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FRANKLIN, TEXAS
Robertson
County
Seat, Central
Texas South
31°1'34"N 96°29'10"W (31.026222, -96.486086)
Hwys 79 & 46
32 miles N of Bryan
(via State Highway 6)
Population: 1,594 Est. (2016)
1,564 (2010) 1,470 (2000) 1,336 (1990)
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History
in a Pecan Shell
In 1879 the voters agreed to move the county seat to
Morgan from Calvert. Morgan
was a more central location in Robertson
County.
Post Offices are important to county seats and since there was already
a Morgan, Texas,
they reverted to the name of the original county seat - Franklin.
Their first school was built in 1881 and burned three years later.
A huge windstorm in 1913 destroyed every public building in Robertson
County, including Franklin's four churches. |
Franklin,
Texas Landmarks
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The
Carnegie Library in Franklin
TE Photo |
The
1914 Carnegie Library is perhaps more striking than the courthouse
(allowing for it's smaller size). One of only five Carnegie
Libraries still being used for its original purpose (out of 31)
in Texas, this one once had it's basement filled with sand to curtail
mosquito breeding. The basement also served as a changing room for
Franklin High School sports teams. It is perhaps the only Carnegie
Library in the state to display a portrait of Andrew Carnegie.
In 1908 The Carnegie Foundation changed from the Greek Revival and
Beaux-Arts styles to more modest single story structures. The lecture
halls or stage areas were assigned to basements after 1908. Although
this building was built after the "grand" libraries of Belton,
Terrell
and Ballinger, it
maintains an elegance that many other two-story libraries lack. |
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Franklin
Chronicles
The Grave of
the last Civil War Soldier
In the Mt. Pleasant Church Cemetery, about four miles SE from Franklin
on FM 2446, you'll find the final resting place of Walter Williams,
last soldier of either side to die. Walter served in the Confederacy.
Tallest Man in the World
(From Sideshow
Texans by Mike Cox)
James Grover Tarver was born in Franklin in 1885. He grew up to a
strapping eight-foot-two and hit the circuit in 1909. He worked for
four different circuses, billed either as the Texas Giant or Tallest
Man in the World. “I was a cowboy until I got bigger than the pony,”
he told crowds. Tarver stayed in show business until 1933. |
| Texas
Escapes, in its purpose to preserve historic, endangered and vanishing
Texas, asks that anyone wishing to share their local history, stories,
landmarks and vintage/historic photos, please contact
us. |
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