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Johnson Indiana courthousePhoto: User:Mingusboodle · Public domain
B−History
History · Franklin Township

Franklin Township dates to 1823, and 2 of its places are on the National Register

More historic than 50% of U.S. towns · #377 of 593 in Indiana. What drives it

Its Register listings are the Anderson-Thompson House and the Big Run Baptist Church and Cemetery. Most of Franklin Township was built recently: 2% of its homes predate 1940 and the median home dates from 2000. Below: 3 old photos and papers, maps from 1948 on, and the census since 1850.

1823founded
2on the National Register
2%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: 66,271203 years

How did Franklin Township get its name?

Franklin Township was named after Benjamin Franklin.

How historic is Franklin Township?

B−

More historic than 50% of U.S. towns, on its age, its old homes and the National Register.

What drives the grade ↓
Founding year: Wikipedia. First post office: 1839. 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 50% of U.S. towns, #377 of 593 in Indiana. Its age holds the grade up; its share of homes from before 1940 pulls it down.

B−
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 19402.2% of homes (±0.8) · typical IN town 14.4% · U.S. 8.4%C−National Register2 listings, 3 historic buildings, 0.5 per 10,000 residents · typical IN town 7.9 · U.S. 2.4B−
All U.S. towns we grade (21,289)Ahead of 50%
NewerOlder
Indiana towns of 2,500+ (593)Ahead of 36%

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 0.5 sits near the middle of its state (45% of Indiana towns have fewer) while its 3 historic buildings outnumber those of 65% of U.S. towns.

NoteThe founding year comes from Wikipedia alone; no second source gives 1823.
How sure. Graded on any two of the three inputs instead, the letter would range from C to B+. The pre-1940 share (±0.8 points) is firm at this size.

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.

Lost villages4 post offices opened and closed inside today’s Franklin Township, and 9 old place names are still on the map.A history waiting to be writtenOnly 3 old photos are in the public archives. The rest are in attics and albums.Deep rootsEstablished in 1823: 203 years of Franklin Township.
★ What stands out · Places that used to be

Lost post offices, old corners, places now gone and burying grounds

Four other post offices opened and closed inside today’s town.

New Bethel
1839–1854
Acton
1854–1963
Poplar Grove
1854–1855
Wanamaker
1889–1960
18301930today
Hamlets and corners on the map
ActonBelle ArborCharle Sumac EstatesCharlesmac VillageGalader StationHickory Knoll Mobile Home ParkIndian Creek EstatesPoplar GroveWanamaker
Gone or out of use
Marshall Fieldairport
10cemeteries and burying grounds inside Franklin Township
ActonBig RunBuck Creek ChristianEbenezerKemper FarmMorrisMount ZionOrchard HillPinerWheatley

US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock, CC0). Places and cemeteries from the USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021).

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
Timeline

Franklin Township, 1823 to 1963

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. 1839Post officeThe New Bethel post office opens
  4. 1854Post officeThe New Bethel post office closes
  5. 1854Post officeThe Acton post office opens
  6. 1854Post officeThe Poplar Grove post office opens
  7. 1855Post officeThe Poplar Grove post office closes
  8. 1867In the archiveMap of Shelby & Johnson Counties, Indiana [map] : [city plans] from actual surveys / by A…
  9. 1878In the archiveAn atlas of Washington County, Indiana
  10. 20th century
  11. 1948On the mapFirst mapped by the U.S. Geological Survey
  12. 1963Post officeThe Acton post office closes
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 in Franklin2013Greenlawn Cemetery in FranklinBirthplace of Roger D. Branigin2010Birthplace of Roger D. BraniginFranklinIN-1936POcornerstone2009FranklinIN-1936POcornerstoneArtcraft Theatre in Franklin, Indiana2008Artcraft Theatre in Franklin, IndianaTractor Supply Company in Franklin, Indiana2006Tractor Supply Company in Franklin, IndianaCentury 21 real estate sign in Franklin, Indiana2006Century 21 real estate sign in Franklin, Indiana
On the map

Franklin Township on the map, 1948 to 1998

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 1959 USGS mapFranklin Township on the 1967 USGS mapFranklin Township on the 1980 USGS mapFranklin Township on the 1998 USGS map1948Beech Grove 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.

On the National Register

2 historic places in Franklin Township

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

places listed
2
National Historic Landmarks
0
none yet
historic buildings protected
3
each building in a district counts
first listed
1987
Anderson-Thompson House
Anderson-Thompson HouseBig Run Baptist Church and Cemetery
Buildings

Architectural styles listings

Gothic Revival1
Italianate1
Gable-front1
Anderson-Thompson HouseGothic Revival
Big Run Baptist Church and CemeteryItalianate

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

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.

Stories next door

History across the town line

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

Warren Township13 historic placesAPerry Township7 historic placesB+Indianapolis261 historic placesAMoral TownshipIts storyC−Clark TownshipIts storyCBeech GroveIts storyCGreenwood3 historic placesB+Sugar Creek Township1 historic placeBPleasant Township3 historic placesB−Center Township190 historic placesA+

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 1839, and the census of 1850 counted 882 people here.

How does Franklin Township rank for history?

Franklin Township is more historic than 50% of U.S. towns, #377 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?

Two places: the Anderson-Thompson House (listed 1987) and the Big Run Baptist Church and Cemetery (2005).

How old are the homes in Franklin Township?

2% of Franklin Township’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate), against a typical 14% for an Indiana town; the median home was built in 2000.

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), the US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock) 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.