Franklin, Massachusetts

Infobox Settlement
official_name = Franklin, Massachusetts
nickname =
motto =


imagesize =
image_caption =
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mapsize = 250px
map_caption = Location in Norfolk County in Massachusetts


mapsize1 =
map_caption1 =
subdivision_type = Country
subdivision_name = United States
subdivision_type1 = State
subdivision_name1 = Massachusetts
subdivision_type2 = County
subdivision_name2 = Norfolk
established_title = Settled
established_date = 1660
established_title2 = Incorporated
established_date2 = 1778
established_title3 =
established_date3 =
government_type = Mayor-council city
leader_title = Town
Administrator
leader_name = Jeff Nutting
leader_title1 =
leader_name1 =
area_magnitude =
area_total_km2 = 70.0
area_total_sq_mi = 27.0
area_land_km2 = 69.3
area_land_sq_mi = 26.7
area_water_km2 = 0.7
area_water_sq_mi = 0.3
population_as_of = 2007
settlement_type = City
population_total = 31,381
population_density_km2 = 452.8
population_density_sq_mi = 1,175.3
elevation_m = 91
elevation_ft = 300
timezone = Eastern
utc_offset = -5
timezone_DST = Eastern
utc_offset_DST = -4
latd = 42 |latm = 05 |lats = 00 |latNS = N
longd = 71 |longm = 23 |longs = 50 |longEW = W
website = [http://www.franklin.ma.us/ www.franklin.ma.us]
postal_code_type = ZIP code
postal_code = 02038
area_code = 508 / 774
blank_name = FIPS code
blank_info = 25-25100
blank1_name = GNIS feature ID
blank1_info = 0611686
footnotes = The Town of Franklin is a city [Mass City-Town Note|Mass_Town=Franklin|] in Norfolk County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 29,560 at the 2000 census. In 2007, "Family Circle" Magazine named Franklin one of the top ten towns in the country in which to raise a family.

History

Franklin was first settled by Europeans in 1660 and was officially incorporated in 1778.

The Franklin Public Library is the nation's first free public lending library. In 1778, when the town was incorporated, the designated name Exeter was changed to Franklin in honor of Dr. Benjamin Franklin. When asked to donate a bell, Franklin responded with an offer of books for the town's residents, acknowledging that 'sense' was preferable to 'sound.' The original Franklin collection is still housed in a bookcase in the library. The Town is also home to the birth place of America's father of public education, Horace Mann. Franklin is also 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 [http://www.franklin.ma.us/auto/schools/FPS/brick/ The Red Brick School] , Franklin Massachusetts site, accessed 11 September 2008] and was operational until 2008. St. Mary's Catholic church, located in central Franklin, is the largest Catholic parish in the Boston Archdiocese with some 15,000 members.

Geography

Franklin is located at coor dms|42|5|21|N|71|24|25|W|city (42.089104, -71.406909).GR|1

According to the United States Census Bureau the town has a total area of 27.0 square miles (70.0 km²), of which 26.7 square miles (69.3 km²) is land and 0.3 square miles (0.7 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 also has its own reservoir, the Franklin Reservoir. Beaver Pond also is in the town and is located near the end of town.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.

Significant public forests and parks include the Franklin State Forest, off Grove Street, the Franklin Town Forest, off Summer Street and the Open Space Area donated by Ernest DelCarte off of Pleasant Street.

Demographics

As of the censusGR|2 of 2000, there were 29,560 people, 10,152 households, and 7,877 families residing in the town.The population density was 1,105.4 people per square mile (426.8/km²). There were 10,327 housing units at an average density of 386.2/sq mi (149.1/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 95.95% White, 1.08% African American, 0.15% Native American, 1.66% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.29% from other races, and 0.84% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.08% of the population.

There were 10,152 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 2.85 and the average family size was 3.29.

In the town the population was spread out with 30.3% under the age of 18, 6.5% from 18 to 24, 35.1% from 25 to 44, 19.9% from 45 to 64, and 8.2% 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 $81,174, and the median income for a family was $81,826. 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 2.8% 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.

