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A−History
History · Franklin Township

Franklin Township dates to 1823, and 15% of its homes were built before 1940

More historic than 84% of U.S. towns · #194 of 593 in Indiana. What drives it

14 places in town are on the National Register. Below: 3 old photos and papers, maps from 1948 on, and the census since 1850.

1823founded
14on the National Register
15%homes built before 1940
3old photos & papers
Add an old photoShare a memory
Quick answers

How Franklin Township began, and where its name came from

When was Franklin Township founded?

1823

Franklin Township dates its founding to 1823 (Wikipedia’s history). The census first counted it in 1850.

First census: 882 in 18502020 census: 21,230203 years

How did Franklin Township get its name?

Franklin Township was named after Benjamin Franklin.

How historic is Franklin Township?

A−

More historic than 84% of U.S. towns, on its age, its old homes and the National Register.

What drives the grade ↓
Founding year: Wikipedia. First post office: 1824. Name: Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.The full story ↓
History grade

What drives Franklin Township’s History grade

On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Franklin Township is more historic than 84% of U.S. towns, #194 of 593 in Indiana. All 3 inputs are above most U.S. towns; its National Register listings ranks highest and its share of homes from before 1940 lowest.

A−
HistoryA character grade: shown, never part of Franklin Township’s overall grade.
Founding era1823, from Wikipedia: founded 1776–1849, an older era than 75% of U.S. townsA−Homes built before 194014.8% of homes (±2.5) · typical IN town 14.4% · U.S. 8.4%BNational Register14 listings, 93 historic buildings, 43.1 per 10,000 residents · typical IN town 7.9 · U.S. 2.4A−
All U.S. towns we grade (21,289)Ahead of 84%
NewerOlder
Indiana towns of 2,500+ (593)Ahead of 67%

Indiana towns list more on the Register than most of the country (a typical Indiana town has 7.9 per 10,000 residents, the U.S. 2.4), so Franklin Township’s 43.1 sits above most of its state (73% of Indiana towns have fewer) while its 93 historic buildings outnumber those of 89% of U.S. towns.

How sure. Graded on any two of the three inputs instead, the letter would range from B+ to A−. The pre-1940 share (±2.5 points) is firm at this size. Two sources give 1823.

Founding year: Wikipedia (other dates in Quick answers). Homes: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register: National Park Service, May 2026 list; each listing counted once (boundary changes and added documentation belong to their listing), and a historic district counts its contributing buildings. How TownRatings grades history →

What stands out about Franklin Township’s past

Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.

A history waiting to be writtenOnly 3 old photos are in the public archives. The rest are in attics and albums.Landmarks on the Register14 places on the National Register.Deep rootsEstablished in 1823: 203 years of Franklin Township.
★ What stands out · Help out

Start Franklin Township’s collection

The first neighbors to add old photos shape how Franklin Township’s history is told.

Decades since 1900 with photos
00s10s20s30s40s50s60s70s80s90s
0 of 10 decades. The empty ones are waiting for someone’s album.
Date a photo1 archive item has no date. Guess the decade.+2Share a family photoSign in to add one+10
On the National Register

14 listings protect 93 historic buildings

The country’s official list of buildings and places worth saving.

places listed
14
National Historic Landmarks
0
none yet
historic buildings protected
93
each building in a district counts
first listed
1987
Van Nuys Farm
Van Nuys FarmHopewell Presbyterian Church
Buildings

Architectural styles listings

Greek Revival1
Late Victorian1
Gothic1
Romanesque1
Akron Plan1
Van Nuys FarmGreek Revival
Hopewell Presbyterian ChurchLate Victorian

National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places. Photos from Wikimedia Commons, credited on each place’s page.

Timeline

Franklin Township, 1823 to 1948

Woven from the archive, old maps, post office records, the National Register and the people born here.

  1. 19th century
  2. 1823
    FoundingFranklin Township is established
  3. 1867In the archiveMap of Shelby & Johnson Counties, Indiana [map] : [city plans] from actual surveys / by A…
  4. 1878In the archiveAn atlas of Washington County, Indiana
  5. 20th century
  6. 1948On the mapFirst mapped by the U.S. Geological Survey
The story

How Franklin Township came to be

From Wikipedia’s history of Franklin Township.

Read it all →

Franklin was platted in 1823. It was named after Benjamin Franklin. The Franklin post office was established in 1824. Franklin was incorporated as a city in 1861.

Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church, Franklin College Library (Shirk Hall), Franklin College-Old Main, Franklin Commercial Historic District, Franklin Senior High School, Greenlawn Cemetery, Herriott House, Johnson County Courthouse Square, Martin Place Historic District, Masonic Temple, and August Zeppenfeld House are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

ChaptersFranklin Wonder FiveLife magazine feature

Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

By decade

Franklin Township, decade by decade

2 decades in the archive, from the 1860s to the 1870s. Scroll each row; tap a photo for its story.

1860s–1870s2 items
Map of Shelby & Johnson Counties, Indiana [map] : [city plans] from actual surveys / by A. Warner1867Map of Shelby & Johnson Counties, Indiana [map] : [ci…MapAn atlas of Washington County, Indiana1878An atlas of Washington County, IndianaMap
Date unknown1 to date
KiteDate?KiteBook
Today9 recent
Scofield Property2026Scofield PropertyParis Super Service - June 2022 - Sarah Stierch2022Paris Super Service - June 2022 - Sarah StierchGummy bear in Franklin, Indiana - June 2022 - Sarah Stierch2022Gummy bear in Franklin, Indiana - June 2022 - Sarah S…Greenlawn Cemetery in2013Greenlawn Cemetery inBirthplace of Roger D. Branigin2010Birthplace of Roger D. BraniginFranklinIN-1936POcornerstone2009FranklinIN-1936POcornerstoneArtcraft Theatre in2008Artcraft Theatre inTractor Supply Company in2006Tractor Supply Company inCentury 21 real estate sign in2006Century 21 real estate sign in
On the map

Franklin Township on the map, 1948 to 1980

Every edition of the U.S. Geological Survey’s map of Franklin Township. Tap a year, or press play to watch the town change.

Franklin Township on the 1948 USGS mapFranklin Township on the 1950 USGS mapFranklin Township on the 1961 USGS mapFranklin Township on the 1980 USGS map1948Franklin sheet · 1:24,000

U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (public domain), via Esri’s collection of the scans. The red ring marks the center of Franklin Township.

People over time

Franklin Township, census by census

05,00010,00015,00020,00025,000185019001950200025,313

Grew from 882 people in 1850 to 25,313 in 2020, more than tenfold.

18 censuses, 1850–2020.

U.S. Census Bureau decennial counts, from the census table on Franklin Township’s Wikipedia page.

Places that used to be

Old corners and burying grounds

Old hamlets and crossroads still carry their names on the map.

Hamlets and corners on the map
HopewellMount Pleasant
2cemeteries and burying grounds inside Franklin Township
First Mount PleasantHopewell

Places and cemeteries from the USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021).

Stories next door

History across the town line

Each neighbor’s History grade, on the same three inputs.

Needham TownshipIts storyC−Pleasant Township3 historic placesB−Union TownshipIts storyC+Nineveh TownshipIts storyC

Questions about Franklin Township’s history

What year was Franklin Township founded?

In 1823, according to Wikipedia’s history of the town. Franklin Township’s post office opened in 1824, and the census of 1850 counted 882 people here.

How does Franklin Township rank for history?

Franklin Township is more historic than 84% of U.S. towns, #194 of 593 in Indiana. The History grade combines the town’s founding era, the share of homes built before 1940 and its National Register listings. It’s a character grade, so it isn’t part of the overall grade. How it works.

What is on the National Register in Franklin Township?

14 listings: 2 buildings, among them the Van Nuys Farm (listed 1987, the first). 93 historic buildings in all.

How old are the homes in Franklin Township?

15% of Franklin Township’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±2.5 points), against a typical 14% for an Indiana town; the median home was built in 1988.

Memory lane

What the archives can’t tell you, neighbors can.

Town Square →
Start a conversation
Sources

Where this page comes from

Founding dates: Wikidata, Wikipedia, the U.S. post office records of Blevins & Helbock (CC0) and the Census. Homes by year built: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register of Historic Places: National Park Service (list of May 22, 2026). Old photos, postcards and papers: Wikimedia Commons, the Library of Congress and other public archives, credited on each item’s page. Maps: U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (via Esri) and Sanborn fire-insurance maps (Library of Congress). History text and census tables: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0). Places that used to be: USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021).

From Wikimedia Commons (12), Wikidata (2), the National Register of Historic Places (2), Wikipedia, U.S. Geological Survey historical maps, U.S. Census counts (via Wikipedia) and the USGS Geographic Names Information System. Archive images are copied here with their credits and licenses, shown on each photo’s page. Refreshed monthly.