Franklin, Tennessee#History

The City of Franklin was founded October 26, 1799, by Abram Maury Jr. (1766–1825). Later a state senator, he is buried with his family in the current Founders Pointe neighborhood. Maury named the town after national founding father Benjamin Franklin.{{cite book |last= Miller |first= Larry L. |title= Tennessee place-names |year= 2001 |publisher= Indiana University Press |isbn= 978-0-253-33984-3 |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=gQ-r54p36cgC&q=benjamin+franklin+%281706-1790%29&pg=PR3 |page= 79}}{{cite book|last1=Simpson|first1=John A.|title=Edith D. Pope and Her Nashville Friends: Guards of the Lost Cause in the Confederate Veteran|date=2003|publisher=University of Tennessee Press|location=Knoxville, Tennessee|isbn=9781572332119|oclc=428118511|page=2}}

Ewen Cameron built a log house in 1798, the first in the new settlement. Cameron was born February 23, 1768, in Bogallan, Ferintosh, Scotland. He emigrated to Virginia in 1785 and came to Tennessee shortly after it was admitted to the Union. Cameron died on February 28, 1846, after living 48 years in the same house. He and his second wife, Mary, were buried in the old City Cemetery. Some of his descendants continue to live in Franklin.{{citation needed|date=May 2024}}

This area is part of Middle Tennessee, and farmers prospered in the pre-Civil War years, with the cultivation of tobacco and hemp as commodity crops, and raising of livestock.{{citation needed|date=May 2024}}

During the Civil War, Tennessee was occupied by Union troops from 1862. Franklin was the site of a major battle in the Franklin–Nashville Campaign. The Second Battle of Franklin was fought on November 30, 1864, resulting in almost 10,000 casualties (killed, wounded, captured, and missing). Forty-four buildings were temporarily converted to use as field hospitals. The Carter, Carnton, and the Lotz{{NRISref|version=2009a}} houses from this era are still standing and are among the city's numerous examples of period architecture.

After the Civil War, slavery was abolished and the franchise was extended to African-American men. Most joined the Republican Party, which had gained their freedom.

On July 6, 1867, a political rally of Union League Black Republicans in Franklin was disrupted by Conservatives, who were mostly White but included some Blacks. Later that evening, what became known as the "Franklin Riot" broke out. Black Union League men were ambushed by Whites at the town square and returned fire. An estimated 25 to 39 men were wounded, most of them Black. One White man was killed outright, and at least three Black people died of wounds soon after the confrontation.[http://www.sitemason.com/files/gojWne/Frankin%20Reconstruction%20Teachers%20Guide.pdf "Riot at Franklin, Tennessee"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210907215514/http://www.sitemason.com/files/gojWne/Frankin%20Reconstruction%20Teachers%20Guide.pdf |date=September 7, 2021 }}, Memphis Daily Appeal, July 9, 1867; accessed May 18, 2018[http://www.sitemason.com/files/gojWne/Frankin%20Reconstruction%20Teachers%20Guide.pdf "Conservative Conciliation/The Ballot to be Controlled by the Bullet"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210907215514/http://www.sitemason.com/files/gojWne/Frankin%20Reconstruction%20Teachers%20Guide.pdf |date=September 7, 2021 }}, Nashville Daily Press and Times, July 1867; accessed May 18, 2018[http://www.sitemason.com/files/gojWne/Frankin%20Reconstruction%20Teachers%20Guide.pdf "A Riot in Tennessee"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210907215514/http://www.sitemason.com/files/gojWne/Frankin%20Reconstruction%20Teachers%20Guide.pdf |date=September 7, 2021 }}, New York Times, July 8, 1867; accessed May 18, 2018

On August 15, 1868, in Franklin, Samuel Bierfield became the first Jewish man to be lynched in the United States. He was fatally shot by a large group of masked men believed to be Ku Klux Klan (KKK) members. They attacked him for treating Blacks equally to Whites in his store. Bowman, a Black man who worked for Bierfield and was with him at his store, was fatally wounded in the attack and soon died."[http://forward.com/articles/210334/midnight-in-tennessee Midnight in Tennessee]", Paul Berger, The Jewish Daily Forward (Forward.com), December 12, 2014

After the Reconstruction era, white violence continued against African Americans, as the minority struggled to retain dominance. Violence increased toward the turn of the century, and whites used intimidation and attacks to keep Blacks away from voting.