Dean College of Franklin, Massachusetts is also located in the town. The town is represented in the Massachusetts General Court by Representative [http://www.votejimvallee.com Jim Vallee] and Senators Scott Brown and Karen Spilka.

Theme Song

The Town of Franklin has its very own theme song composed by town resident and music teacher James H. Barrett [http://www.myspace.com/jamiegrinninbarrett] [http://www.grinninbarrett.altpro.net] [http://www.mrbarrett.altpro.net] . 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 [http://www.franklin.ma.us/auto/schools/jefferson/board/song/default.htm] here.

Education

Franklin consists of six public elementary schools, three public middle schools, including three schools for kindergarten through eighth grade students (elementary and middle schools), one public high school, and one regional high school not affiliated with Franklin Public Schools or the Town of Franklin.

The elementary schools are John F. Kennedy Elementary School, Jefferson Elementary School, Oak Street Elementary School, Gerald M. Parmenter Elementary School,Benjamin Franklin Classical Charter Public School (B.F.C.C.P.S.), Helen Keller Elementary School, and Davis Thayer Elementary School.

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).

Franklin High School is home of the Panthers, Franklin's mascot. Franklin is also home to the Tri-County Regional Vocational Technical High School. 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. The Franklin High School is expected to be remodeled because of outdated technology and overcrowding.

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 two bachelor's programs in Dance and Arts and Entertainment Management; as well as bachelor's degrees in conjunction with Boston-based Suffolk University. Dean also offers an extensive continuing education program.

Franklin also features the Benjamin Franklin Classical Charter Public School (B.F.C.C.P.S) which is not controlled by Franklin Public Schools or the Town of Franklin. It houses kindergarten-8th grade.

On August 26 2008, Franklin's school superintendent, Wayne Ogden, announced at the town's School Committee that he would be reisgning from his postion. Odgen, who came to Franklin in May 2006, will end his tenure on June 30, 2009.

Sports

Franklin boasts many sports teams. For public recreation, Franklin offers baseball, soccer, lacrosse, field hockey, ice hockey, track and field, football, flag football, basketball, metro basketball, 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.

Points of interest

The Franklin Public Library is an excellent place to begin exploring Franklin. It may be the first public library in America. It is a lovely 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 Town 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.

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.

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 town. The Zeotrope was an old fashioned movie theater that was a trademark of Franklin lore until it was torn down.

The Franklin School for the Performing Arts is an anchor in downtown, catering to over 1,000 students in dance, music and theater. Their Electric Youth troupe tours Europe every other year.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

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

Franklin also has it's own bus system, that is part of the GATRA bus authority. The bus route features many stops around the town, including the Municipal Building, Senior Center, Franklin Public Library and more.

Notable residents

* Peter Laviolette, 20th and 21st century American hockey player and coach, grew up in Franklin
* Horace Mann, 18th and 19th century American educator, was born in Franklin
* Josh Miller, 20th and 21st century American football player, resides in Franklin
* Ellis Hobbs, 20th and 21st century American football player, resides in Franklin
* Vince Wilfork, 20th and 21st century American football player, resides in Franklin
* Ed Ronan, 20th century American hockey player, resides in Franklin
* Ilario Zannino, 20th century American mobster, resided in Franklin
* Kevin Lemanowicz, Fox 25 Meteorologist currently resides in Franklin
* Bob Ward, Fox 25 Personality/ Newsanchor resides in Franklin
* Bobby Santos III, 20th and 21st century American racecar driver, was born in Franklin
* Andrea Ross, 21st century American actress/singer, resides in Franklin
* Tom Brady, the quarterback for the New England Patriots resided in Franklin

References

External links

* [http://www.franklin.ma.us/ Town of Franklin official website]
* [http://www.votejimvallee.com/ State Representative Jim Vallee web site]
* [http://www.franklin.ma.us/auto/schools/jefferson/board/song/default.htm "The City Known as the Town of Franklin" Theme Song]