Franklin, Tennessee
Encyclopedia
Franklin is a city within and the county seat
County seat
A county seat is an administrative center, or seat of government, for a county or civil parish. The term is primarily used in the United States....

 of Williamson County
Williamson County, Tennessee
Williamson County is a county in the U.S. state of Tennessee. As of 2010 US Census, the population was 183,182. The County's seat is Franklin, and it is part of the Nashville-Davidson–Murfreesboro–Franklin Metropolitan Statistical Area. The county is named after Hugh Williamson, a...

, Tennessee
Tennessee
Tennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...

, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

. The population was 62,487 as of the 2010 census
United States Census, 2010
The Twenty-third United States Census, known as Census 2010 or the 2010 Census, is the current national census of the United States. National Census Day was April 1, 2010 and is the reference date used in enumerating individuals...

Franklin is located approximately 20 miles (32.2 km) south of downtown Nashville.

History

Ewen Cameron
Ewen Cameron
Ewen Cameron may refer to:In Scottish Clan Cameron:*Ewen MacAllan Cameron, 10th Chief*Ewen Cameron of Lochiel , 13th Chief*Ewen 'Beag' Cameron of Lochiel, 14th Chief*Sir Ewen Cameron of Lochiel , 17th ChiefIn other occupations:...

 built the first house in the town of Franklin. Cameron was born February 23, 1768 in Balgalkan, Ferintosh, Scotland. He emigrated to Virginia in 1785 and from there came to Tennessee. Cameron died February 28, 1846, having lived forty-eight years in the same log house. He and his second wife, Mary, are buried in the old City Cemetery. His descendants have lived in Franklin continuously since 1798 when his son Duncan was born.

The City of Franklin was founded October 26, 1799 by Abram Maury, Jr. (1766–1825), who was also a State Senator and is buried with his family in Founders Pointe. Maury named the town after Benjamin Franklin
Benjamin Franklin
Dr. Benjamin Franklin was one of the Founding Fathers of the United States. A noted polymath, Franklin was a leading author, printer, political theorist, politician, postmaster, scientist, musician, inventor, satirist, civic activist, statesman, and diplomat...

, a close friend of Dr. Hugh Williamson
Hugh Williamson
Hugh Williamson was an American politician. He is best known for representing North Carolina at the Constitutional Convention.Williamson was a scholar of international renown...

, a member of the Continental Congress
Continental Congress
The Continental Congress was a convention of delegates called together from the Thirteen Colonies that became the governing body of the United States during the American Revolution....

 for whom Williamson County was named.

The Battle of Franklin
Battle of Franklin
Battle of Franklin may refer to three battles of the American Civil War:* Battle of Franklin , a major battle fought November 30, 1864, at Franklin, Tennessee as part of the Franklin-Nashville Campaign...

 was fought on November 30, 1864, resulting in almost 10,000 casualties (killed, wounded, captured and missing) and turning forty-four buildings in town into field hospitals.

Franklin is the county seat of Williamson County.

Demographics

As of the census
Census
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...

of 2010, there were 62,487 people, (Williamson County's population is 193,595). As of 2010 there were 16,128 households, and 11,225 families residing in the city. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...

 was 1,393.3 people per square mile (538.0/km2). There were 17,296 housing units at an average density of 575.9 per square mile (222.4/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 84.53% Caucasian
Caucasian race
The term Caucasian race has been used to denote the general physical type of some or all of the populations of Europe, North Africa, the Horn of Africa, Western Asia , Central Asia and South Asia...

, 10.35% Black
Black people
The term black people is used in systems of racial classification for humans of a dark skinned phenotype, relative to other racial groups.Different societies apply different criteria regarding who is classified as "black", and often social variables such as class, socio-economic status also plays a...

, 4.84% Hispanic/Latino, 1.61% Asian, 0.24% Native American, 0.05% Pacific Islander, 2.17% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...

, and 1.06% from two or more races.

There were 16,128 households out of which 38.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.2% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...

 living together, 10.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.4% were non-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 spread out with 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 city was $65,506, and the median income for a family was $69,431 (these figures had risen to $74,914 and $87,125 respectively as of a 2007 estimate). Males had a median income of $50,226 versus $31,531 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...

 for the city was $32,160. About 5.1% of families and 6.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 8.0% of those under age 18 and 12.0% of those age 65 or over.