Five African Americans were lynched in Williamson County from 1877 to 1950, most during the decades around the turn of the century. It was a time of high social tensions and legal racial oppression in the South.[https://eji.org/sites/default/files/lynching-in-america-third-edition-summary.pdf Lynching in America/Summary by County (3rd edition)] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171023063004/https://eji.org/sites/default/files/lynching-in-america-third-edition-summary.pdf |date=October 23, 2017 }}, p. 9, Equal Justice Initiative, 2017, Montgomery, Alabama[https://eji.org/sites/default/files/lynching-in-america-third-edition-summary.pdf Lynching in America/ Supplement: Lynchings by County] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171023063004/https://eji.org/sites/default/files/lynching-in-america-third-edition-summary.pdf |date=October 23, 2017 }}, Equal Justice Initiative, 2017, 3rd edition, p. 6 These murders took place in Franklin, when men were taken from the courthouse or county jail by mobs before trial.

Among them was Amos Miller, a 23-year-old Black man who was forcibly taken from the courtroom by a White mob during his 1888 trial in a sexual assault case. He was hanged from the railings of the balcony of the county courthouse.{{cite news|last1=Berger|first1=Paul|title=Midnight in Tennessee – The Untold Story of the First Jewish Lynching in America|url=https://www.haaretz.com/jewish/the-untold-story-of-the-first-jewish-lynching-in-america-1.5349605|access-date=May 15, 2018|work=Haaretz|date=December 20, 2014|quote=In 1888, Amos Miller, a Black man accused of raping a White woman, was dragged from court in Franklin and hung from the courthouse railings.}} The alleged victim was a 50-year-old woman.[https://visitfranklin.com/see-and-do/old-williamson-county-courthouse-public-square "Old Williamson County Courthouse - Public Square"], Visit Franklin website On April 30, 1891, Jim Taylor, another African-American man, was lynched on Murfreesboro Road in Franklin by another mob, accused of killing a White man.

A memorial to Confederate soldiers was erected in 1899 by fourteen women of the United Daughters of the Confederacy to honor Confederate soldiers, including the 6,125 casualties of the Battle of Franklin.{{cite web|url=https://usctwillcotn.blogspot.com/2019/11/franklins-confederate-monument.html/|title=From Slaves to Soldiers and Beyond - Williamson County, Tennessee's African American History|last=Jones|first=Cahalan|work=Slaves to Soldiers|date=November 30, 2019|access-date=July 31, 2020|archive-date=August 4, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200804051703/http://usctwillcotn.blogspot.com/2019/11/franklins-confederate-monument.html|url-status=dead}} A news report described how as the last piece of the statue was being raised, a buggy ran into a rope, causing the statue to swing into the shaft, breaking out a piece from the hat of the figure. This event resulted in many nicknaming the monument as "Chip".text of the citation

Population growth slowed noticeably from 1910 to 1940 (see table in Demographics section), as many African Americans left the area in the Great Migration to northern industrial cities for jobs and to escape Jim Crow conditions.

One of the first major manufacturers to establish operations in the county was the Dortch Stove Works, which opened a factory in Franklin in 1928."[http://www.williamsonherald.com/editorial/hudson-alexanders-around-the-block-dortch-stove-works-helped-franklin-through-depression/article_56ef2d61-f7e5-5456-927b-b2fb07c80781.html Hudson Alexander's Around the Block: Dortch Stove Works helped Franklin through Depression ]", Hudson Alexander, http://www.williamsonherald.com/, March 16, 2006 The factory was later developed as a Magic Chef factory, producing electric and gas ranges. (Magic Chef was prominent in the Midwest from 1929.) When the factory was closed due to extensive restructuring in the industry, the structure fell into disuse. The factory complex was restored in the late 1990s in an adaptation for offices, restaurants, retail and event spaces. It is considered a "model historic preservation adaptive reuse project".

Since the late 20th century, however, Franklin has rapidly developed as a suburb of Nashville, Tennessee. Franklin's population has increased more than fivefold since 1980, when its population was 12,407. In 2010, the city had a population of 62,487.{{cite web| url=http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_SF1/G001/1600000US4727740| title=Geographic Identifiers: 2010 Census Summary File 1 (G001), Franklin city, Tennessee| publisher=U.S. Census Bureau| work=American FactFinder| access-date=March 18, 2019| archive-url=https://archive.today/20200213091053/http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_SF1/G001/1600000US4727740| archive-date=February 13, 2020| url-status=dead}} {{as of|2017}} Census estimates, it is the state's seventh-largest city. In 2017, the City of Franklin was ranked the 8th fastest-growing city in the nation by the U.S. Census Bureau, increasing 4.9 percent between July 1, 2016, and July 1, 2017.{{cite web |title=United States Census Bureau |url=https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/franklincitytennessee/PST045218 |website=United States Census Bureau-Quick Facts |publisher=United States Census Bureau |access-date=March 1, 2019}}

After the passage of the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, some Franklin residents have worked to identify and preserve its most significant historic assets. Five historic districts are listed on the National Register of Historic Places, as are many individual non-historic but older structures.{{cn|date=April 2025}}

