Franklinton

History

Franklinton, was established as Franklin Depot in 1839 on land owned by Shemuel Kearney (1791–1860), son of Crawford Kearney and Nancy White. A home constructed by grandfather Shemuel Kearney (1734–1808) was originally located south of town and is currently the second oldest residence in Franklin County, built in 1759. The building was purchased in 2009 and moved to nearby Louisburg for restoration. Franklin Depot changed its name to Franklinton in 1842 when the town was incorporated. Like Franklin County, Franklinton was named for Benjamin Franklin. Generous offers by local businessmen Washington Duke and Julian S. Carr brought Trinity College to the city of Durham in 1892. This well known school is now called Duke University. A source from the University Archives states that nearby Raleigh was actually the initial approved bidder. The police arrested Green, but then a lynch mob seized him, pulled him behind a car for two miles, and hung him from a tree. Franklinton was once home to Albion Academy, a co-educational African-American school started by clergyman Moses A. Hopkins in 1879. Once a State Normal & Industrial School (trade school), it eventually became a graded school and later merged with the B.F. Person School in 1957 to become B.F. Person-Albion High School. When schools were fully integrated, the upper grades consolidated with Franklinton High School in 1969. Mary Little was the first African-American teacher to begin teaching at the newly integrated Franklinton High School, who taught there till her death in 1984. The B.F. Person-Albion High School was renamed Franklinton Elementary School. Also located in Franklinton is the historic Sterling Cotton Mill, founded by Samuel C. Vann and first opened in 1895. Remaining in the Vann family for many…

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of , all land. The center of town is at Main Street (U.S. Highway 1A) and Mason Street. Green Street (N.C. Highway 56) passes just south of that point and U.S. Highway 1 bypasses Franklinton to the west. The town is located approximately northeast of Raleigh, North Carolina and south of the Tar River. A railway operated by CSX Transportation currently passes through Franklinton, which is part of the old Seaboard Coast Line Railroad "S-Line". There was also a spur off this line which ran east from Franklinton to Louisburg, originally built in 1884 by the Louisburg Railroad and leased to the Raleigh & Gaston Railroad as a branch line. The two lines were taken over by Seaboard Air Line Railroad in 1900. From 1985 to 1988, the Franklin County Railroad operated the branch line from Franklinton to Louisburg. The section was sold to the North Carolina Department of Transportation in 1990 and the tracks removed a few years later.

Race & ethnicity

Largest nearby schools

• Franklinton High
  High · Franklinton · 1,182 students · 19.1:1 ratio
• Louisburg Magnet High
  High · Louisburg · 536 students · 14.1:1 ratio
• Youngsville Academy
  Other · Youngsville · 526 students · 14.2:1 ratio
• Franklinton Elementary
  Elementary · Franklinton · 522 students · 14.9:1 ratio
• Cedar Creek Middle
  Middle · Youngsville · 515 students · 13.9:1 ratio
• Louisburg Elementary
  Elementary · Louisburg · 410 students · 12.1:1 ratio
• Long Mill Elementary
  Elementary · Youngsville · 403 students · 13:1 ratio
• Crosscreek Charter School
  Elementary · Louisburg · 396 students · 12.8:1 ratio