On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Franklin Township is more historic than 81% of U.S. towns, #305 of 1,035 in Pennsylvania. All 2 inputs are above most U.S. towns; its share of homes from before 1940 ranks highest and its National Register listings lowest.
A−
HistoryA character grade: shown, never part of Franklin Township’s overall grade.
Pennsylvania towns list about as much on the Register as the country (a typical Pennsylvania town has 2.1 per 10,000 residents, the U.S. 2.4), so Franklin Township’s 2.3 sits near the middle of its state (58% of Pennsylvania towns have fewer) while its 1 listings outnumber those of 51% of U.S. towns.
How sure. Graded on two of the three inputs, so a change in either one moves the letter more than it would with three. The pre-1940 share is a Census survey estimate (±7.9 points).
Founding year: our sources. 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.
Indian Hills SchoolschoolNeeb AirportairportSunny Rest AirportairportWest Leechburg Reservoir Damdam
7cemeteries and burying grounds inside Franklin Township
Bunker HillFranklin Heights Memorial ParkLong RunSaint Matthew'sSaint Paulus Lutheran and Reformed ChurchTemple IsraelUnion Hill
US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock, CC0). Places and cemeteries from the USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021).
On the map
Franklin Township on the map, 1922 to 1992
Every edition of the U.S. Geological Survey’s map of Franklin Township. Tap a year, or press play to watch the town change.
1922Lehighton sheet · 1:62,500
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.
The Province of Pennsylvania was created in 1681 when King Charles II granted a charter of land in America to William Penn.
After the death of Penn, his sons John and Thomas became owners of Pennsylvania. The land containing Franklin Township was deeded by the Lenape Indians during the Walking Purchase in 1737.
The first settlers in the area were the Solt family, who settled on land what is now part of Beltzville State Park sometime in the 1750’s. The land included a farm and eventually a grist mill.
The territory of Franklin Township was part of the “Old Towamensing Township. It became a part of Upper Towamensing Township (now just called Towamensing Township) in 1841.
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.
Franklin Township is more historic than 81% of U.S. towns, #305 of 1,035 in Pennsylvania. 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?
One place: the Carbon County Section of the Lehigh Canal (listed 1979).
How old are the homes in Franklin Township?
29% of Franklin Township’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±7.9 points), against a typical 18% for a Pennsylvania town; the median home was built in 1974.
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 (9), the Library of Congress (3), the National Register of Historic Places (1), Wikipedia, U.S. Geological Survey historical maps, 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.
1905
Date?
2026
2025
2025
2025
2022
2005
