Franklin, Missouri facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Franklin, Missouri
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Location of Franklin, Missouri
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| Country | United States |
| State | Missouri |
| County | Howard |
| Area | |
| • Total | 0.23 sq mi (0.61 km2) |
| • Land | 0.23 sq mi (0.60 km2) |
| • Water | 0.00 sq mi (0.01 km2) |
| Elevation | 597 ft (182 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 70 |
| • Density | 303.03/sq mi (117.01/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (Central (CST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) |
| ZIP code |
65250
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| Area code | 660 |
| FIPS code | 29-25624 |
| GNIS feature ID | 0718163 |
Franklin is a small city in Howard County, Missouri, United States. It is located along the Missouri River in the central part of the state. Franklin is a rural area. In 2020, the city had a population of 70 people. It is part of the Columbia Metropolitan Area.
Franklin played a big part in the westward expansion of the United States. It was the starting point for the famous Santa Fe Trail.
Contents
History of Franklin
The town of Franklin was started by European Americans in 1816. It was named after Benjamin Franklin, one of the Founding Fathers of the United States.
William Becknell, known as the "Father of the Santa Fe Trail," lived near Franklin. Close to his farm was Boone Lick Spring. This spring had salty water. People from St. Louis and other eastern areas came to get salt from it. They traveled so often that they made a path called Boone's Lick Road. The "Boone" in the name refers to Nathan and Daniel Morgan Boone. They were the sons of explorer Daniel Boone and first ran the salt business.
In 1821, William Becknell announced he was forming a group to travel west. They wanted to trade for horses and mules. On September 1, 1821, his group crossed the Missouri River at Arrow Rock. They then set out on what would become the Santa Fe Trail.
The next year, Becknell looked for a wider path. He wanted a route that wagons could use easily. This improved path helped the Santa Fe Trail grow. It became important for traders and people moving west in the 1830s. These settlers moved to areas that would become states like Oregon, California, and Washington.
In 1827, a big flood from the Missouri River destroyed much of Franklin. The people rebuilt the town a short distance away on higher ground. This new town was named New Franklin, Missouri.
The historic building called Cedar Grove was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1982. This means it is a special place worth preserving.
Kit Carson's Early Life
Kit Carson was a famous American frontiersman. He was born in Madison County, Kentucky. As a boy, he moved with his family to Franklin, Missouri, where he grew up. His father, Lindsey Carson, was a farmer of Scots-Irish background. He had fought in the American Revolution.
The Carson family settled on land owned by the sons of Daniel Boone. This land was bought from the Spanish before the United States got the territory in the Louisiana Purchase of 1803. When Kit was eight, his father died in an accident while clearing land. This made the Carson family very poor. Young Kit stopped school to work on the family farm and help with hunting.
At age 14, Kit became an apprentice to a saddlemaker in Franklin. Franklin was the starting point of the Santa Fe Trail. Many customers at the saddleshop were trappers and traders. Kit heard exciting stories about the Far West from them. He found working in the saddleshop boring. Around 1826, when he was 16, Kit secretly joined a large group traveling to Santa Fe.
Geography
Franklin is located at 39°0′41″N 92°45′13″W / 39.01139°N 92.75361°W. The city has a total area of about 0.23 square miles (0.60 square kilometers). All of this area is land.
Population Changes
| Historical population | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1920 | 314 | — | |
| 1930 | 346 | 10.2% | |
| 1940 | 325 | −6.1% | |
| 1950 | 324 | −0.3% | |
| 1960 | 355 | 9.6% | |
| 1970 | 252 | −29.0% | |
| 1980 | 196 | −22.2% | |
| 1990 | 181 | −7.7% | |
| 2000 | 112 | −38.1% | |
| 2010 | 95 | −15.2% | |
| 2020 | 70 | −26.3% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
Population in 2010
In 2010, there were 95 people living in Franklin. These people lived in 42 households. The city had about 413 people per square mile.
Most of the people in Franklin were White (98.9%). About 1.1% were African American. A small number (1.1%) were of Hispanic or Latino background.
About 28.6% of households had children under 18 living with them. The average household had 2.26 people. The average family had 2.88 people. The median age in the city was 47.1 years old.
See also
In Spanish: Franklin (Misuri) para niños