Historic downtown Franklin
The area of downtown Franklin is built around a town square located at 3rd Avenue and Main Street (U.S. Route 31
U.S. Route 31
U.S. Route 31 is a long north–south highway connecting northern Michigan to southern Alabama, with its northern terminus at Interstate 75 near Mackinaw City, Michigan, and southern terminus at the combined U.S. Route 90 & U.S. Route 98 at Spanish Fort, Alabama...

). Located at the center of the square there is a Civil War Monument. There are also several historic homes
National Register of Historic Places listings in Williamson County, Tennessee
This is a list of the National Register of Historic Places listings in Williamson County, Tennessee.This is intended to be a complete list of the properties and districts on the National Register of Historic Places in Williamson County, Tennessee, United States...

 located in this area.

In addition to the historical sites located in downtown Franklin, many businesses make this area their home. Main Street is filled with boutiques and a variety of eateries.

Economy

HealthSpring, Community Health Systems
Community Health Systems
Community Health Systems Inc. is a Fortune 500 company based in Franklin, Tennessee. It is the largest non-urban provider of general hospital healthcare services in the United States in terms of number of acute care facilities. As of May 2009, it operates 120 hospitals in 28 states. After...

, Healthways
Healthways
Healthways is a disease management company founded in 1981 and headquartered in Franklin, Tennessee.In 2003, the company topped a list of "America's fastest-growing small companies," based on earnings/share growth, revenue growth, and total return...

, Home Instead Senior Care
Home Instead Senior Care
Home Instead Senior Care is an American-based multinational network of franchises specializing in non-medical in-home care for the elderly, in support of aging in place. Headquartered in Omaha, Nebraska, it is the largest senior care franchise in the world, with 850+ independently owned and...

, MedSolutions Inc, Magazines.com
Magazines.com
Magazines.com LLC is a privately held American e-commerce company based in Franklin, TN, a suburb of Nashville, Tennessee. Magazines.com retains authorizations to sell magazine subscriptions by publishers and is the largest online independent agent of magazine subscriptions. Time Inc. is a major...

, the Provident Music Group, World Christian Broadcasting
World Christian Broadcasting
World Christian Broadcasting is a non-profit Christian organization that operates international shortwave radio station KNLS. The station’s transmitters are in Anchor Point, Alaska, and all of its programs are produced at the company headquarters and broadcast operations center in Franklin,...

 and Nissan
Nissan Motors
, usually shortened to Nissan , is a multinational automaker headquartered in Japan. It was a core member of the Nissan Group, but has become more independent after its restructuring under Carlos Ghosn ....

's North American headquarters are based in Franklin.

Top Employers

According to the City's 2010 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, the top employers in the city are:
# Employer # of Employees
1 CoolSprings Galleria 3,500
2 Community Health Systems
Community Health Systems
Community Health Systems Inc. is a Fortune 500 company based in Franklin, Tennessee. It is the largest non-urban provider of general hospital healthcare services in the United States in terms of number of acute care facilities. As of May 2009, it operates 120 hospitals in 28 states. After...

1,800
3 Williamson Medical Center 1,300
4 Nissan
Nissan Motors
, usually shortened to Nissan , is a multinational automaker headquartered in Japan. It was a core member of the Nissan Group, but has become more independent after its restructuring under Carlos Ghosn ....

 North America
1,300
5 Verizon
Verizon Communications
Verizon Communications Inc. is a global broadband and telecommunications company and a component of the Dow Jones Industrial Average...

1,000
6 AIM Healthcare Services 815
7 Healthways
Healthways
Healthways is a disease management company founded in 1981 and headquartered in Franklin, Tennessee.In 2003, the company topped a list of "America's fastest-growing small companies," based on earnings/share growth, revenue growth, and total return...

800
8 Mars
Mars, Incorporated
Mars, Incorporated is a worldwide manufacturer of confectionery, pet food, and other food products with US$30 billion in annual sales in 2010, and is ranked as the 5th largest privately held company in the United States by Forbes. Headquartered in McLean, unincorporated Fairfax County, Virginia,...