Franklin is home to an armed forces memorial, on the grounds of the Williamson County Archives. It honors Williamson County men who served in American wars from the Creek War to the Gulf War.{{cite web|url=https://visitfranklin.com/see-and-do/williamson-county-veterans-park-and-cannon-located-on-the-grounds-of-williamson-county|title=Williamson County Veterans' Park And Cannon (Located On The Grounds Of Williamson County Archives)|work=Visit Franklin|date=July 21, 2020|access-date=July 21, 2020}} Around the seal of Franklin are placed engraved bricks that radiate in a circle. The largest brick is in honor of George Jordan, an African-American man and former slave. As a Buffalo Soldier, he fought in the Indian Wars in New Mexico. He is the only man from Williamson County to receive the Congressional Medal of Honor.

Historic preservation and church leaders developed the "Fuller Story", a project to recognize the lives and contributions of African Americans to Franklin. In October 2021 a statue of a soldier of the United States Colored Troops was installed in front of the old Williamson County Courthouse on Franklin Square. It marks the contributions of thousands of African Americans in ending the Civil War and reuniting the Union. The square was the site of a former slave market and it holds the Confederate monument.{{Cite news|last1=McGee|first1=Jamie|last2=Maney|first2=Sarahbeth|date=October 24, 2021|title=Remove a Confederate Statue? A Tennessee City Did This Instead.|language=en-US|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2021/10/24/us/remove-a-confederate-statue-a-tennessee-city-did-this-instead.html|access-date=October 24, 2021|issn=0362-4331}}

The "Fuller Story" project was approved by the Franklin Board Of Mayor and Aldermen. Before the statue was erected, in 2018, the first of several planned historic plaques was installed; these mark the history of slavery, the Reconstruction era and Jim Crow, and civil rights in Franklin.{{cite web|url=https://www.tennessean.com/story/news/local/williamson/2019/01/17/franklin-tn-confederate-statue-group-shares-slavery-civil-rights-history/2536980002/|title=National tragedies inspired group to tell history of slavery, civil rights in Franklin|last=West|first=Emily R.|work=The Tennessean|date=January 17, 2019|access-date=October 20, 2019}}

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of {{convert|107.3|sqkm|order=flip}}, of which {{convert|106.8|sqkm|order=flip}} is land and {{convert|0.6|sqkm|order=flip|1}}, or 0.52%, is covered by water.

{{Weather box

|location = Franklin (Franklin Sewage Plant), Tennessee (1991–2020 normals, extremes 1893–present)

