Franklinton, North Carolina
Franklinton is a town of 2,645 people in Franklin County, North Carolina, founded in 1839.
Why visit Franklinton
Townapedia lists 7 museums and landmarks, 1 park or trail, 16 places to eat, 1 place to stay and 1 attraction in and around town.
Highlights include The Franklinton Market, Aldridge H. Vann House and C.L. and Bessie G. McGhee House.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 90°F; January lows average 28°F.
Weather in Franklinton
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Franklinton
Franklinton is a town in Franklin County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 2,456 at the 2020 census.
From the Wikipedia article Franklinton, North Carolina (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do1
The Franklinton Market
Farm and orchard
427 East Green Street
Mo-Fr 08:30-19:00; Su 10:30-19:00; Sa 09:00-19:00
Museums and landmarks7
Aldridge H. Vann House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.7 mi
Single-family detached home in Franklinton, North Carolina
C.L. and Bessie G. McGhee House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.8 mi
Historic house in North Carolina, United States
Dr. J. A. Savage House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.7 mi
Historic house in North Carolina, United States
Dr. J. H. Harris House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places
Historic house in North Carolina, United States
Franklinton Depot
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.6 mi
Railway station in Franklinton, the United States of America
Shemuel Kearney House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 2.6 mi
Historic house in North Carolina, United States
Sterling Cotton Mill
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.6 mi
Historic building in North Carolina, US
Parks, trails and playgrounds1
Restaurants and cafes16
Packhouse Coffee Company Franklinton
Cafe · Coffee Shop · 1.3 mi
3299 US 1 HWY, Franklinton
Mo-Fr 06:00-18:00; Sa 07:00-17:00; Su 08:00-15:00
Chen's Kitchen
Restaurant · 1.1 mi
3392 US 1 HWY, Franklinton
Sa,Su 11:00-20:30; Tu-Fr 11:30-20:30; Mo off
TOROS TACOS + TEQUILA
Restaurant · Mexican · 0.6 mi
14 North Main Street, Franklinton
The After Life Wine and Spirits
Diner · American · 0.7 mi
20 South Main Street, Franklinton
The Jamaican Patty Shack
Restaurant · Jamaican · 0.6 mi
19 South Main Street, Franklinton
Franko’s Italian Steakhouse
Restaurant · Italian · 0.6 mi
27 South Main Street, Franklinton
Owls Roost Brewery
Brewery and winery · 0.6 mi
20 North Main Street, Franklinton
4 more on the map.
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. This does not mean Franklinton wasn't included as a possible site, mentioned by some locals, even though no other bidding communities are mentioned. The citizens of Raleigh offered land now occupied by North Carolina State University and pledged $35,000.00 for a new building which was quickly approved by the Methodist Conference for Trinity College. It eventually lost to a higher bid of $85,000.00 plus donations in 1890.
From the History section of Franklinton, North Carolina on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where to stay1
Churches and places of worship6
Franklinton Baptist Church
Church · Baptist · 0.8 mi
102 West Mason Street, Franklinton
Franklinton United Methodist Church
Church · 0.6 mi
109 North Main Street, Franklinton
Shopping2
Thompson's Feed & Hardware
Hardware store · 0.7 mi
3 West Mason Street, Franklinton
Gas and EV charging3
Schools, colleges and libraries10
Healthcare1
Map of Franklinton
48 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 52°F | 28°F | 3.7 in | 0.9 in |
| Feb | 55°F | 30°F | 2.9 in | 0.4 in |
| Mar | 63°F | 36°F | 4.1 in | 0.2 in |
| Apr | 72°F | 44°F | 3.5 in | 0.0 in |
| May | 79°F | 54°F | 3.7 in | 0.0 in |
| Jun | 87°F | 63°F | 4.7 in | 0.0 in |
| Jul | 90°F | 68°F | 4.8 in | 0.0 in |
| Aug | 88°F | 66°F | 5.5 in | 0.0 in |
| Sep | 83°F | 60°F | 4.9 in | 0.0 in |
| Oct | 73°F | 46°F | 3.6 in | 0.0 in |
| Nov | 63°F | 35°F | 3.4 in | 0.0 in |
| Dec | 55°F | 30°F | 3.5 in | 0.2 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Louisburg Hcn (8 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
Franklin County has had 15 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for hurricanes.
- 2026-01-24: Severe Winter Storm (Winter Storm)
- 2024-09-26: Hurricane Helene (Tropical Storm)
- 2024-08-06: Tropical Storm Debby (Tropical Storm)
- 2022-10-01: Hurricane Ian (Hurricane)
- 2020-08-02: Hurricane Isaias (Hurricane)
- 2020-03-25: Covid-19 Pandemic (Biological)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Triangle North Executive Airport (LFN) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 8 miles away.
- Youngsville 5 mi southwest, about 8 min by car
- Louisburg 8 mi east, about 13 min by car
- Wake Forest 10 mi south, about 16 min by car
- Rolesville 13 mi south, about 21 min by car
- Creedmoor 13 mi west, about 21 min by car
- Henderson 16 mi north, about 25 min by car
- Butner 17 mi west, about 27 min by car
- Oxford 17 mi northwest, about 28 min by car
- Lake Royale 18 mi southeast, about 28 min by car
- Raleigh 22 mi southwest, about 35 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
- Franklinton, NC, Doug Kerr, CC BY-SA 2.0
- AHVann, Mld74, CC BY-SA 4.0
- SterlingCottonMill, Mld74, CC BY-SA 4.0
- FranklintonDepot, Mld74, CC BY-SA 4.0
- C.L. and Bessie G. McGhee House, Nyttend, Public domain
- Carolina Manor House, Mld74, CC BY 4.0
- College Street vacant lot, Franklinton, Nyttend, Public domain
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