On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Franklin Township is more historic than 36% of U.S. towns. Its share of homes from before 1940 holds the grade up; its National Register listings pull it down.
C+
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 0.0 sits below most of its state (25% of Pennsylvania towns have fewer) while its 0 listings outnumber those of 23% 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 (±5.9 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.
Every edition of the U.S. Geological Survey’s map of Franklin Township. Tap a year, or press play to watch the town change.
1893Pittston 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.
Places that used to be
Lost post offices, old corners and burying grounds
Two other post offices opened and closed inside today’s town.
Orange
1844–1906
Suttonscreek
1892–1906
18401930today
Hamlets and corners on the map
Orange
3cemeteries and burying grounds inside Franklin Township
EatonMemorial ShrineOrange Methodist Church
US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock, CC0). Places and cemeteries from the USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021).
Gideon Bebee is believed to be one of the earliest settlers in modern-day Franklin Township; he came to the area in the 18th century. The Pease family, Ezra Olds, and Michael Munson followed in Bebee's footsteps. Other earlier settlers included Elisha Brace, William Brace, Benjamin Chandler, and Joseph Cone.
Franklin Township was formed from parts of Kingston, Dallas, Northmoreland, and Exeter Townships when a Luzerne County Court authorized its organization in the early 1840s. It's presumed the new township was named in honor of Colonel John Franklin, a leader and hero of the Pennamite-Yankee Wars and the Revolutionary War.
Passages that mention Franklin Township, cut from the printed page as they were published.
A history of Wilkes-Barré, Luzerne County, Pennsylvania1909 · page 116Read the page →
Read the text
Franklin Township, organized as such in 1843 — from Kingston, Exeter, and Dallas townships — has a settlement history which reaches back to pre- Revolutionary years. The township is named in honor of Colonel John Franklin, one of the outstanding military figures of this region during the Revolution and the Pennamite troubles. Gideon Bebee is believed to have been the first settler, though this family soon moved away. Another abandoned clearing was that of the Pease family. It adjoined that of Bebee, in the northeastern part of the township, and both families are believed to have been
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
A history of Wilkes-Barré, Luzerne County, Pennsylvania1909 · page 339Read the page →
Read the text
made comprehensive plans for sanitary sewer and storm drainage systems for Kingston Borough. In 1927 he completed the building of the dam and sixty-acre Wyoming Lake Reservoir in Franklin Township. At present is engaged as engineer in the construction of a dam, roads, bridges and other improvements on the Indian Lake development of Stout-Roup, Incorporated, in the Pocono Mountains, and a sanitary sewer system for the
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
A history of Wilkes-Barré, Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, from its first beginnings to the present time1909 · page 989Read the page →
Read the text
taken by their captors (the two bands of the war-party which had come down the river from "Three Islands" having reunited) some three miles up Sutton's Creek, to about a mile east of where the village of Orange, in Franklin Township, Luzerne County, is now located, and there they bivouacked that night (June 30th). During the night James Hadsall* and Quocko the negrof were subjected by the Indians to excruciating and protracted tortures, culminating in the death of both men.
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 Township, 1844 to 1918
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.
Franklin Township is more historic than 36% of U.S. towns. 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.
How old are the homes in Franklin Township?
14% of Franklin Township’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±5.9 points), against a typical 18% for a Pennsylvania town; the median home was built in 1982.
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), Wikipedia, 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 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.
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