| Franklinton, North Carolina | |||
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| — Town — | |||
| Downtown Franklinton | |||
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| Location of Franklinton, North Carolina | |||
| Coordinates: | |||
| Country | United States | ||
| State | North Carolina | ||
| County | Franklin | ||
| Incorporated | 1842 | ||
| Government | |||
| • Mayor | Elic A. Senter | ||
| Area | |||
| • Total | 1.1 sq mi (2.9 km2) | ||
| • Land | 1.1 sq mi (2.9 km2) | ||
| • Water | 0.0 sq mi (0.0 km2) | ||
| Elevation | 410 ft (125 m) | ||
| Population (2000) | |||
| • Total | 1,745 | ||
| • Density | 1,577.5/sq mi (609.1/km2) | ||
| Time zone | Eastern (EST) (UTC-5) | ||
| • Summer (DST) | EDT (UTC-4) | ||
| ZIP code | 27525 | ||
| Area code(s) | 919 | ||
| FIPS code | 37-24720[1] | ||
| GNIS feature ID | 1020357[2] | ||
| Website | http://www.franklintonnc.us | ||
Franklinton is a town in Franklin County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 1,745 at the 2000 census. It is home to a plant operated by Novozymes. Novozymes North America Inc. employs approximately 480 people and is the largest multi-purpose enzyme manufacturing plant in the United States.
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Franklinton was established as Franklin Depot in 1839 on land owned by Shemuel Kearney. His home, built in 1759, was originally located south of town and is currently the oldest residence in Franklin County. The house was recently purchased and is being moved to nearby Louisburg for restoration. Franklin Depot changed its name to Franklinton in 1842 when the town was incorporated.
According to many locals, Trinity College, originally located near Greensboro, was initially planned and approved to be moved to Franklinton in 1889. Generous offers though by local businessmen Washington Duke and Julian S. Carr brought the college to the city of Durham instead 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 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.
Franklinton was once home to Albion Academy, a co-educational African-American school started by clergyman Moses A. Hopkins in 1879. Once a State Normal & Industrial School (trade school), it eventually became a graded school and later merged with the B.F. Person School in 1957 to become B.F. Person-Albion High School. When schools were fully integrated, the upper grades consolidated with Franklinton High School in 1969. The B.F. Person-Albion High School was renamed Franklinton Elementary School.
Also located in Franklinton is the historic Sterling Cotton Mill, founded by Samuel C. Vann and first opened in 1895. Remaining in the Vann family for many years, the mill was purchased in 1972 by Union Underwear Company...manufacturers of Fruit of the Loom fabric products. Sterling Cotton Mill eventually closed in 1991. It was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1996.
Burlington Industries, another well known textile and fabric maker at the time, had a facility located in Franklinton...also known as Vamoco Mills. It closed in 1989, and was demolished in 2007. A third mill was also located in Franklinton which has since closed.
On June 10, 1946, former heavyweight champion Jack Johnson died in a car crash on U.S. Highway 1 near Franklinton.
On April 4, 1963, the entire town of Franklinton was threatened by a large wildfire which consumed roughly 9,500 acres (38 km2) of woodlands and destroyed several homes north and west of town. A similar incident occurred on February 10, 2008 covering practically the same area though not as widespread, about 1,000 acres (4.0 km2). There were a couple homes which were damaged during that event. U.S. Highway 1 was temporarily closed adjacent to the affected area while firefighters battled the fires. No injuries were reported. High winds and dry conditions were factors in both incidents.
Charles Draughn III was elected to mayor of Franklinton for 8 years, 1987-1995. He currently working with family law. He was followed in office by Larry Kearney from 1995–2003, and Jenny McGhee Edwards from 2003-2007. Current Mayor Elic Senter was elected in 2007.
Franklinton is located at (36.102635, -78.453157)[3].
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 1.1 square miles (2.8 km2), all of it land.
The center of town is at Main Street (U.S. Highway 1A) and Mason Street. Green Street (N.C. Highway 56) passes just south of that point and U.S. Highway 1 bypasses Franklinton to the west. The town is located about 30 miles (48 km) northeast of Raleigh, North Carolina and 4 miles (6.4 km) south of the Tar River. A railway operated by CSX Transportation also passes through Franklinton.
As of the census[1] of 2000, there were 1,745 people, 722 households, and 480 families residing in the town. The population density was 1,577.5 people per square mile (607.0/km²). There were 832 housing units at an average density of 752.1 per square mile (289.4/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 57.08% White, 40.86% African American, 0.06% Native American, 0.17% Asian, 0.06% Pacific Islander, 1.03% from other races, and 0.74% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.01% of the population.
There were 722 households out of which 30.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 39.1% were married couples living together, 22.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.4% were non-families. 30.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.41 and the average family size was 2.98.
In the town the population was spread out with 25.8% under the age of 18, 8.6% from 18 to 24, 26.2% from 25 to 44, 22.2% from 45 to 64, and 17.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 80.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 75.7 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $28,571, and the median income for a family was $34,412. Males had a median income of $29,297 versus $24,239 for females. The per capita income for the town was $14,373. About 14.8% of families and 19.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 25.5% of those under age 18 and 21.7% of those age 65 or over.
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