 Petcare US
680
9 Progeny Marketing Innovations 550
10 Lee Company 520

Notable events

  • In November 1864, the Second Battle of Franklin of the Civil War
    American Civil War
    The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...

     took place, with the first fifteen minutes being the most bloody fifteen minutes in all of American history.
  • The movie premieres of Friday Night Lights and Elizabethtown
    Elizabethtown (film)
    Elizabethtown is a 2005 American comedy-drama film written and directed by Cameron Crowe starring Orlando Bloom and Kirsten Dunst. Alec Baldwin has a small role as a CEO of an athletic shoe company and Susan Sarandon appears as a grieving widow...

    were held in Franklin.
  • Film productions shot in Franklin include At Close Range
    At Close Range
    At Close Range is a film based on the real life rural Pennsylvania crime family led by Bruce Johnston, Sr. which operated during the 1960s and 1970s. It was released on April 18, 1986, and stars Sean Penn, Christopher Walken, Chris Penn, Mary Stuart Masterson, Millie Perkins, Candy Clark and...

    (1986), starring Sean Penn
    Sean Penn
    Sean Justin Penn is an American actor, screenwriter and film director, also known for his political and social activism...

     and Christopher Walken
    Christopher Walken
    Christopher Walken is an American stage and screen actor. He has appeared in more than 100 movies and television shows, including Joe Dirt, Annie Hall, The Deer Hunter, The Prophecy trilogy, The Dogs of War, Sleepy Hollow, Brainstorm, The Dead Zone, A View to a Kill, At Close Range, King of New...

    ; and "One of the Miracles: The Inge Meyring Smith Story" (2010), "Hannah Montana: The Movie
    Hannah Montana: The Movie
    Hannah Montana: The Movie is a 2009 Walt Disney Pictures musical comedy film based on the Disney Channel show Hannah Montana which was released on April 10, 2009, by Walt Disney Pictures, it was the second Disney Channel series to have a movie for Walt Disney Pictures. The film was directed by...

    " was shot downtown, and another "Walt Disney Pictures
    Walt Disney Pictures
    Walt Disney Pictures is an American film studio owned by The Walt Disney Company. Walt Disney Pictures and Television, a subsidiary of the Walt Disney Studios and the main production company for live-action feature films within the Walt Disney Motion Pictures Group, based at the Walt Disney...

    " film, The Country Bears
    The Country Bears
    The Country Bears is a 2002 American live-action comedy film, produced by Walt Disney Pictures, based on the Disney attraction Country Bear Jamboree, and released July 26, 2002...

    ," was shot downtown, as well as other scenes being shot in California
    California
    California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...

    .
  • Flash flood
    Flash flood
    A flash flood is a rapid flooding of geomorphic low-lying areas—washes, rivers, dry lakes and basins. It may be caused by heavy rain associated with a storm, hurricane, or tropical storm or meltwater from ice or snow flowing over ice sheets or snowfields...

    s caused by the Harpeth River
    Harpeth River
    The Harpeth River, long, is one of the major streams of north-central Middle Tennessee and one of the major tributaries of the Cumberland River...

     flooded many northern areas in Franklin in the 2010 Tennessee floods
    2010 Tennessee floods
    The May 2010 Tennessee floods were 1000-year floods in Middle Tennessee, West Tennessee, south-central and western Kentucky and northern Mississippi as the result of torrential rains on May 1 and 2, 2010...

    .

Main Street Festival

Franklin’s Main Street Festival is a street festival that brings more than 200 artisans & crafters, four stages, two carnivals and two food courts to the historic Franklin Square and Downtown District. Arts and crafts booths line Main Street from First to Fifth Avenue.

Wine Down Main Street

Wine Down Main Street is a unique wine tasting event that takes place along historic Main Street in Franklin, Tennessee on the first Friday in November. This annual event is a benefit for the Boys & Girls Club of Franklin/Williamson County.

Pumpkinfest

Franklin's Pumpkinfest, an annual fundraiser for the Heritage Foundation of Franklin and Williamson County, is held each year on the Saturday before Halloween, with many Halloween-themed activities. Music, children's amusements, local artisans and food are the primary entertainment.

