Franklin

Have you ever been stopped in traffic and wondered why in the world you put up with it? Are you tired of the constant newscasts about drugs, gangs, assaults and murders? How about the pollution and the noise? Do you enjoy the rat race and the concrete jungle? Are your kids getting a good education, or are they learning more about sex, drugs and violence? Could you allow your kids to walk to school unescorted, or leave your car unlocked for half a minute? Located just a few miles from the exact geographic center of the continental United States, Franklin lies nestled in the vast tall-grass prairie of America’s Midwest near the Republican River. Surrounded by spring-fed creeks, streams and rolling hills, this country is a paradise for wildlife. Some say that these Great Plains are the true heartbeat of America where family values, a good education, excellent health care, outdoor recreation and a peaceful lifestyle still exist and can be enjoyed by all. If you are considering a move, whether you are a professional that can work from a home office, a small business owner looking for a community that is business friendly with an excellent home-grown work ethic, a retiree interested in recreation, wonderful health care and very affordable housing, or an individual or family wanting a peaceful lifestyle with all the modern amenities, the City of Franklin is the right choice. Feel free to contact us to find out more about living in our wonderful small town community. We’ll tell you about our fantastic Franklin Golf Club, the City Library, the City Park, the Valley Gun Club, the great hunting and fishing opportunities, the Rose Bowl movie theatre, or how the City of Franklin can help you start or relocate your business to our town. Email us, give us a call or come out and visit to find out what living in Franklin is all about. You’ll be glad you did! Archaeological evidence indicates that thousands of years ago, the area around the City of Franklin and the Republican River was frequented by a nomadic people that were probably the forefathers of the Pawnee Indians. The name, "Pawnee" comes from the native word 'pariki; meaning 'a horn'; referring to their scalp-lock. The origin of the Pawnee tribe is a mystery. Pawnees believe their ancestors came from the American Southwest. Evidence suggests that they have been on the Central Plains for at least 500 years. The Pawnee long have been known as the "Wolf People." Wolves were respected for their cunning and courage. Franklin's history began with Native Peoples that settled in and were a part of the Republican River Valley for centuries. Pawnees were the dominant power on the Central Plains. Their territory included large areas of present-day Kansas and Nebraska. In the early 1800s, Pawnees numbered between 10,000 and 30,000. There were four separate bands, and each functioned independently. One of the four bands is known as the Kitkehahki (pronounced KIT-ka-ha-key), or Republican, which settled in this area in the early 1800s. The Pawnee were known to engage in the farming of corn, squash and beans. They were also extremely skilled bow and arrow hunters of buffalo, deer and other small animals and birds. Although generally peaceful, the Pawnee frequently battled the Kaw, Osage and Sioux Indians, their arch-enemies. The Pawnee entered into agreements to cede their lands to the United States Government in 1833, 1848, 1857 and1872. In 1875 they were moved from Nebraska to the Pawnee Indian Agency. In the 1840's, with the opening of a trail through their country, European diseases, alcohol, and war with other tribes, their numbers were reduced to around 4,500. The influx of white missionaries contributed to the gradual abandonment of their ancient customs and religious ceremonies. Today the official count of Pawnee is put at just over two thousand, five hundred people, most of them located in Pawnee County, Oklahoma. The first explorer in the area was probably Francisco Vasquez de Coro