Franklin Historic West PA

03/11/2022

Timeline photos

Moonset over Rosemont Farm this morning, at sunrise.
Sandy Creek Twp., Venango County. Photo by Stephen West

03/04/2022

The former Franklin Club, which hosted the region's movers and shakers for a century, is about to reopen as a non-profit technology center for our area's youth (history sort of repeating itself?)!

1878 Franklin Club, which became The Commons a few years ago, is about to have new owners. Much of the restaurant and banquet facility will remain the same, though with a new name ~ The Franklin.
Photo by Stephen West

12/22/2021

Christmas Blessings from Franklin Pennsylvania 💕!
Painting by Fred Carrow

08/02/2020

Mrs. Cowart is among the Angels now. The Franklin community has lost
one of our most beloved Teachers. Prayers and Comfort to her Family

English teacher Merrill Cowart gives FHS graduate Drew Lawson a hearty hug during commencement exercises in Franklin's Bandstand Park.

08/02/2020

Heartbroken to hear of Merrill Cowart's passing yesterday, a truly Loving and Compassionate Teacher at FHS forever!
Lord Bless and Protect Merrill's grieving Family and Friends.

English teacher Merrill Cowart (left) leads the Franklin High School graduates around Egbert Fountain en route to commencement exercises in South Park.

07/23/2020

Franklin offers awesome mix if Nature and History!

1907 Belmar Trestle RR Bridge over the Allegheny River in Venango County, PA, which became part of the Allegheny Valley Trails Association in the 1990s.
Photo by Tom Wojtowicz

07/23/2020

Timeline photos

NW PAssages explores the rich Native American history this month in a story about avocational archeologist Dan Kearney's discoveries in Venango County that date back thousands of years.

07/23/2020

Timeline photos

Sunflowers in a farmfield in Venango County, PA ~ photo by John McCullough, featured photographer in the Nov. issue of NW PAssages.

07/22/2020

Timeline photos

This map of Franklin, PA includes the area of Miller Park (in green) and the rest of the historic district of this town that pre-dates the Revolutionary War. The Miller Park neighborhood was built by oil baron General Charles Miller, a dry-goods store owner who struck it big with oil refining in Franklin starting in the late 1860s.
The general was probably just a private in the Union Army during the Civil War, but he rose to prominence in the GAR (Grand Army of the Republic), which was composed of Union veterans and was basically the precursor to the U.S. National Guard.
General Miller created his idyllic neighborhood of two dozen homes from 1898-1920s, and many of the mansions have been restored by today's homeowners.

07/21/2020

Hopefully the Franklin Club will sell sometime soon, after sitting vacant a couple of years. Guessing the bank would sell it for a song at this point!

Sunday's storm as it passed over The Commons (formerly the Franklin Club).

07/21/2020

Wintery Franklin dawn, to cool you on these hot July days!

Franklin PA this morning, at the break of dawn

Photo by Stephen West

07/21/2020

Timeline photos

Baby Show at Monarch Park, circa 1910.

The luxurious theme park operated along Deep Hollow Road in Cranberry, midway between Franklin & Oil City, from 1896-1926. Originally named Smithman Park after the man who created it, John Smithman, as a great way to generate revenue for his electric trolley company.

07/21/2020

Timeline photos

Mayor W.R. Crawford's mansion at the corner of Elk & 8th Sts., now long gone.
Illustration from Caldwell's 1879 book, History of Venango Co., PA.

07/21/2020

Timeline photos

Great article in NW PAssages e-zine about the Erie to Pittsburgh Trail, with Franklin & the Oil Heritage Region at the geographic heart of western PA's historic rails-to-trails transformation.

07/17/2020

Democratic Rally at the 1868 Venango County Courthouse on Friday, July 17th, 5-7. Oughta be Historic, please Share!

12/22/2018

2018 Holiday Light Video

Merry Christmas from Franklin, Blessings to You & Yours!

11/23/2018

Franklin Light-Up Night Fireworks Are a Blast

Merry Christmas Franklinites & Friends!

03/19/2018

The Fascinating Town Near Pittsburgh That Is Straight Out Of A Fairy Tale

The Fascinating Town Near Pittsburgh That Is Straight Out Of A Fairy Tale

Journey to this charming town near Pittsburgh for a picture perfect day.

01/29/2018

Timeline photos

1868 Venango County Courthouse clocks, still ticking & tolling. Usually the time is accurate, thanks to dedicated timekeepers. This image is from several years ago, in the dead of winter, with the clocks on the fritz.
Photo ~ Stephen West

11/02/2017

Dairy Queen Apollo Capsule

Dairy Queen Apollo Capsule

Priceless space junk on display in front of a local Dairy Queen.

10/17/2017

Historic Franklin's fame grows with the airing of Our Town Franklin at 8pm Thursday, October 19th, on WQLN (PBS channel 9 for Spectrum viewers). Afterwards, it'll be available at their website, live streaming and afterwards.

We are ready and so EXCITED to present Our Town: Stories from Franklin this Thursday, October 19th at 8pm! You can watch it over-the-air on 54.1, or for friends and family outside of the viewing area, tune in live on www.wqln.org/ourtown. Learn all about Applefest®, the extensive bike trails, the Barrow-Civic Theatre, all of the wonderful events presented by the Franklin, PA - Events/Marketing Office and so much more! Special thanks to our sponsors of the program, Franklin Animal Clinic and Miller Park B&B. Many thanks to the Franklin Public Library and Franklin Area Chamber of Commerce. Join us Thursday for this fantastic program!

08/22/2017

If only the epic Miller Park Pond could be restored to its original glory, as shown in this century-old postcard....

Century-old postcard of Miller Pond, in the epic oil boom neighborhood of Miller Park on Franklin, PA's west end. Several of the restored mansions of Miller Park are included
in this weekend's Holiday Homes Tour, sponsored by & benefiting the Venango County Historical Society.
Tickets are $15 and may be purchased at the Society House - 301 S. Park St.; 437-2275
Tour hours: Saturday (12/8) 11am-3pm and 5-8pm; Sunday (12/9) Noon-4pm.
A shuttle bus will be available for those wishing a ride from house to house.

08/22/2017

Bird's-eye map of historic Franklin, Venango County, PA.

This map of Franklin, PA includes the area of Miller Park (in green) and the rest of the historic district of this town that pre-dates the Revolutionary War. The Miller Park neighborhood was built by oil baron General Charles Miller, a dry-goods store owner who struck it big with oil refining in Franklin starting in the late 1860s.
The general was probably just a private in the Union Army during the Civil War, but he rose to prominence in the GAR (Grand Army of the Republic), which was composed of Union veterans and was basically the precursor to the U.S. National Guard.
General Miller created his idyllic neighborhood of two dozen homes from 1898-1920s, and many of the mansions have been restored by today's homeowners.