Notable people

  • Alex Beaton
    Alex Beaton
    Alex Beaton is a Scottish, guitar-playing folksinger who makes more than 20 concert appearances annually at various events across the United States . Beaton appears annually at the Grandfather Mountain Highland Games in North Carolina, and the Stone Mountain Highland Games in Atlanta, Georgia,...

     lives in Franklin
  • Nick Carter
    Nick Carter
    -Athletes:*Nick Carter , Major League Baseball pitcher for the Philadelphia Athletics in 1908*Nick Carter , cyclist from New Zealand, who competed in the 1948 Summer Olympics...

     (Musician) lives in Franklin.
  • Steven Curtis Chapman
    Steven Curtis Chapman
    Steven Curtis Chapman is an American musician, songwriter, record producer, actor, author, and social activist.After starting his career in the late 1980s as a singer/songwriter of contemporary Christian music, Chapman has since been recognized as one of the most prolific singers in the genre,...

    , Grammy award
    Grammy Award
    A Grammy Award — or Grammy — is an accolade by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to recognize outstanding achievement in the music industry...

     and Gospel Music Association
    Gospel Music Association
    The Gospel Music Association was founded in 1964 for the purpose of supporting and promoting the development of all forms of Gospel music. There are currently about 4,000 members worldwide...

     Dove Award winning composer and singer, lives in Franklin.
  • Miley Cyrus
    Miley Cyrus
    Miley Ray Cyrus is an American actress and pop singer-songwriter. She achieved wide fame for her role as Miley Stewart/Hannah Montana on the Disney Channel sitcom Hannah Montana....

     and her family divide their time between Los Angeles
    Los Ángeles
    Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...

     and Franklin.
  • Jody Davis of the Newsboys lives in Franklin, along with his wife Laurie and their daughters.
  • Lee Greenwood
    Lee Greenwood
    Melvin Lee Greenwood is an American country music artist. Active since the early 1980s, he has released more than twenty major-label albums and has charted more than 35 singles on the Billboard country music charts....

     lives in Franklin with his wife Kim Greenwood
    Kim Greenwood
    Kimberly "Kim" Greenwood is the executive director of the Miss Georgia USA, Miss Georgia Teen USA, Miss Mississippi USA, Miss Mississippi Teen USA, Miss Tennessee USA, and Miss Tennessee Teen USA pageants. She also held the title of Miss Tennessee USA 1989.-Miss USA 1989:She competed in the Miss...

     and sons.
  • Jimmy Griffin
    Jimmy Griffin
    James Arthur Griffin was a singer, guitarist, and songwriter with the 1970s rock band Bread.-Early life:An Academy Award winning songwriter, Griffin was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, but grew up in Memphis, Tennessee. His musical training began when his parents signed him up for accordion lessons...

     (deceased, 2005) was an Academy Award winning songwriter, singer, and guitarist, with the 1970s rock band Bread
    Bread
    Bread is a staple food prepared by cooking a dough of flour and water and often additional ingredients. Doughs are usually baked, but in some cuisines breads are steamed , fried , or baked on an unoiled frying pan . It may be leavened or unleavened...

    . He also had roles in the movies For Those Who Think Young
    For Those Who Think Young
    For Those Who Think Young, appearing on the album cover as and originally to be entitled for those who think jung, was the third album by Canadian new wave band Rough Trade; it was released in 1981...

    (1964) and None But the Brave
    None But the Brave
    None But the Brave, also known as in Japan, is a 1965 war film starring Frank Sinatra, Clint Walker, Tatsuya Mihashi, Tommy Sands and Brad Dexter. This is the only film directed by Frank Sinatra, and the first Japanese-American co-production, produced by Sinatra for Warner Bros...

    (1965).
  • Brandon Hargest and sister Brittany Hargest
    Brittany Hargest
    Brittany Lynne Hargest is a Christian singer and dancer best known for being a member of the Christian/pop group Jump5, which also featured her older brother Brandon Hargest.- Personal life :...

    , former members of Jump5
    Jump5
    - History :Siblings Brandon and Brittany Hargest had competed on the same dance team as Lesley Moore, and were familiar with Chris Fedun and Libby Hodges through the competitive dance circuit. The mother of Hodges held an open casting call to find additional members to form a new pop group with her...

    , reside in Franklin.
  • Will Hoge
    Will Hoge
    Will Hoge is an American singer, songwriter and musician from Nashville, Tennessee.-Early life:Will Hoge grew up in Franklin, Tennessee, a rural suburb south of Nashville...