|single line = Y

|Jan record high F = 78

|Feb record high F = 83

|Mar record high F = 93

|Apr record high F = 94

|May record high F = 96

|Jun record high F = 108

|Jul record high F = 108

|Aug record high F = 106

|Sep record high F = 107

|Oct record high F = 96

|Nov record high F = 88

|Dec record high F = 91

|year record high F = 108

|Jan avg record high F = 66.9

|Feb avg record high F = 71.8

|Mar avg record high F = 78.1

|Apr avg record high F = 83.7

|May avg record high F = 88.1

|Jun avg record high F = 93.4

|Jul avg record high F = 96.1

|Aug avg record high F = 95.8

|Sep avg record high F = 92.8

|Oct avg record high F = 85.3

|Nov avg record high F = 76.9

|Dec avg record high F = 68.7

|year avg record high F = 97.7

|Jan high F = 49.1

|Feb high F = 53.4

|Mar high F = 62.2

|Apr high F = 71.9

|May high F = 79.5

|Jun high F = 87.3

|Jul high F = 90.8

|Aug high F = 90.2

|Sep high F = 84.8

|Oct high F = 73.8

|Nov high F = 61.6

|Dec high F = 52.5

|year high F = 71.4

|Jan mean F = 38.9

|Feb mean F = 42.3

|Mar mean F = 50.0

|Apr mean F = 59.0

|May mean F = 67.4

|Jun mean F = 75.8

|Jul mean F = 79.7

|Aug mean F = 78.5

|Sep mean F = 72.3

|Oct mean F = 60.5

|Nov mean F = 49.4

|Dec mean F = 42.1

|year mean F = 59.7

|Jan low F = 28.6

|Feb low F = 31.1

|Mar low F = 37.8

|Apr low F = 46.2

|May low F = 55.4

|Jun low F = 64.3

|Jul low F = 68.5

|Aug low F = 66.9

|Sep low F = 59.8

|Oct low F = 47.2

|Nov low F = 37.1

|Dec low F = 31.8

|year low F = 47.9

|Jan avg record low F = 10.4

|Feb avg record low F = 14.0

|Mar avg record low F = 20.9

|Apr avg record low F = 30.4

|May avg record low F = 40.4

|Jun avg record low F = 53.0

|Jul avg record low F = 59.3

|Aug avg record low F = 57.3

|Sep avg record low F = 44.8

|Oct avg record low F = 31.6

|Nov avg record low F = 22.0

|Dec avg record low F = 16.4

|year avg record low F = 7.9

|Jan record low F = −22

|Feb record low F = −15

|Mar record low F = 0

|Apr record low F = 21

|May record low F = 30

|Jun record low F = 39

|Jul record low F = 43

|Aug record low F = 41

|Sep record low F = 30

|Oct record low F = 21

|Nov record low F = -3

|Dec record low F = −11

|year record low F = -22

|precipitation colour = green

|Jan precipitation inch = 4.25

|Feb precipitation inch = 4.76

|Mar precipitation inch = 5.16

|Apr precipitation inch = 5.16

|May precipitation inch = 5.39

|Jun precipitation inch = 4.39

|Jul precipitation inch = 4.57

|Aug precipitation inch = 3.61

|Sep precipitation inch = 4.00

|Oct precipitation inch = 3.47

|Nov precipitation inch = 3.83

|Dec precipitation inch = 5.20

|year precipitation inch = 53.79

|Jan snow inch = 0.9

|Feb snow inch = 0.3

|Mar snow inch = 0.4

|Apr snow inch = 0.0

|May snow inch = 0.0

|Jun snow inch = 0.0

|Jul snow inch = 0.0

|Aug snow inch = 0.0

|Sep snow inch = 0.0

|Oct snow inch = 0.0

|Nov snow inch = 0.0

|Dec snow inch = 0.1

|year snow inch = 1.7

|unit precipitation days = 0.01 in

|Jan precipitation days = 11.9

|Feb precipitation days = 11.2

|Mar precipitation days = 12.7

|Apr precipitation days = 11.1

|May precipitation days = 12.3

|Jun precipitation days = 11.2

|Jul precipitation days = 10.6

|Aug precipitation days = 9.0

|Sep precipitation days = 8.4

|Oct precipitation days = 9.1

|Nov precipitation days = 10.0

|Dec precipitation days = 12.2

|year precipitation days = 129.7

|unit snow days = 0.1 in

|Jan snow days = 0.5

|Feb snow days = 0.3

|Mar snow days = 0.3

|Apr snow days = 0.0

|May snow days = 0.0

|Jun snow days = 0.0

|Jul snow days = 0.0

|Aug snow days = 0.0

|Sep snow days = 0.0

|Oct snow days = 0.0

|Nov snow days = 0.0

|Dec snow days = 0.2

|year snow days = 1.3

| source 1 = NOAA

{{cite web

| url = https://w2.weather.gov/climate/xmacis.php?wfo=ohx

| title = NowData – NOAA Online Weather Data

| publisher = National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

| access-date = May 28, 2021}}

{{cite web

| url = https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/services/data/v1?dataset=normals-monthly-1991-2020&startDate=0001-01-01&endDate=9996-12-31&stations=USC00403280&format=pdf

| publisher = National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

| title = Station: Franklin Sweage PLT, TN

| work = U.S. Climate Normals 2020: U.S. Monthly Climate Normals (1991-2020)

| access-date = May 28, 2021}}

}}

{{US Census population

|1870= 1552

|1880= 1632

|1890= 2250

|1900= 2180

|1910= 2924

|1920= 3123

|1930= 3377

|1940= 4120

|1950= 5475

|1960= 6977

|1970= 9497

|1980= 12407

|1990= 20098

|2000= 41842

|2010= 62487

|2020= 83454

| estyear = 2023

| estimate = 88558

| estref = {{cite web|url=https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/popest/tables/2020-2023/cities/totals/SUB-IP-EST2023-POP-45.xlsx |date=May 16, 2024|title=City and Town Population Totals: 2020-2023|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=May 16, 2024}}

|footnote=Sources:{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=March 4, 2012|title=Census of Population and Housing: Decennial Censuses}}{{cite web|url=https://api.census.gov/data/2020/dec/pl?get=P1_001N,NAME&for=place:*&in=state:47&key=5ccd0821c15d9f4520e2dcc0f8d92b2ec9336108|title=Census Population API|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=October 15, 2022}}

}}

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 83,454 people, 32,690 households, and 23,675 families residing in the city.

As of the census of 2010, 62,487 people, 16,128 households, and 11,225 families resided in the city. The population density was {{convert|1,393.3|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. The 17,296 housing units averaged 575.9 per square mile (222.4/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 84.53% White, 10.35% African American, 4.84% Latino, 1.61% Asian, 0.24% Native American, 0.05% Pacific Islander, 2.17% from other races, and 1.06% from two or more races.

