Franklin dates to 1796, and 19% of its homes were built before 1940
More historic than 92% of U.S. towns · #126 of 993 in Ohio. What drives it
4 places in town are on the National Register, among them two historic districts with 154 buildings between them. Below: 5 old photos and papers, maps from 1885 on, and the census since 1810.
Founding year: Wikidata; Wikipedia’s history section gives the same year. First post office: 1805.The full story ↓
History grade
What drives Franklin’s History grade
On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Franklin is more historic than 92% of U.S. towns, #126 of 993 in Ohio. 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’s overall grade.
Ohio towns list about as much on the Register as the country (a typical Ohio town has 2.9 per 10,000 residents, the U.S. 2.4), so Franklin’s 133 sits above most of its state (95% of Ohio towns have fewer) while its 156 historic buildings outnumber those of 92% of U.S. towns.
How sure. Graded on any two of the three inputs instead, the letter would range from A− to A. The pre-1940 share is a Census survey estimate (±6.8 points). Two sources give 1796.
Founding year: Wikidata (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’s past
Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.
National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places. Photos from Wikimedia Commons, credited on each place’s page.
Every building
Franklin, building by building, 1885–1916
Fire insurance maps drew every building, what it was made of and what it was used for, so insurers could price the risk of fire. Pick a year, then a sheet.
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 in 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.
Passages that mention Franklin, cut from the printed page as they were published.
History of Franklin County [Ohio]1858 · page 139Read the page →
Read the text
Until the year 1810, Franklin, Ross and Highland Counties constituted a Senatorial District, which was entitled to two Senators. In 1810, Franklin, Delaware, Madison, and part of Pickaway, that had been stricken off of Franklin, were constituted a District, and entitled to one Senator; and so continued until 1820, when Union was added to the District. In 1823, Franklin, Madison, Delaware, Union, Marion and Crawford, all elected
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
Centennial history of Columbus and Franklin County, Ohio1909 · page 46Read the page →
Read the text
"Ordered, that all that part of Franklin county contained within the following limits and boundaries, to-wit : Beginning on the east bank of the Scioto river, at the intersection of the sectional line between the sections number ■eight and seventeen, in the fourth township and twenty-second range ; running thence with the said sectional line east, to the line between the counties of Fairfield and Franklin ; thence north with said line, and from the point of beginning, with the Scioto, to the northerly boundary of Franklin county, do constitute and make the fourth Township in Franklin county and be called Lib-
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
History of Franklin County [Ohio]1858 · page 18Read the page →
Read the text
" Ordered, that all that part of Franklin County contained within the following limits, to wit : Beginning at the forks of Darby Creek, that is, at the junction of what is called Treacles Creek with Darby Creek, running thence south to the line between the counties of Ross and Franklin ; thence east with said line until it intersects the Scioto Eiver ; thence up the same till it comes to a point one mile, on a straight line, above the mouth of Roaring Run ; and from thence to the point of beginning, do make and constitute the first township in Franklin
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
Scans and text from the Internet Archive. Books published in 1930 or earlier, which are in the public domain.
Timeline
Franklin, 1796 to 1973
Woven from the archive, old maps, post office records, the National Register and the people born here.
Nothing in the archives for these yearsWeddings on Main Street, storms, parades, school pictures, the old store. If it’s in your family album, it belongs here.
Nothing in the archives for these yearsWeddings on Main Street, storms, parades, school pictures, the old store. If it’s in your family album, it belongs here.
In 1796, according to Wikidata and Wikipedia’s history of the town. Franklin’s post office opened in 1805, and the census of 1810 counted 202 people here.
How does Franklin rank for history?
Franklin is more historic than 92% of U.S. towns, #126 of 993 in Ohio. 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?
4 listings: 2 buildings, among them the Old Log Post Office (listed 1976, the first), and 2 historic districts, the Mackinaw Historic District and the Franklin Historic District, with 154 contributing buildings. 156 historic buildings in all.
How old are the homes in Franklin?
19% of Franklin’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±6.8 points), against a typical 15% for an Ohio town; the median home was built in 1967.
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), the National Register of Historic Places (4), Wikipedia, Wikidata and Wikipedia for famous people, U.S. Geological Survey historical maps, U.S. Census counts (via Wikipedia), the US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock), the USGS Geographic Names Information System, Sanborn fire insurance maps (Library of Congress) and old county and town histories (Internet Archive). Archive images are copied here with their credits and licenses, shown on each photo’s page. Refreshed monthly.
1908
1973
1973
2015
2012
2012
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2009
2005