Franklinton

Franklinton

HISTORY OF FRANKLINTON

Franklinton, one of the first villages in the Northwest Territory and the oldest community in Central Ohio, was founded at the confluence of the Scioto and the Olentangy river in 1797 by Lucas Sullivant, a surveyor for the United States government.

Sullivant laid out the initial settlement of nine streets. A portion of his “development” was set aside for free lots to anyone interested in settling in his new village. These lots were located on what was appropriately named Gift Street. That street name still exists today.
Franklinton was a town of a few hundred people when the War of 1812 was declared. Because of its central location and access to the rivers, the town was chosen as a rendezvous point and supply depot.

Franklinton took on a military appearance with as many as 3,000 troops housed there at one time. William Henry Harrison established his headquarters during the war in a house at the corner of Gift and Broad Street. That house, now called the Harrison House, has recently been restored by the Ohio Historical Society.The end of the war and the establishment of the new state capital across the river led to Franklinton’s first transition. Many businesses and professionals moved to High Street, leaving Franklinton a quiet, residential area until the 1850s.

During the last half of the nineteenth century, four railroads came into Franklinton and brought with them commercial and industrial growth. Franklinton became an industrial center specializing in railroad cars, and then later, horse-drawn buggies.
The railroad service and industrial development attracted a large number of people from outside the area, particularly from the southwest part of the state and West Virginia. Most of these people settled in the East Franklinton area near the industrial activity.
Although Franklinton continued to grow as an industrial center, it was hampered by periodic flooding of the low land on which most of the industrial development had occurred.

The 1913 flood was the most severe, covering Franklinton with six to ten feet of water. Over 4,000 homes were flooded. Many industries were irreparably damaged and left the area. A large number of residents relocated to the Hilltop. As a result, property values dropped as much as 50%. This drew a large number of low income families to the area.

During the latter half of the twentieth century, the construction of the Interstate Highway system had a major effect on Franklinton. The innerbelt construction of the 1960s removed several blocks of buildings along Sandusky Street, lowered property values and drove out of East Franklinton most of the remaining stable families. This out-migration was once again followed by an influx of low income families.

In addition to the land use and population changes that occurred, the innerbelt formed a barrier which sealed off the only side of East Franklinton that was not bordered by the Scioto River. This isolation was reinforced with the construction of West I-70. Franklinton is now surrounded by highways, railroads and a river. This physical separation from the rest of the city created a unique and easily defined community.

The widening of the Scioto River and the expansion of a levee made flooding less of a problem, which could go away completely after the completion of the Franklinton Flood Wall, the commercial and industrial activities have become a stable segment of the Franklinton community.

Franklinton lies completely within the city of Columbus. Its annexation took place over the course of 100 years.

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