Franklin Town, Massachusetts
Franklin Town is a city of 33,154 people in Norfolk County, Massachusetts, founded in 1660.
Why visit Franklin Town
Townapedia lists 31 museums and landmarks, 48 parks and trails, 54 places to eat, 4 places to stay and 19 attractions in and around town.
Highlights include Regal Bellingham, Diamond Hill, Dean College and East Blackstone Village Historic District.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 84°F; January lows average 17°F, and about 52 inches of snow fall in a normal year.
Weather in Franklin Town
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Franklin Town
The Town of Franklin is a city in Norfolk County, Massachusetts, United States. Franklin is one of thirteen Massachusetts municipalities that have applied for, and been granted, city forms of government but wish to retain "The town of" in their official names. As of 2022, the city's population was 36,745, with a growth rate of 15.38% since 2015. It is home to the country's first public library, the Franklin Public Library, its first books having been donated by Benjamin Franklin in 1790.
From the Wikipedia article Franklin, Massachusetts (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do19
7 more on the map.
Museums and landmarks31
Dean College
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.6 mi
Private college in Franklin, Massachusetts, United States
East Blackstone Village Historic District
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 6.1 mi
Historic district in Massachusetts, United States
Ellice School
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 5.0 mi
Historic two-room schoolhouse at 185 Pleasant Street in Millis, Massachusetts
Franklin Common Historic District
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.5 mi
Franklin, Massachusetts, NRHP-listed
Medway Village Historic District
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 4.0 mi
Historic district in Massachusetts, United States
Nathan C. Aldrich House and Resthaven Chapel
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 6.3 mi
Historic church in Massachusetts, United States
Norfolk Grange Hall
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 4.8 mi
Building in Massachusetts, United States
North Bellingham Cemetery and Oak Hill Cemetery
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 3.4 mi
Pair of historic cemeteries in Massachusetts, United States
Olney Cook Artisan Shop
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 5.8 mi
Historic industrial building at 54 Hartford Avenue East in Mendon, Massachusetts
Plimpton-Winter House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 4.3 mi
Historic house in Massachusetts, United States
Pondville Cemetery
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 5.9 mi
Historic cemetery in Norfolk, Massachusetts, United States
Prospect Hill Cemetery
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 6.1 mi
Cemetery in Millis, Massachusetts, USA
19 more on the map.
Parks, trails and playgrounds48
Norfolk Ice Arena
Sports field and stadium · 4.2 mi
1 Dean Street, Norfolk
Mo, We, Fr, Sa, Su 09:00-22:00; Tu, Th 06:00-23:00
36 more on the map.
Restaurants and cafes54
Birchwood Bakery & Kitchen
Cafe · Coffee Shop, Pastry · 0.7 mi
17 East Central Street, Franklin
Mo-Fr 07:00-15:00; Sa-Su 08:00-15:00
Blackhawk Pizza
Restaurant · Pizza · 4.3 mi
829 South Main Street, Bellingham
Mo-Th 11:00-22:00, Fr 11:00-23:00, Sa-Su 11:00-22:00
Chateau
Restaurant · Italian · 1.4 mi
466 King Street, Franklin
Mo-Th 11:00-22:00; Fr-Sa 11:00-23:00; Su 11:00-22:00
Mirchi Indian Cuisine
Restaurant · Indian · 0.7 mi
14 East Central Street, Franklin
Su-Th 11:30-21:00; Fr-Sa 11:30-22:00
Cole's Tavern
Restaurant · 1.8 mi
553 Washington Street, Franklin
Tu-We 11:30-24:00; Th-Sa 11:30-13:00; Su 12:30-24:00
Nicky's
Restaurant · Breakfast, Diner, Ice Cream, Pasta, Seafood · 3.6 mi
Su 07:00-18:00; Mo-Th, Sa 07:00-19:00; Fr 07:00-19:30
Honey Dew
Cafe · Donut, Coffee Shop · 3.3 mi
19 North Main Street, Bellingham
Mo-Su 05:00-21:00
Outback Steakhouse
Restaurant · American, Steak · 3.7 mi
275 North Main Street;N Main Street, Bellingham
Mo-Su 11:00-21:00
42 more on the map.
History
Franklin was first settled by Europeans in 1660 and officially incorporated during the American Revolution. The town was formed from the western part of the town of Wrentham, and it was officially incorporated on March 2, 1778; its designated name at incorporation was to be Exeter. However, the town's citizens opted to call it Franklin, in honor of the statesman Benjamin Franklin, the first municipality in the United States to be so named.
It was hoped that Benjamin Franklin would donate a bell for a church steeple in the town, but he donated 116 books instead, including Night-Thoughts, James Janeway's Invisible Realities, and the works of John Locke. On November 20, 1790, it was decided that the volumes would be lent to the residents of Franklin for free via its library, which has been in operation since then as the Franklin Public Library making this the oldest running public library in the nation. The Ray Memorial Library building was dedicated in 1904. In 1990, on the library's bicentennial, its staff published a booklet, "A History of America's First Public Library at Franklin Massachusetts, 1790 ~ 1990" to commemorate America's first public library and book collection.
