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Franklin, Kentucky
Franklin is a city of 10,360 people in Simpson County, Kentucky, founded in 1820.
Why visit Franklin
Townapedia lists 9 museums and landmarks, 3 parks and trails, 38 places to eat and 7 places to stay in and around town.
Highlights include Franklin Downtown Commercial District and Goodnight House.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 89°F; January lows average 27°F.
Weather in Franklin
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Franklin
Franklin is a home rule-class city in and the county seat of Simpson County, Kentucky, United States. The county is located on the south central border of the state, and its population was 10,176 at the 2020 census.
From the Wikipedia article Franklin, Kentucky (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Museums and landmarks9
Franklin Downtown Commercial District
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.5 mi
Franklin, Kentucky, NRHP-listed in Simpson County
Goodnight House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.5 mi
Historic house in Franklin, Kentucky
Hargis House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.3 mi
House in Franklin, Kentucky, United States
Simpson County Courthouse
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.5 mi
Courthouse in Kentucky, United States
The Cedars
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.4 mi
House in Franklin, Kentucky
Simpson County Historical Society and History Center
Museum · 1.6 mi
207 North College Street, Franklin
West Madison Franklin Grade and Highschool
Monument and historic site · 1.9 mi
513 West Madison Street, Franklin
Parks, trails and playgrounds3
Restaurants and cafes38
Jim's BBQ
Restaurant · Barbecue · 0.6 mi
854 Harding Road, Franklin
Asian Buffet Restaurant
Restaurant · Chinese · 1.6 mi
412 N Main Street, Franklin
Tokyo Japanese Steakhouse
Restaurant · Asian · 1.5 mi
1326 Nashville Road, Franklin
Dueling Grounds Distillery
Brewery and winery · 1.1 mi
208 Harding Road, Franklin
26 more on the map.
Where to stay7
History
Franklin was formally incorporated by the state assembly on November 2, 1820, on a 62-acre (250,000 m2) tract of land. This tract was purchased from William Hudspeth and was named for Founding Father Benjamin Franklin. The post office was established on September 29, 1822, with Robert W. Simpson as postmaster.
On January 7, 1948, Captain Thomas Mantell of the Kentucky Air National Guard died in a plane crash near Franklin, Kentucky, while pursuing an unidentified flying object. The incident, which involved multiple eyewitness reports across Kentucky, Ohio, and Tennessee, became one of the earliest and most widely publicized UFO-related fatalities in U.S. history. A historical marker commemorating the event is located at the Simpson County Tourism office.
On March 1, 1968, Johnny Cash and June Carter Cash were married at the Franklin First United Methodist church by Reverend Leslie Chapman.
From the History section of Franklin, Kentucky on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Churches and places of worship23
East Side Missionary Baptist Church
Church · Baptist · 1.1 mi
210 East Street, Franklin
LifePoint Church Ministry Center
Church · Baptist · 2.1 mi
840 Witt Road, Franklin
Shopping10
Gas and EV charging14
Schools, colleges and libraries8
Franklin-Simpson High School West Campus
School · 1.6 mi
229 Jokers Phillips Way, Franklin
Healthcare3
Fast Pace Urgent Care Clinic
Clinic and pharmacy · 1.4 mi
1475 Nashville Road, Franklin
Map of Franklin
115 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 45°F | 27°F | 4.2 in | 0.2 in |
| Feb | 50°F | 30°F | 4.7 in | 1.5 in |
| Mar | 59°F | 37°F | 5.1 in | 0.3 in |
| Apr | 70°F | 46°F | 5.2 in | 0.0 in |
| May | 78°F | 57°F | 5.8 in | 0.0 in |
| Jun | 85°F | 65°F | 4.4 in | 0.0 in |
| Jul | 89°F | 68°F | 4.6 in | 0.0 in |
| Aug | 88°F | 67°F | 4.2 in | 0.0 in |
| Sep | 82°F | 60°F | 3.6 in | 0.0 in |
| Oct | 71°F | 48°F | 3.7 in | 0.0 in |
| Nov | 59°F | 37°F | 3.8 in | 0.0 in |
| Dec | 49°F | 30°F | 5.1 in | 0.0 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Portland Sewage Plt (9 mi away), NOAA NCEI.
People and cost of living
American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, U.S. Census Bureau. Estimates have margins of error, larger for small towns.
Disaster history
Simpson County has had 13 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for severe storms.
- 2026-01-24: Severe Winter Storm (Winter Storm)
- 2025-04-24: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides (Severe Storm)
- 2025-04-03: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding (Severe Storm)
- 2025-02-24: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides (Severe Storm)
- 2025-02-16: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, And Landslides (Severe Storm)
- 2024-07-23: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, Landslides, And Mudslides (Severe Storm)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Bowling Green-Warren County Regional Airport (BWG) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 19 miles away.
- Portland 8 mi south, about 13 min by car
- Woodburn 9 mi north, about 14 min by car
- Orlinda 12 mi southwest, about 19 min by car
- Auburn 14 mi northwest, about 22 min by car
- Cross Plains 14 mi southwest, about 22 min by car
- Plano 14 mi northeast, about 22 min by car
- Bowling Green 19 mi north, about 31 min by car
- Nashville-Davidson 40 mi south, about 1 h by car
- Clarksville 45 mi west, about 1 h 15 min by car
- Fort Campbell North 51 mi west, about 1 h 15 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB, the NEMICO news database.
Reviews, tips and questions
Loading what members have shared...
Sources and licences
- NCES EDGE (Public domain): public schools
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (Public domain): climate by month
- OpenFEMA (Public domain): disaster declarations
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- U.S. Census Bureau (Public domain): population, income, housing, education, commute
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website, landmarks and historic places
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- Main south of Kentucky in Franklin, Nyttend, Public domain
- The Cedars (Franklin, Ky), Jim Roberts, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Duncan House (Franklin, Kentucky), Jim Roberts, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Franklin, KY 42134, USA - panoramio, Evan Nichols (Virtua…, CC BY 3.0
- Franklin Grade and High School, Jim Roberts, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Old Simpson County, Kentucky courthouse, Unknown author, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Hargis House, Jim Roberts, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Goodnight House, Jim Roberts, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Randolph Gilbert Moore House, Jim Roberts, CC BY-SA 4.0
- 450 West Cedar Street, Jim Roberts, CC BY-SA 4.0
- African American Heritage CenterDSC 3810, Jim Roberts, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Simpson County, KY, USA - panoramio, Evan Nichols (Virtua…, CC BY 3.0
- ISS023-E-37243 - View of Earth, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit , Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Public domain
- ISS015-E-26109 - View of Earth, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit , Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Public domain
- ISS023-E-37244 - View of Earth, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit , Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Public domain
- ISS043-E-284477 - View of Earth, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit , Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Public domain
- Capt. Mantell Marker, Mark S. Hilton, CC BY-SA 4.0
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