Of the 16,128 households, 38.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.2% were married couples living together, 10.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.4% were not families; 25.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 5.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.55 and the average family size was 3.09.

In the city, the population was distributed as 27.9% under the age of 18, 7.5% from 18 to 24, 38.1% from 25 to 44, 19.2% from 45 to 64, and 7.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 33 years. For every 100 females, there were 93.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.2 males.

The median income for a household in the CDP was $75,871, and for a family was $91,931. Males had a median income of $66,622 versus $43,193 for females. The per capita income for the CDP was $36,445. About 5.0% of families and 7.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 9.2% of those under age 18 and 6.9% of those age 65 or over. Less than 5.0% of the eligible workforce was unemployed.{{cite web|url=http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/ACS/10_SF4/DP03/1600000US4727740|archive-url=https://archive.today/20200212085255/http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/ACS/10_SF4/DP03/1600000US4727740|url-status=dead|archive-date=February 12, 2020|title=American FactFinder – Results|publisher=United States Census Bureau|website=Factfinder2.census.gov|access-date=December 4, 2017}}

Franklin is home to health-care-related businesses such as Community Health Systems, Acadia Healthcare, Iasis Healthcare, Tivity Health, Home Instead Senior Care, MedSolutions Inc, and Renal Advantage Inc.

Nissan,[https://www.nytimes.com/2005/11/10/business/nissan-to-move-us-headquarters-to-tennessee.html Nissan to Move U.S. Headquarters to Tennessee] (NY Times) Mitsubishi Motors,[https://www.tennessean.com/story/money/2019/06/25/mitsubishi-moves-headquarters-franklin-tennessee-california/1549906001/ Mitsubishi North America to move headquarters to Nashville area] (The Tennessean) Clarcor, CKE Restaurants, Jackson National Life, Triangle Tyre Company, Provident Music Group, World Christian Broadcasting, Mars Petcare, Franklin American Mortgage, Kaiser Aluminum,{{Cite web|url=https://www.williamsonherald.com/communities/kaiser-aluminum-to-relocate-headquarters-to-franklin/article_5db231ee-f097-11eb-9940-ef7671e79a5c.html|title=Kaiser Aluminum to relocate headquarters to Franklin|website=Williamson Herald|date=July 29, 2021 }} Lee Company, Ramsey Solutions, Video Gaming Technologies, and Atmos Energy also have corporate or regional headquarters in Franklin.

In-N-Out Burger will open a hub and distribution center in Franklin by 2026 for their expansion into the southeast. It will be the furthest east In-N-Out has expanded. {{Cite web |last1=Hurt |first1=Melonee |last2=Fiscus |first2=Kirsten |date=January 10, 2023 |title=In-N-Out Burger basing new corporate hub in Franklin, Nashville locations to come |url=https://www.tennessean.com/story/money/2023/01/10/in-n-out-coming-to-franklin-tennessee-new-corporate-hub-restaurants/69794851007/ |access-date=January 10, 2023 |website=The Tennessean |language=en-US}} The company’s hub and will involve a $125.5 million investment.{{Cite web |url=https://www.npr.org/2023/01/10/1148197634/in-n-out-burger-expansion-tennessee |title=In-N-Out brings 'animal style' to Tennessee with plans to expand further in the U.S. |last=Hernandez |first=Joe |date=January 10, 2023 |accessdate=January 10, 2023 |lang=en-US |publisher=NPR}}

According to the city's 2020 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report,{{cite web|url=https://www.franklintn.gov/home/showpublisheddocument/32916/637438805679170000|title=City of Franklin, Tennessee {{!}} Comprehensive Annual Financial Report|website=hwww.franklintn.gov|access-date=June 10, 2023}} the top employers in the city were:

{{see also|List of mayors of Franklin, Tennessee}}

File:Post Office and Bank at Five Points.jpg

The city is run by a mayor, elected at-large in the city, and a board of eight aldermen. Four of the latter are elected from single-member districts of roughly equal population, and four are elected at-large. All electoral offices are for four-year terms, with the ward alderman elected in one cycle, and the mayor and at-large aldermen elected two years later. The city's policies and procedures are decided by the Board of Mayor and Aldermen.{{cn|date=April 2025}}

Resolutions, municipal ordinances, and the municipal code are carried out by the city's various departments. These are: Administration, Building and Neighborhood Services, Engineering, Finance, Fire, Human Resources, Information Technology, Law, Planning and Sustainability, Parks, Police, Sanitation and Environmental Services, Streets, and Water Management. These 14 departments are overseen by the City Administrator, a professional manager hired by the Board of Aldermen.{{Cite web|title = City of Franklin, TN : Government|url = http://www.franklintn.gov/government|website=Franklintn.gov|access-date = September 30, 2015}}

