Franklin County


Dismals Canyon, in southern Franklin County, is a Dismals CanyonLocated in northwest Alabama on the Mississippi border, Franklin County is home to some of the most pristine outdoor attractions in the state, including Dismals Canyon and Cedar Creek Lake. The county was one of the first iron-ore mining centers in the state, and its iron products contributed to both the Mexican and Civil War. The county is governed by a representative five-member commission and includes five incorporated communities.

· Founding Date: February 6, 1818
· Area: 643 square miles
· Population: 30,847 (2006 Census Bureau estimate)
· Major Waterways: Bear Creek
· Major Highways: U.S. 43
· County Seat: Russellville
· Largest City: Russellville

History 

Russellville is the county seat of Franklin County, Franklin County CourthouseFranklin County was created by an act of the territorial legislature on February 6, 1818, almost two years before Alabama became a state. The county was named for Benjamin Franklin and originally contained parts of Colbert County. Franklin County is located in what was once territory occupied by the Chickasaws, Cherokees, and Creeks. In 1806, former vice president Aaron Burr hid for two weeks in Dismals Canyon, located in the town of Phil Campbell in the northeastern part of the county, after killing political rival Aaron Burr (1756-1836) was the third vice president Aaron BurrAlexander Hamilton in a duel. Between 1816 and 1820, Andrew Jackson and his troops built Jackson's Military Road, which shortened travel time between Nashville and New Orleans, through portions of Franklin County. In 1840, the county became one of the leading iron manufacturers in the state. Iron produced at the Cedar Creek Furnace aided both the Mexican and Civil War efforts. The furnace was destroyed in 1864 during Union general Lovell H. Rousseau's raid through Alabama.

Benjamin Franklin (1706-1790) was one of America's founding Benjamin FranklinFor years county leaders fought over the location of the county seat and settled on Russellville in 1820, named for Maj. William Russell, who settled in the area after serving with Andrew Jackson during the Creek War of 1813-14. In 1849, leaders of the town of Tuscumbia began lobbying for a change of county seat. Eventually, Russellville and Tuscumbia leadership agreed to move the county seat to a central location, which they named Frankfort. After Colbert County was created in 1867, the Franklin County seat was moved to Belgreen, which remained the seat until a mysterious fire destroyed the courthouse in 1890. An election was called to determine a new seat, and a heated battle broke out between supporters of Russellville and those of the rival town Isbell. Eventually, the town of Russellville won out, and the county seat was moved back to it original location in 1891.

Major Cities and Demographics 

At the time of the 2000 Census Franklin County recorded a population of 31,223, a 16.4 percent increase from the 1990 census. According to U.S. Census Bureau estimates, the 2006 population of Escambia County was 30,847, with approximately 94.1 percent White, 4.2 percent African-American, and 1.9 percent Hispanic. In 2004 the median household income was $29,234, compared with $37,062 for the remainder of the state. The per capita income was $14,814 in 1999, compared with $18,189 for the state. The county seat, Russellville, had an estimated population of 8,857 in 2006. Other populations centers include Red Bay (3,294), Oak Grove (447), Vina Town (401), and Hodges (260).

Economy 

A 1927 Alabama Cooperative Extension Service photograph of Franklin County FarmAs with most of Alabama during the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, the economy in early Franklin County revolved around cotton, corn, and livestock. But the county's early economic history also included mining operations along the banks of Cedar Creek near Russellville. Spurred by the abundance of iron, the Cedar Creek Furnace became one of the leading centers of mining in the state. Iron produced at the furnace was shipped to Mobile and used in the Mexican War and later was used for the manufacture of munitions during the Civil War. The largest industries in present-day Franklin County are poultry processing and durable-goods manufacturing, including Leisure Creations, which manufactures patio and pool furniture. Other industries include farming, livestock, timber, and stone.

The workforce in present-day Franklin County is made up of the following occupations: 34.8 percent production, transportation, and material moving; 20 percent management and professional; 18.7 percent sales and office; 13.5 percent construction, extraction, and maintenance; 11.3 percent service industry; and less than 2 percent fishing and agriculture. The Franklin County School system currently employs 200 teachers who serve more Tiffin Motorhomes is located in Red Bay, near Tiffin Motorhomesthan 3,000 students in seven schools. In addition, the Russellville City school system employs 145 teachers who serve more than 2,300 in four schools. Franklin County is home to Northwest Shoals Community College, the only fully accredited community college in north Alabama.

Geography 

Franklin County is 40th in size among Alabama Franklin County MapComprising approximately 643 square miles, Franklin County lies in the northwestern area of the state, wholly within the Highland Rim physiographic section. It is bounded to the east by Lawrence County, to the south by Winston and Marion counties, to the west by Tishomingo and Itawamba counties, Mississippi, and to the north by Colbert County. A portion of the William Bankhead National Forest is located on the southeastern border of the county.

Cedar Creek, a tributary of the Tennessee River, flows through the north-central area of the county, and Bear Creek, also a tributary of the Tennessee River, flows through the southwestern corner of the county. In the late 1960s, the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) built a reservoir on Bear Creek, creating Bear Creek Lake. In 1978, the TVA dammed Cedar Creek, creating Cedar Creek Lake. Mud Creek, a tributary of the Luxapilla Creek, runs through the eastern half of the county. U.S. 43 runs north-south through the west-central area of the county. Russellville Municipal Airport is the county's only public airport.

Events and Places of Interest 

Franklin County's rural location offers several outdoor activities and attractions. Bear Creek is popular with canoers and kayakers and is bordered by scenic rock cliffs and challenging Class I to IV rapids at its upper end. Bear Creek Lake offers 8,000 acres of some of the cleanest recreational waters in the state and excellent bass fishing, with the average fish weighing in at 10 to 12 pounds. In addition, the lake offers skiing, swimming, boating, and campsites in more than five campgrounds. Dismals Canyon, a Registered National Natural LandDismals Canyon, in southern Franklin County, received its Dismals Canyonmark, has been voted one of the country's most secluded and beautiful areas. The canyon includes waterfalls, more than 350 species of flora, and what are known colloquially as "dismalites," strange glowing insects called fungus gnats. In addition, a small portion of the William Bankhead National Forest is located along the eastern border of the county. Bridge Canyon is home to Alabama's largest rock formation, a giant sandstone cliff embedded with quartz deposits that rises 285 feet. Located near Hodges in the northern area of the county, the canyon also contains caves, springs, waterfalls, and an 82-foot-long natural bridge. Every August, the town of Russellville hosts the annual Watermelon Festival, which features a pageant, a 5K race, arts and crafts, and tennis tournaments.

Additional Resources  

Heritage of Franklin County, Alabama. Clanton, Ala.: Heritage Publishing Consultants, Inc., 1999.

Stewart, Mrs. Frank Ross. Alabama's Franklin County: A History of Franklin County and Her People. Centre, Ala.: Stewart University Press, 1988.

Patricia Hoskins Morton
Auburn University


Published September 6, 2007
Last updated December 10, 2009