Franklin, New Hampshire

Franklin is a city in Merrimack County, New Hampshire, United States. At the 2020 census, the population was 8,741, the lowest figure of New Hampshire's 13 cities. Franklin includes the village of West Franklin.

History

Situated at the confluence of the Pemigewasset and Winnipesaukee rivers that form the Merrimack River, the town was settled by Anglo-European colonists in 1764 and originally known as "Pemigewasset Village". It was taken from portions of Salisbury, Andover, Sanbornton and Northfield. The name "Franklin" was adopted in 1820 in honor of statesman and founding father Benjamin Franklin. Water power from the falls on the Winnipesaukee River helped it develop as a mill town. It incorporated as a town in 1828, and then as a city in 1895.

Daniel Webster was born in a section of Franklin that was then part of Salisbury. There is a state historic site located off Route 127 that preserves the famous orator's childhood home. As an adult, Webster owned "The Elms", a farm near the Merrimack River along present-day Route 3.

In 1943, the Army Corps of Engineers created the Franklin Falls Reservoir above Franklin by constructing the Franklin Falls Dam for flood control on the Pemigewasset River.

Image gallery

File:Bird's-eye View, Franklin, NH.jpg|Bird's eye view

File:Merrimack River, Franklin, NH.jpg|Merrimack River in 1905

File:Old High School, Franklin, NH.jpg|Old High School in 1908

File:View of Central Street, Franklin, NH.jpg|Central Street in 1909

File:Sulloway Mills, Franklin, NH.jpg|Sulloway Mills

File:Webster Birthplace, Franklin, NH.jpg|Daniel Webster birthplace

File:FranklinNH CityHall.jpg|City Hall

File:FranklinNH FreePublicLibrary.jpg|The library

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Geography

Franklin is located in northern Merrimack County.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , of which are land and are water, comprising 5.95% of the town. It is drained by the Winnipesaukee, Pemigewasset and Merrimack rivers. Webster Lake is in the north. The highest point in Franklin is an unnamed summit near the northwestern corner of the city limits, where the elevation reaches approximately above sea level. Franklin lies fully within the Merrimack River watershed.

U.S. Route 3 and New Hampshire Route 11 form Central Street, the main street of Franklin. Heading east, the two routes lead to Tilton and Laconia. Diverging in West Franklin, US 3 leads south to Boscawen and Concord, while NH 11 continues west to Andover and New London. New Hampshire Route 127 passes through West Franklin and the western part of downtown, leading southwest to Salisbury and Contoocook, and north into Sanbornton. New Hampshire Route 3A travels north through Hill from West Franklin, ending in Plymouth.

Adjacent municipalities

Sanbornton (northeast)
Tilton (east)
Northfield (southeast)
Boscawen (south)
Salisbury (southwest)
Andover (west)
Hill (northwest)

Climate

Demographics

thumb|left|Public Library , a [[Carnegie library]]

2020 census

As of the 2020 census, Franklin had a population of 8,741. The median age was 43.6 years. 19.1% of residents were under the age of 18 and 20.1% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 97.2 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 97.2 males age 18 and over.

76.2% of residents lived in urban areas, while 23.8% lived in rural areas.

There were 3,611 households in Franklin, of which 24.5% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 42.5% were married-couple households, 19.0% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 26.5% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 28.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.

Of the 3,407 households, 30.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 44.8% were headed by married couples living together, 13.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.0% were non-families. 28.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.8% were someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.43, and the average family size was 2.93.

Education

Franklin High School
Franklin Middle School
Paul Smith Elementary School

Sites of interest

Sulphite Railroad Bridge (the "upside-down" railroad bridge)
Daniel Webster Birthplace State Historic Site
Daniel Webster Family Home current home of the Franklin Historical Society
Franklin Falls Historic District

Notable people

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Jedh Barker (1945–1967), U.S. Marine; posthumously received the Medal of Honor
Vaughn Blanchard (1889–1969), Olympic track and field athlete
Cornelia James Cannon (1876–1969), feminist reformer
Walter Bradford Cannon (1871–1945), physiologist
Warren F. Daniell (1826–1913), manufacturer, stock breeder, banker, U.S. congressman
Ram Dass (1931–2019), spiritual leader (occasional resident)
John King Fairbank (1907–1991), historian (summer resident)
Robert Moller Gilbreth (1920–2007), New Hampshire state legislator, educator, businessman
Robert M. Leach (1879–1952), U.S. congressman
George Washington Nesmith (1800-1890), justice of the New Hampshire Supreme Court
G. W. Pierce (1872–1956), inventor in the development of electronic telecommunications
Kenneth A. Randall (1932–2021), politician
Katherine Call Simonds (1865–1946), musician, dramatic soprano, author, composer
Daniel Webster (1782–1852), Secretary of State, U.S. senator, congressman

References

External links

Franklin Public Library
Franklin Historical Society
Franklin Opera House
New Hampshire Economic and Labor Market Information Bureau Profile