Franklin, New Hampshire

Franklin is a city in Merrimack County, New Hampshire, United States. At the 2010 census, the population was 8,477,^[1] the lowest of any 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 helped it develop as a mill town.^[2] It would incorporate 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.

Bird's eye view c. 1912
Merrimack River in 1905
Old High School in 1908
Central Street in 1909
Sulloway Mills c. 1910
Daniel Webster birthplace c. 1910
City Hall
The library

Geography

Franklin is located at 43°26′49″N 71°39′25″W / 43.44694°N 71.65694°W / 43.44694; -71.65694 (43.446956, -71.656966).^[3]

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 29.1 square miles (75.4 km²), of which 27.3 square miles (70.7 km²) is land and 1.9 square miles (4.9 km²) is water, comprising 6.31% of the town.^[4] 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 1,370 feet (420 m) above sea level. Franklin lies fully within the Merrimack River watershed.^[5]

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, New Hampshire. US 3 leads south to Boscawen and Concord, while NH 11 goes west to Andover and New London. New Hampshire Route 127 also passes through downtown Franklin, leading southwest to Salisbury and Contoocook, and north into Sanbornton. New Hampshire Route 3A leads north from West Franklin to Bristol.

Demographics

Public Library c. 1915, a Carnegie library

As of the census^[6] of 2000, there were 8,405 people, 3,319 households, and 2,193 families residing in the city. The population density was 304.9 people per square mile (117.7/km²). There were 3,676 housing units at an average density of 133.4 per square mile (51.5/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 97.10% White, 0.38% African American, 0.27% Native American, 0.51% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.35% from other races, and 1.38% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.19% of the population.

There were 3,319 households out of which 32.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.3% were married couples living together, 14.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.9% were non-families. 27.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.47 and the average family size was 2.95.

In the city the population was spread out with 25.8% under the age of 18, 8.5% from 18 to 24, 28.4% from 25 to 44, 22.7% from 45 to 64, and 14.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 94.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.5 males.

Historical population
Census	Pop.		%±
1850	1,251		—
1860	1,600		27.9%
1870	2,301		43.8%
1880	3,265		41.9%
1890	4,085		25.1%
1900	5,846		43.1%
1910	6,132		4.9%
1920	6,318		3.0%
1930	6,576		4.1%
1940	6,749		2.6%
1950	6,552		−2.9%
1960	6,742		2.9%
1970	7,292		8.2%
1980	7,901		8.4%
1990	8,304		5.1%
2000	8,405		1.2%
2010	8,477		0.9%
Est. 2014	8,428	^[7]	−0.6%
U.S. Decennial Census^[8]

The median income for a household in the city was $34,613, and the median income for a family was $41,698. Males had a median income of $32,318 versus $25,062 for females. The per capita income for the city was $17,155. About 8.9% of families and 12.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 18.2% of those under age 18 and 9.7% of those age 65 or over.

Education

Franklin High School

Sites of interest

Sulphite Railroad Bridge (the "upside-down" railroad bridge)
Daniel Webster Birthplace State Historic Site

Notable people

Jedh Barker (1945–1967), marine; received the Medal of Honor
Vaughn Blanchard, track and field athlete
Walter Bradford Cannon (1871–1945), physiologist
Warren F. Daniell, industrialist and US congressman
John King Fairbank (1907–1991), historian (summer resident)
Robert M. Leach, US congressman
Jenna Lewis (b. 1977), contestant on Survivor (2000)
G. W. Pierce (1872–1956), physicist
Arthur Schlesinger, Jr. (1917–2007), historian (summer resident)
Daniel Webster (1782–1852), Secretary of State, US senator and congressman

References

↑ United States Census Bureau, American FactFinder, 2010 Census figures. Retrieved March 23, 2011.
↑ Coolidge, Austin J.; John B. Mansfield (1859). A History and Description of New England. Boston, Massachusetts. pp. 497–499.
↑ "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. 2011-02-12. Retrieved 2011-04-23.
↑ "Geographic Identifiers: 2010 Demographic Profile Data (G001) - Franklin city, New Hampshire". U.S. Census Bureau American Factfinder. Retrieved November 14, 2011.
↑ Foster, Debra H.; Batorfalvy, Tatianna N.; Medalie, Laura (1995). Water Use in New Hampshire: An Activities Guide for Teachers. U.S. Department of the Interior and U.S. Geological Survey.
↑ "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
↑ "Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Incorporated Places: April 1, 2010 to July 1, 2014". Retrieved June 4, 2015.
↑ "Census of Population and Housing". Census.gov. Retrieved June 4, 2015.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Franklin, New Hampshire.

Wikisource has the text of the 1911 Encyclopædia Britannica article Franklin (New Hampshire).

Municipalities and communities of Merrimack County, New Hampshire, United States

County seat: Concord

Cities	Concord Franklin

Towns	Allenstown Andover Boscawen Bow Bradford Canterbury Chichester Danbury Dunbarton Epsom Henniker Hill Hooksett Hopkinton Loudon New London Newbury Northfield Pembroke Pittsfield Salisbury Sutton Warner Webster Wilmot

CDPs	Blodgett Landing Bradford Contoocook Henniker Hooksett Loudon New London Pittsfield South Hooksett Suncook Tilton Northfield‡ Warner

Other unincorporated communities	East Andover Elkins North Sutton Penacook South Newbury South Sutton West Hopkinton

Footnotes	‡This populated place also has portions in an adjacent county or counties

State of New Hampshire

Concord (capital)

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