Franklin: (Images of America)

Franklin is a microcosm of how a sparsely populated farming community may progress into a small city. German and Irish settlers established Franklin's earliest business enterprises--taverns, blacksmiths, farm supply stores, and the annual Labor Day fair, which remains the largest of its kind in Milwaukee County. In 1956, Franklin moved from a township to a city, featuring a single patrolman and an all-volunteer fire department. For entertainment, Franklinites availed themselves of the 41 Twin Outdoor Theater or Saturday night races at Hales Corner Speedway, Little League diamonds in St. Martins or behind the fire station, and dance halls at Heiden's or the White Dove. A new era began when Franklin High School opened its doors to 350 students in 1962. Today, at 36 square miles--Milwaukee's largest suburb--it is noteworthy that Franklin still has room for a functioning stone quarry and the Tuckaway Country Club.

About the Author :
Doug Schmidt is president of the Franklin Historical Society, a fourth-generation Franklin resident, and a member of the first four-year graduation class from Franklin High School in 1966. Established in 1969, the Franklin Historical Society preserves historic buildings like Whelan School, the old town hall, the Sheehan-Godsell cabin, and St. Peters Chapel.

Review :
Title: Franklin, Wisconsin RFD Author: David Luhrssen Publisher: Express Milwaukee Date:8/18/09 Franklin is a good example of the transformation of large stretches of the American landscape from rural to suburban in the second half of the last century. As recently as the 1950s, Franklin's children were educated in one-room schoolhouses and a single town constable patrolled the roads. Worried about being annexed by Milwaukee, the residents applied to the state of Wisconsin for city status. Undaunted by their under population, which fell below legal standards for incorporation, they counted the prisoners at the House of Correction as Franklin residents. Local author Doug Schmidt recounts the story in Franklin, the latest book on the Milwaukee area in the Arcadia Images of America series, but doesn't explore why the farmers of Franklin were determined to remain outside Milwaukee's city limits. In any event, Schmidt shows how in recent decades the community's rural character was paved over by suburban development. Tuckaway Country Club moved to Franklin and expensive subdivisions followed. The book's many photographs are a reminder that within living memory, portions of MilwaukeeCounty resembled Mayberry RFD more than the big city.