In the Tennessee House of Representatives, Franklin is divided between three districts; District 61, currently represented by Republican Brandon Ogles,{{cite map |author= Tennessee General Assembly|author-link= Tennessee General Assembly|title=State House District 61|url=http://www.capitol.tn.gov/districtmaps/HouseDist61.pdf|format=PDF |location= Nashville|publisher= Tennessee General Assembly |year=2018|access-date=October 15, 2020}} District 63, represented by Republican Glen Casada,{{cite map |author= Tennessee General Assembly|author-link= Tennessee General Assembly|title=State House District 63|url=http://www.capitol.tn.gov/districtmaps/HouseDist63.pdf|format=PDF |location= Nashville|publisher= Tennessee General Assembly |year=2018|access-date=October 15, 2020}} and District 65, represented by Republican Sam Whitson.{{cite map |author= Tennessee General Assembly|author-link= Tennessee General Assembly|title=State House District 65|url=http://www.capitol.tn.gov/districtmaps/HouseDist65.pdf|format=PDF |location= Nashville|publisher= Tennessee General Assembly |year=2018|access-date=October 15, 2020}} Franklin is included in Tennessee Senate District 23, which is coterminous with Williamson County, and held by Republican Jack Johnson, the current Senate Majority Leader.

{{clear}}

For grades K-8, most of the city is served by the Franklin Special School District; high school students attend Williamson County School District. Outerlying portions of the city are in the Williamson County district for grades K-12.{{cite web|url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/DC2020/PL20/st47_tn/schooldistrict_maps/c47187_williamson/DC20SD_C47187.pdf|title=2020 CENSUS - SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP: Williamson County, TN|publisher=U.S. Census Bureau|access-date=August 27, 2022}} - [https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/DC2020/PL20/st47_tn/schooldistrict_maps/c47187_williamson/DC20SD_C47187_SD2MS.txt Text list]

Franklin's private schools include Battle Ground Academy, Franklin Classical School, Franklin Christian Academy, Montessori School of Franklin, New Hope Academy and Thales Academy.{{Cite web|url=http://www.williamsonchamber.com/education/williamson-county-private-school/|title=Williamson County Private Schools – Williamson, Inc.|website=Williamson, Inc.|language=en-US|access-date=March 7, 2016|archive-date=March 8, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160308052604/http://www.williamsonchamber.com/education/williamson-county-private-school/|url-status=dead}}

• Belmont University, Williamson Center campus
• Columbia State Community College, Franklin campus. This satellite campus of Columbia State was opened in 2016 after being constructed for this purpose. It is a two-year college, serving a nine-county area in Middle Tennessee{{cite web |title=Columbia State Breaks Ground on Williamson Campus |url=https://www.columbiastate.edu/athletics/news/2014/07/22/columbia-state-breaks-ground-on-williamson-campus |website=Columbia State |publisher=Columbia State Community College |access-date=March 1, 2019 }}{{Dead link|date=June 2024 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}
• Lipscomb University, a SPARK satellite campus, is here
• New College Franklin
• Williamson College

Interstate 65 passes through the eastern part of the city and provides four exits in the city. U.S. Routes 31 and 431 intersect in the city, and form a concurrency, connecting the city to Nashville to the north. U.S. Route 31 connects the city to Spring Hill and Columbia to the south, and US 431 connects to Lewisburg to the south. State Route 96 connects the city to Murfreesboro to the east, and Dickson to the west. State Route 246 also connects the city to Columbia to the southwest, and serves as an alternative to US 31. State Route 441 begins in the northern part of the city, and connects to Brentwood. State Route 397, also designated as US 31/431 Truck and Mack Hatcher Memorial Parkway, serves as a bypass around the business district of the city to the east. Other major thoroughfares in Franklin include Cool Springs Boulevard and McEwen Drive, both of which have interchanges with I-65.{{cite map |author = Tennessee Department of Transportation Long Range Planning Division Office of Data Visualization|title = Williamson County|year = 2018|url =https://www.tn.gov/content/dam/tn/tdot/maps/county-maps-(us-shields)/o-w/Williamson%20County.pdf|publisher = Tennessee Department of Transportation}}

The City of Franklin Water Management Department operates a system that provides water and wastewater services to a majority of city residents and some residents of surrounding areas.{{cite web|url=https://www.franklintn.gov/government/departments-k-z/water-management-department|title=Water Management Department|author=|date=2018|website=franklintn.gov|publisher=City of Franklin, Tennessee|access-date=December 17, 2019}} Some areas of Franklin may receive water and wastewater services from the Mallory Valley Utility District, the Milcrofton Utility District, and the HB&TS Utility District.

