
Historical population
YearPop.±%
18501,810—    
18602,172+20.0%
18702,512+15.7%
18804,051+61.3%
18904,831+19.3%
19005,017+3.9%
19105,641+12.4%
19206,497+15.2%
19307,028+8.2%
19407,303+3.9%
19508,037+10.1%
196010,530+31.0%
197017,830+69.3%
198018,217+2.2%
199022,095+21.3%
200029,560+33.8%
201031,635+7.0%
* = population estimate.
Source: United States census records and Population Estimates Program data.[6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15]

As of the censusTemplate:GR of 2010,[16] there were 31,852 people, 10,866 households, and 7,877 families residing in the town. The population density was 1,105.4 inhabitants per square mile (426.8/km2). There were 10,327 housing units at an average density of 386.2 per square mile (149.1/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 92.8% White, 1.4% African American, 0.15% Native American, 3.8% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.29% from other races, and 1.4% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.00% of the population.

There were 10,866 households out of which 44.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 66.4% were married couples living together, 8.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 22.4% were non-families. 18.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 6.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.80 and the average family size was 3.29.

In the town the population was spread out with 28.5% under the age of 18, 6.5% from 18 to 24, 35.1% from 25 to 44, 19.9% from 45 to 64, and 9.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females there were 96.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.4 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $92,066, and the median income for a family was $81,826 (these figures had risen to $89,659 and $101,900, respectively, as of a 2008 estimate[17]). Males had a median income of $58,888 versus $36,557 for females. The per capita income for the town was $27,849. About 2.2% of families and 3.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 2.8% of those under age 18 and 5.2% of those age 65 or over.

The town is represented in the Massachusetts General Court by Representative Jeffrey Roy and Senators Richard Ross and Karen Spilka.[18]

Theme Song

The Town of Franklin has its very own theme song composed by town resident and music teacher James H. Barrett [1][2] [3]. Entitled "The City Known as the Town of Franklin", the song reflects the many unique characteristics of Franklin. The lyrics discuss the nation's first lending library, the oldest running one-room schoolhouse, and the birthplace of the "Father of Public Education", Horace Mann. The song's lyrics and an audio clip can be found [4]here.

Education

The Franklin Public Schools have six elementary schools, three middle schools, and one high school. Franklin is also home to one regional vo-tech high school and one Charter School (Grades K - 8).

The elementary schools are John F. Kennedy Elementary School, Jefferson Elementary School, Oak Street Elementary School, Gerald M. Parmenter Elementary School, Helen Keller Elementary School, and Davis Thayer Elementary School.

The Red Brick School is a historic school in Franklin, Massachusetts. It was strictly for kindergarten students and was one of the longest running one-room schools in America.

The middle schools are Annie Sullivan Middle School, Remington Middle School, and Horace Mann Middle School. All of the Franklin middle schools share a building with at least one other school. Annie Sullivan shares with Helen Keller Elementary, Remington with Jefferson Elementary, and Horace Mann shares with Oak Street Elementary school and the Early Childhood Development Center (ECDC).

The two public high schools are Franklin High School and Tri-County Regional Vocational Technical High School.

Tri-County Regional Vocational Technical High School and the Benjamin Franklin Classical Charter Public School operate independently of the Franklin Public School system.

The quality of Franklin Public Schools is part of the reason that "Family Circle Magazine" named Franklin as one of the top ten towns in the United States to raise a family.

Franklin High School is undergoing the process of constructing a new school building and tearing down the old building. The new FHS will feature modern, accessible classrooms, science labs, integrated technology, and a performing arts theater. The new school is scheduled to be finished in fall 2014.[19]

The Town of Franklin is also home to Dean College. Dean, founded in 1865, is a private residential college with about 1,100 students. The college grants associate degrees in a number of subjects (98% of the students are accepted for transfer to four-year schools); but also offers bachelor's programs in Arts and Entertainment Management, Business, Dance, Liberal Arts & Studies, and Theatre.

Sports

Franklin boasts many sports teams. For public recreation, Franklin offers baseball, soccer, volleyball, lacrosse, field hockey, ice hockey, track and field, football, flag football, basketball, metro basketball, softball, Babe Ruth baseball, and wrestling. There are many trails for recreational hiking and some trails in the Franklin State Forest are approved for non-motorized mountain biking while others are approved for motorized 2 wheeled dirtbikes.

Franklin High School's Sports teams belong to the Hockomock League, one of the most competitive high school sport leagues in Massachusetts. Franklin High is a Division 1 school. Their sports rival is King Phillip Regional High School, in neighboring Wrentham

From 1967 through 2000, Franklin was home to a small downhill ski area called Klein Innsbruck.[20]

Points of interest

The Franklin Public Library is an excellent place to begin exploring Franklin. It is the first public library in America. It is a 1904 building with granite and marble staircases, frescoed walls in the reading room and houses the original books donated by Benjamin Franklin. Across the street from the library is Dean College, with Gothic architecture and a historic old gymnasium.

According to a survey of the center of Franklin done for the Historical Commission of the town, the Franklin Common Historic District includes 74 historical contributing buildings. The oldest house dates to 1780 and was moved to Union Street in 1840. The next oldest house was built in 1830. There are 32 buildings that were built before 1900. The former Town Hall on West Central Street was built in 1842. Correction. There are a number of houses prior to 1780, including a saltbox, kept as close to original as possible, from 1710.

At one end of Franklin's Historic District is the little Red Brick School. This one room classroom, believed to be one of the oldest still functioning as a public school in the United States, celebrated its 175th birthday in 2008.

