Franklin, Louisiana
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| City of Franklin | |
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| City | |
 Historic lampposts lining Franklin's Main Street.
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| Country | United States |
| State | Louisiana |
| Parish | St. Mary |
| Area | 10.5 sq mi (27.2 km²) |
| - land | 10.4 sq mi (26.9 km²) |
| - water | 0.1 sq mi (0.3 km²), 0.95% |
| Center | |
| - coordinates | Coordinates: |
| - elevation | 10 ft (3 m) |
| Population | 8,354 (2000) |
| Density | 806.5 /sq mi (311.4 /km²) |
| Incorporated | 1820 |
| Mayor | Raymond Harris |
| Time zone | CST (UTC-6) |
| - summer (DST) | CDT (UTC-5) |
| ZIP code | 70538 |
| Area code | 337 |
  Location of Franklin in Louisiana
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 Location of Louisiana in the United States
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The small city of Franklin is the parish seat of St. Mary Parish, in the US state of Louisiana. [1] [2] The population was 8,354 at the 2000 census.
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[edit] History
Franklin, named for Benjamin Franklin, was founded in 1808 as Carlin’s Settlement, and became the parish seat in 1811. The town was incorporated in 1820. Though early settlers included French, Acadian, German, Danish and Irish, the town’s culture and architecture is heavily influenced by the unusually large numbers of English that chose to settle there after the Louisiana Purchase in 1803. Numerous large sugar plantations arose in the area, and with the development of steamboating, Franklin became an interior sugar port. [3]
[edit] Sugar Plantations
By the 1830s, Bayou Teche was the main street of Acadiana, with one plantation after another. The area’s sugar cane planters were among the South’s wealthiest agriculturists. This is reflected in the grand plantation homes and mansions they built in Franklin and the surrounding countryside. Most of these magnificent structures are still standing and well preserved, giving Franklin its unique architectural flavor. Franklin’s Historic District is listed in the National Register of Historic Places and encompasses over 420 notable structures. [4]
[edit] Civil War
During the Civil War, the Battle of Irish Bend was fought near Franklin on April 14, 1863. Though eventually forced to retreat, the badly outnumbered Confederate forces cost the Union troops significant losses. Four hundred men were killed or wounded in the confrontation, which proved to be an important point in stopping the Union drive to invade Texas. [5]
[edit] Geography
Franklin is located at (29.791759, -91.508253)[6] and has an elevation of 10 feet (3.0 m)[7].
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 10.5 square miles (27.2 km²), of which, 10.4 square miles (26.8 km²) of it is land and 0.1 square miles (0.3 km²) of it (1.24%) is water.
[edit] Demographics
As of the census[8] of 2000, there were 8,354 people,[2] 3,026 households, and 2,181 families residing in the city. The population density was 806.5 people per square mile (311.3/km²). There were 3,352 housing units at an average density of 323.6/sq mi (124.9/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 47.47% White, 50.00% African American, 0.63% Native American, 0.31% Asian, 0.30% from other races, and 1.28% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.79% of the population.
There were 3,026 households, out of which 36.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 44.5% were married couples living together, 22.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.9% were non-families. 25.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.72 and the average family size was 3.26.
In the city the population was spread out with 30.4% under the age of 18, 8.0% from 18 to 24, 26.4% from 25 to 44, 21.8% from 45 to 64, and 13.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years, more than a year older than the state-wide median age of 34.0 years. For every 100 females there were 81.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 77.6 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $24,844, and the median income for a family was $30,625. Males had a median income of $32,188 versus $16,935 for females. The per capita income for the city was $12,943. About 24.5% of families and 27.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 41.6% of those under age 18 and 15.6% of those age 65 or over.
[edit] Notable people born or raised here
- C. C. Aycock, the only three term Lieutenant governor in modern Louisiana history.
- Donelson Caffery, US Senator who fought for the Confederacy.
- Murphy J. Foster, Governor of Louisiana from 1892 to 1900, also a Senator.
- Murphy J. Foster, Jr., Governor of Louisiana from 1996 to 2004.
- Kenneth Devon Hawkins, Author of novel The 2nd Time Around.
- Leonard Marshall, football player, defensive lineman for LSU and the New York Giants
- Rick Norwood, mathematician and comic book publisher
- Ned Romero, actor
- Wallace Francis, football player, wide receiver for the Buffalo Bills and the Atlanta Falcons
[edit] References
- ^ "Franklin, Louisiana (LA) Detailed Profile" (notes), City Data, 2007, webpage: C-Frkln.
- ^ a b "Census 2000 Data for the State of Louisiana" (town list), US Census Bureau, May 2003, webpage: C2000-LA.
- ^ www.franklin-la.org "Welcome to the City of Franklin"
- ^ www.franklin-la.org "Welcome to the City of Franklin"
- ^ www.franklin-la.org "Welcome to the City of Franklin"
- ^ US Gazetteer files: 2000 and 1990. United States Census Bureau (2005-05-03). Retrieved on 2008-01-31.
- ^ US Board on Geographic Names. United States Geological Survey (2007-10-25). Retrieved on 2008-01-31.
- ^ American FactFinder. United States Census Bureau. Retrieved on 2008-01-31.
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