Electricity is provided by the Middle Tennessee Electric Membership Corporation (MTEMC), which serves several of the suburban counties of Nashville and purchases power from the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA).{{cite web|url=https://www.tva.gov/Energy/Public-Power-Partnerships/Local-Power-Companies/Middle-Tennessee-Electric-Membership-Corporation|title=Middle Tennessee Electric Membership Corporation|author=|date=2018|website=tva.gov|publisher=Tennessee Valley Authority|access-date=December 17, 2019}}

Natural gas service is provided by Atmos Energy.{{cite web|url=https://www.atmosenergy.com/company/utility-operations|title=Utility Operations|author= |date=2018|website=atmosenergy.com|publisher=Atmos Energy|access-date=December 17, 2019}}

File:Long Lane Sunset.png

• Aspen Grove Park
• Bicentennial Park
• Carter's Hill Park
• Collins Farm
• Del Rio Park
• Eastern Flank Battlefield Park
• Fieldstone Park
• Fort Granger
• Liberty Park
• The Park at Harlinsdale Farm
• Pinkerton Park
• Jim Warren Park
• Winstead Hill
• New Southeastern Park Complex{{Cite web|url=https://www.franklintn.gov/government/departments-k-z/parks/park-locations|title = Park Locations | City of Franklin, TN}}

Pilgrimage is a music festival put together by Kevin Griffin, who lives and works as a musician in Franklin. Premiering in 2015, it draws nationally prominent acts from a variety of genres. Pilgrimage is held in late September and takes place at The Park at Harlinsdale. In addition to musical acts, it features children's activities, food, and a marketplace showcasing local crafts.{{Cite web|url=https://pilgrimagefestival.com/the-festival|title=Music and Cultural Festival - Pilgrimage Music & Cultural Festival|website=pilgrimagefestival.com}}

Franklin's Main Street Festival involves artisans, four stages, two carnivals, and two food courts installed in the historic Franklin Square and Downtown District. Arts and crafts booths run from First to Fifth Avenue.[http://www.historicfranklin.com/events/main-street-festival Main Street Festival 2014] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121016010709/http://www.historicfranklin.com/events/main-street-festival |date=October 16, 2012 }}, | Heritage Foundation of Franklin and Williamson County, TN; Retrieved on September 7, 2013.

Pumpkinfest is an annual fundraiser for the Heritage Foundation of Franklin and Williamson County, held on the Saturday before Halloween. The holiday theme is carried through activities including music, children's amusements, local artisans, and food.[http://www.historicfranklin.com/events/pumpkinfest Pumpkinfest | Heritage Foundation of Franklin and Williamson County TN] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101202224112/http://www.historicfranklin.com/events/pumpkinfest |date=December 2, 2010 }}. Historicfranklin.com. Retrieved on September 7, 2013.

Dickens of a Christmas is an annual event that attracts approximately 50,000 visitors. It takes place in Historic Downtown Franklin and is celebrated during the second week in December. Costumed volunteers masquerade as figures from Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol. Music and dancing are a big part of the festival, and local school and church musical groups often perform. Victorian cuisine is served to visitors, and an arts and crafts bazaar features prominently in Public Square.[http://www.historicfranklin.com/events/dickens-of-a-christmas Dickens of a Christmas | Heritage Foundation of Franklin and Williamson County TN] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140216120221/http://www.historicfranklin.com/events/dickens-of-a-christmas |date=February 16, 2014 }} Historicfranklin.com. Retrieved on November 2, 2014.

==Notable people==

{{Div col|colwidth=40em}}

{{Unsourced|section|date=April 2025}}

• C. J. Beathard, American football player
• Luke Benward, actor and singer
• Kane Brown, country musician
• Luke Bryan, country musician
• Kristin Cavallari, TV personality
• Kenny Chesney, country musician
• Billy Ray Cyrus, singer
• Miley Cyrus, singer-songwriter and actress
• Duane Eddy, musician
• Mike Fisher (ice hockey), former NHL player
• David A. French, journalist and lawyer
• Sarah Ewing Sims Carter Gaut, Confederate spy and socialite
• Kathie Lee Gifford, TV personality and singer
• Vince Gill, country musician
• Amy Grant, singer
• Faith Hill, country musician
• Robert Knight, musician
• Bill Lee, 50th governor of Tennessee
• Garrison Mathews, basketball player
• Martina McBride, country musician
• Carrie Winder McGavock, cemetery caretaker
• Tim McGraw, country musician
• Dustin Ortiz, mixed martial artist
• Brad Paisley, country musician
• Paramore, rock band
• Andrew Puzder, businessman
• Dave Ramsey, TV/radio personality and financial advisor
• Mariah Reddick, slave
• Chris Stapleton, country musician
• Justin Timberlake, singer
• Chris Tomlin, Christian musician
• Cal Turner Jr., billionaire heir, former CEO of Dollar General
• Carrie Underwood, country musician
• Keith Urban, country musician
• Hayley Williams, musician
• Kimberly Williams-Paisley, actress
• Oprah Winfrey, media personality
• Reese Witherspoon, actress
• Ben Zobrist, baseball player
• Julianna Zobrist, musician