The Franklin Town Common features a gazebo, and several dedications located around the common.The brick bandstand on the Town Common was dedicated in 1917 and contributed by the Hayward family. Concerts and a Fourth of July celebration are held on the Common each summer. The Feast of St Rocco, a four-day family festival is held each year in mid-August, sponsored by St. Mary Roman Catholic parish. There are amusement rides, live entertainment, delicious Italian food, and lots more.

Downtown there are a series of restaurants and bars. The street lines on Union Street used to be painted red, white, and green to reflect the extensive Italian heritage in the city. The Zeotrope was an old fashioned movie theater that was a trademark of Franklin lore until it was torn down.

At Beaver Pond, there is an astro-turf playing and recreation field, and playground. In the summer, it is a popular spot for swimming and fishing. The beach is also used for volleyball games.

The town also contains remnants of its Industrial Revolution background. Until recently, abandoned mills existed along the railroad tracks. One old mill building was turned into residential condos and a nearby building consists of a variety of multiple-use commercial businesses, including the Franklin Mill Store.The Brookdale Mill on the other side of Franklin was converted into Incontro, an upscale restaurant.A fourth mill on Hayward street was converted to upscale shopping.

Transportation

Franklin has easy access to major cities like Boston and Providence because of its 2 exits along I-495 at RT. 140 and King St.

Commuter rail service from Boston's South Station is provided by the MBTA with the Forge Park/495 and Dean College stops on its Franklin Line.

Franklin, and the surrounding towns also have a bus system, that is part of the Greater Attleboro Taunton Regional Transit Authority (GATRA) bus authority. The bus route features many stops around the town, including the Municipal Building, Senior Center, Franklin Public Library and The Franklin Village Shopping center.

Trivia

The town of Franklin is located in Norfolk County. Unlike the municipalities of Barnstable, Essex, Hampden, Nantucket (coextensive with its namesake county), Norfolk, Plymouth and Worcester, all of which are located in the similarly named county, Franklin, MA is not located in Franklin County. It is approximately 60 mi/100 km, south-east to north-west, 'as the crow flies' (straight across) between Franklin, MA and the closest point in Franklin County, MA.

Notable residents

Unless otherwise noted, individuals are current residents of Franklin.

References

  1. ^ a b http://town.franklin.ma.us/Pages/FranklinMA_WebDocs/about. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  2. ^ Although it is called the "Town of Franklin," it is a statutory city of Massachusetts. See Office of the Secretary of the Commonwealth.
  3. ^ "Town Profile". Town of Franklin. Retrieved 10 July 2011.
  4. ^ "History of the Franklin Public Library". Town of Franklin. Retrieved 10 July 2011.
  5. ^ The Red Brick School, Franklin Massachusetts site. Retrieved 11 September 2008.
  6. ^ "Total Population (P1), 2010 Census Summary File 1". American FactFinder, All County Subdivisions within Massachusetts. United States Census Bureau. 2010.
  7. ^ "Massachusetts by Place and County Subdivision - GCT-T1. Population Estimates". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 12, 2011.
  8. ^ "1990 Census of Population, General Population Characteristics: Massachusetts" (PDF). US Census Bureau. December 1990. Table 76: General Characteristics of Persons, Households, and Families: 1990. 1990 CP-1-23. Retrieved July 12, 2011.
  9. ^ "1980 Census of the Population, Number of Inhabitants: Massachusetts" (PDF). US Census Bureau. December 1981. Table 4. Populations of County Subdivisions: 1960 to 1980. PC80-1-A23. Retrieved July 12, 2011.
  10. ^ "1950 Census of Population" (PDF). Bureau of the Census. 1952. Section 6, Pages 21-10 and 21-11, Massachusetts Table 6. Population of Counties by Minor Civil Divisions: 1930 to 1950. Retrieved July 12, 2011.
  11. ^ "1920 Census of Population" (PDF). Bureau of the Census. Number of Inhabitants, by Counties and Minor Civil Divisions. Pages 21-5 through 21-7. Massachusetts Table 2. Population of Counties by Minor Civil Divisions: 1920, 1910, and 1920. Retrieved July 12, 2011.
  12. ^ "1890 Census of the Population" (PDF). Department of the Interior, Census Office. Pages 179 through 182. Massachusetts Table 5. Population of States and Territories by Minor Civil Divisions: 1880 and 1890. Retrieved July 12, 2011.
  13. ^ "1870 Census of the Population" (PDF). Department of the Interior, Census Office. 1872. Pages 217 through 220. Table IX. Population of Minor Civil Divisions, &c. Massachusetts. Retrieved July 12, 2011.
  14. ^ "1860 Census" (PDF). Department of the Interior, Census Office. 1864. Pages 220 through 226. State of Massachusetts Table No. 3. Populations of Cities, Towns, &c. Retrieved July 12, 2011.
  15. ^ "1850 Census" (PDF). Department of the Interior, Census Office. 1854. Pages 338 through 393. Populations of Cities, Towns, &c. Retrieved July 12, 2011.
  16. ^ "Franklin, Massachusetts - QuickFacts - United States Census Bureau". quickfacts.census.gov. accessdate=2012-12-29. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Missing pipe in: |date= (help)
  17. ^ "Franklin city, Massachusetts - Fact Sheet - American FactFinder". Factfinder.census.gov. Retrieved 2010-10-25.
  18. ^ "The 187th General Court of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts" (official website.) Retrieved December 23, 2012. <http://www.malegislature.gov/People/>
  19. ^ "The New FHS: Timeline". The New Franklin High School. Retrieved 7 November 2008.
  20. ^ "Klein Innsbruck".

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Franklin, Massachusetts.
Wikisource has the text of the 1911 Encyclopædia Britannica article "Franklin (Massachusetts)".
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