    , a Nashville recording artist, was born and raised in Franklin.
  • George Jones
    George Jones
    George Glenn Jones is an American country music singer known for his long list of hit records, his distinctive voice and phrasing, and his marriage to Tammy Wynette....

    , the legendary country-music singer, lives in Franklin.
  • Ashley Judd
    Ashley Judd
    Ashley Judd is an American television and film actress, who has played lead roles in films including Ruby in Paradise, Kiss the Girls, Double Jeopardy, Where the Heart Is and High Crimes...

     and her husband Dario Franchitti
    Dario Franchitti
    George Dario Marino Franchitti is a Scottish racing driver. He formerly competed in the CART series before switching to the IndyCar Series where he was 2007 champion, and won the rain-shortened 2007 Indianapolis 500. Franchitti is also a former NASCAR driver for Chip Ganassi Racing, competing...

     divide their lives between Scotland
    Scotland
    Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...

     and Franklin, where they have a ranch.
  • John Kay (musician)
    John Kay (musician)
    John Kay is a German-Canadian singer, songwriter and guitarist known as the frontman of Steppenwolf...

     lives in Franklin
  • Kings of Leon
    Kings of Leon
    Kings of Leon is an American rock band that originated in Albion, Oklahoma but formed in Nashville, Tennessee in 1999. The band is composed of brothers Anthony Caleb Followill , Ivan Nathan Followill and Michael Jared Followill Kings of Leon is an American rock band that originated in Albion,...

     rock band originated from Franklin.
  • Toby McKeehan, TobyMac
    TobyMac
    Toby McKeehan , better known by his stage name TobyMac , is a Christian recording artist, music producer, hip-hop/pop artist, singer-songwriter, and author....

    , lives in Franklin.
  • Brad Paisley
    Brad Paisley
    Brad Douglas Paisley is an American singer-songwriter and musician. His style crosses between traditional country music and Southern rock, and his songs are frequently laced with humor and pop culture references....

     and wife Kimberly Williams live in Franklin
  • Linda St. Clair
    Linda St. Clair
    Linda St. Clair is an American contemporary wildlife painter. She is best known for her portrayal of vibrant roosters, cows, and other barnyard, domestic and wild animals. Her work has been acclaimed for its ability to capture an animal's attitude and personality. Themes of pride, love and...

    , the acclaimed wildlife painter, was born in Franklin.
  • Mark Volman
    Mark Volman
    Mark Volman is an American rock and roll singer, best known as a founding member of the 1960s band The Turtles. At times during his career he has used the pseudonym "The Phlorescent Leech"...

     of the 1960s rock band The Turtles
    The Turtles
    The Turtles are an American rock group led by vocalists Howard Kaylan and Mark Volman. The band became notable for several Top 40 hits beginning with its cover version of Bob Dylan's "It Ain't Me Babe" in 1965...

     currently lives in Franklin.
  • Paramore
    Paramore
    Paramore is an American rock band from Franklin, Tennessee, formed in 2004. The band consists of lead vocalist Hayley Williams, bassist Jeremy Davis, and guitarist Taylor York...

     alternative rock band originated from Franklin.
  • Jack White
    Jack White (musician)
    Jack White , often credited as Jack White III, is an American musician, songwriter, record producer and occasional actor...

     of The White Stripes
    The White Stripes
    The White Stripes was an American rock band, formed in 1997 in Detroit, Michigan. The group consisted of the songwriter Jack White and drummer Meg White . Jack and Meg White were previously married to each other, but are now divorced...

    , The Raconteurs
    The Raconteurs
    The Raconteurs is an American rock band that was formed in Detroit, Michigan, featuring four members known for other musical projects: Jack White , Brendan Benson , Jack Lawrence , and Patrick Keeler .-Formation:The...

    , and The Dead Weather
    The Dead Weather
    The Dead Weather is an American alternative rock supergroup, formed in Nashville, Tennessee in 2009. Composed of Alison Mosshart , Jack White , Dean Fertita and Jack Lawrence , The Dead Weather debuted at the opening of Third Man Records' Nashville...

    lives in Franklin.

External links

The source of this article is wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.  The text of this article is licensed under the GFDL.
 
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