From the History section of Franklin, Massachusetts on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where to stay4
Best Western Plus Executive Residency Franklin
Motel and hotel · 1.7 mi
835 Upper Union Street, Franklin
Churches and places of worship22
East Blackstone Friends Meetinghouse
Church · National Register of Historic Places · 6.2 mi
Original Congregational Church of Wrentham
Church · National Register of Historic Places · 4.4 mi
Shopping18
Gas and EV charging7
Schools, colleges and libraries60
Healthcare7
Map of Franklin Town
250 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 38°F | 17°F | 4.1 in | 13.5 in |
| Feb | 41°F | 18°F | 3.3 in | 11.9 in |
| Mar | 48°F | 25°F | 4.6 in | 11.0 in |
| Apr | 60°F | 35°F | 4.8 in | 3.2 in |
| May | 71°F | 46°F | 3.9 in | 0.0 in |
| Jun | 79°F | 55°F | 4.5 in | 0.0 in |
| Jul | 84°F | 61°F | 3.5 in | 0.0 in |
| Aug | 83°F | 59°F | 3.9 in | 0.0 in |
| Sep | 76°F | 51°F | 4.2 in | 0.0 in |
| Oct | 65°F | 39°F | 5.1 in | 0.1 in |
| Nov | 53°F | 31°F | 3.8 in | 1.6 in |
| Dec | 43°F | 23°F | 4.7 in | 10.2 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for West Medway Hcn (4 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
Norfolk County has had 25 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for snowstorms.
- 2023-09-15: Hurricane Lee (Hurricane)
- 2022-04-18: Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm (Snowstorm)
- 2020-03-27: Covid-19 Pandemic (Biological)
- 2020-03-13: Covid-19 (Biological)
- 2018-07-19: Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm (Snowstorm)
- 2018-06-25: Severe Winter Storm And Flooding (Severe Storm)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
North Central State Airport (SFZ) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 12 miles away.
- Attleboro 12 mi southeast, about 20 min by car
- Framingham 15 mi north, about 25 min by car
- Dedham 16 mi northeast, about 26 min by car
- Providence 18 mi south, about 29 min by car
- Brockton 20 mi east, about 32 min by car
- Brookline 21 mi northeast, about 35 min by car
- Braintree Town 23 mi east, about 36 min by car
- Worcester 24 mi northwest, about 39 min by car
- Quincy 24 mi northeast, about 38 min by car
- Boston 27 mi northeast, about 43 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
- Ray Mansion, Dean College Admissions Building, Franklin MA, John Phelan, CC BY 3.0
- East Blackstone Friends Meetinghouse, East Blackstone MA, John Phelan, CC BY-SA 3.0
- NortonMA PondvilleCemetery, User:Magicpiano, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Red Brick School Franklin ma, Frank O. Branzetti for, Public domain
- MilfordMA AldrichHouse, User:Magicpiano, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Warelands, Norfolk MA, John Phelan, CC BY 3.0
- Norfolk Grange Hall, MA, John Phelan, CC BY 3.0
- BellinghamMA NorthBellinghamCemetery 1823Marker, User:Magicpiano, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Plimpton-Winter House, Wrentham MA, John Phelan, CC BY 3.0
- Wrentham Church, Marcbela, CC0
- Prospect Hill Cemetery, Millis MA, John Phelan, CC BY 3.0
- WrenthamMA StateSchool HousingWard 01, User:Magicpiano, CC BY-SA 4.0
- MillisMA ElliceSchool, User:Magicpiano, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Medway No. 1, West Medway MA, John Phelan, CC BY 3.0
- William H. Cary House, Medway MA, John Phelan, CC BY 3.0
- Elm Street, East Blackstone MA, John Phelan, CC BY-SA 3.0
- NorfolkMA RockwoodRoadHD 2, Magicpiano, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Franklin Federated Church, MA, John Phelan, CC BY 3.0
- NorfolkMA 23SeekonkStreet, User:Magicpiano, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Olney Cook Artisan Shop a historic industrial building at 54 Hartford Avenue East in Mendon, Massachusetts MA built before 1839, Swampyank, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Roebuck Tavern, Wrentham MA, John Phelan, CC BY 3.0
- NYNE tracks south of Franklin Junction, May 2017, Pi.1415926535, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Franklin Junction, May 2017, Pi.1415926535, CC BY-SA 3.0
- MBTA Swingmaster at Franklin Junction, May 2017, Pi.1415926535, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Former freight house at Franklin Junction, May 2017, Pi.1415926535, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Dean College, Gzub, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Dean College from Main and Emmons intersection March 2025 1, 4300streetcar, CC BY 4.0
- Franklin Dean College parking lot area March 2025, 4300streetcar, CC BY 4.0
- Franklin Dean College station from Main Street March 2025, 4300streetcar, CC BY 4.0
- Mini-high platform at Franklin Dean College March 2025 1, 4300streetcar, CC BY 4.0
- Inbound Franklin Line train 1710 approaching Franklin Dean college March 2025 2, 4300streetcar, CC BY 4.0
- Inbound Franklin Line train 1710 approaching Franklin Dean college March 2025 1, 4300streetcar, CC BY 4.0
- Mini-high platform at Franklin Dean College March 2025 3, 4300streetcar, CC BY 4.0
- Mini-high platform at Franklin Dean College March 2025 2, 4300streetcar, CC BY 4.0
- Franklin High School 2, Davidafranklin, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Looking east from Franklin Dean College station March 2025, 4300streetcar, CC BY 4.0
- Tri-County Regional Vocational Technical High School, Franklin MA, John Phelan, CC BY-SA 4.0
- MBTA Commuter Rail trains at Franklin Layover March 2025, 4300streetcar, CC BY 4.0
- Franklin Layover Yard March 2025, 4300streetcar, CC BY 4.0
- ISS045-E-57637 - View of Earth, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit , Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Public domain
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