{{Div col end}}

• Some scenes from the 1986 Orion Pictures movie At Close Range, starring Sean Penn, Christopher Walken, and Keifer Sutherland, was filmed in downtown Franklin[https://www.tennessean.com/story/news/local/williamson/franklin/2014/09/29/franklins-list-movie-credits-keeps-growing/16455091/ Franklin's list of movie credits keeps growing], The Tennessean, Nashville, Tennessee, Retrieved April 26, 2020
• The ABC television show Nashville (2012) filmed many concert show segments at the Franklin Theatre{{Cite web|url=http://www.franklinhomepage.com/abcs-nashville-takes-over-franklin-theatre-cms-15871|title=ABC's 'Nashville' takes over Franklin Theatre|date=July 23, 2014|website=Franklin Home Page|access-date=March 7, 2016|archive-date=March 8, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160308070303/http://www.franklinhomepage.com/abcs-nashville-takes-over-franklin-theatre-cms-15871|url-status=dead}}
• Canadian singer Justin Bieber filmed the 2011 video for his song "Mistletoe" in Downtown Franklin{{Cite news|url=http://www.wsmv.com/clip/6301477/justin-bieber-shoots-video-in-downtown-franklin|title=Justin Bieber shoots video in downtown Franklin|access-date=December 1, 2017|language=en|website=Wsmv.com|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171201131919/https://www.wsmv.com/clip/6301477/justin-bieber-shoots-video-in-downtown-franklin/|archive-date=December 1, 2017}}
• The 2015 Town Square Pictures movie The Secret Handshake, starring Kevin Sorbo, Amy Grant, and Mark Collie, was filmed in Franklin's Cottonwood subdivision[https://www.tennessean.com/story/news/local/williamson/columnist/2015/05/03/movie-shot-nashville-area-set-may-premiere/26639075/ Movie shot in Nashville area set for May premiere], The Tennessean, Nashville, Tennessee, Retrieved April 26, 2020
• The 2017 EchoLight Studios movie Sweet Sweet Summertime, starring David DeLuise, Markie Post, and Jaci Velasquez, was filmed in Franklin[https://tnecd.com/news/last-best-summer-ever-begins-filming-in-tennessee/ Begins filming in Tennessee], The Chattanoogan, Chattanooga, Tennessee, Retrieved April 26, 2020

Franklin is an active participant in the Sister Cities program. Sister Cities of Franklin & Williamson County{{Cite web|url=https://sistercitiestn.org/|title=Sister Cities of Franklin and Williamson County |}} was founded as an outgrowth of Leadership Franklin in March 2002. The City of Franklin has relationships with the following municipalities:

• {{flagdeco|CAN}} Carleton Place, Ontario, Canada (2008){{cite web |url=http://sistercitiestn.org/?page_id=7 |title=Sister Cities of Franklin |work=sistercitiestn.org |access-date=October 12, 2014}}
• {{flagdeco|IRL}} County Laois, Ireland (2008)
• {{flagdeco|Germany}} Bad Soden am Taunus, Hesse, Germany (2016)

{{portal|Tennessee}}

• Tennessee and Alabama Railroad Freight Depot

{{Reflist}}

• Savage, Carter Julian. "Cultural Capital and African American Agency: The Economic Struggle for Effective Education for African Americans in Franklin, Tennessee, 1890-1967." Journal of African American History, vol. 87, (2002), pp. 206–35. [https://doi.org/10.2307/1562464 online]

{{Commons category|Franklin, Tennessee}}

• [http://www.franklin-gov.com/ City of Franklin] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171216193132/http://www.franklin-gov.com/ |date=December 16, 2017 }} (official website)
• [https://www.municode.com/library/tn/franklin/codes/code_of_ordinances City charter]
• [http://www.preservationnation.org/travel-and-sites/sites/southern-region/franklin-tn.html Franklin: 2009 Dozen Distinctive Destinations], National Trust for Historic Preservation
• [https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/31468 The Battle of Franklin, Tennessee by John K. Shellenberger]
• {{Cite NSRW|wstitle=Franklin (Tenn.)|display=Franklin, a town of Williamson County, Tenn.|short=x}}

{{Williamson County, Tennessee}}

{{Tennessee county seats}}

{{Tennessee}}

{{authority control}}

Category:Cities in Tennessee

Category:Cities in Williamson County, Tennessee

Category:Cities in Nashville metropolitan area

Category:Populated places established in 1799

Category:County seats in Tennessee

Category:1799 establishments in Tennessee