Franklin, New Jersey facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Franklin, New Jersey
Borough
House in Franklin
Seal
Nickname(s):  Fluorescent Mineral Capital of the World
Location of Franklin in Sussex County highlighted in red (left). Inset map: Location of Sussex County in New Jersey highlighted in orange (right).
Census Bureau map of Franklin, New Jersey
Franklin, New Jersey Location in Sussex County, New Jersey Show map of Sussex County, New Jersey Franklin, New Jersey Location in New Jersey Show map of New Jersey Franklin, New Jersey Location in the United States Show map of the United States
Country	United States
State	New Jersey
County	Sussex
Incorporated	April 23, 1913
Named for	Benjamin Franklin
Government
• Type	Borough
• Body	Borough Council
Area
• Total	4.43 sq mi (11.47 km2)
• Land	4.36 sq mi (11.28 km2)
• Water	0.07 sq mi (0.19 km2)  1.60%
Area rank	284th of 565 in state 17th of 24 in county
Elevation	541 ft (165 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	4,912
• Estimate  (2023)	5,008
• Rank	378th of 565 in state 10th of 24 in county
• Density	1,127.6/sq mi (435.4/km2)
• Density rank	369th of 565 in state 7th of 24 in county
Time zone	UTC−05:00 (Eastern (EST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC−04:00 (Eastern (EDT))
ZIP Code	07416
Area code(s)	973 exchanges: 209, 823, 827
FIPS code	3403724930
GNIS feature ID	0885224
Website

Franklin is a town, called a borough, in Sussex County, New Jersey. In 2020, about 4,912 people lived here.

Franklin is famous as the "Fluorescent Mineral Capital of the World." It sits on top of a rich area with over 150 different minerals. Many of these minerals glow under ultraviolet light, and 25 of them are found nowhere else on Earth!

The area was settled in the 1600s. The village, first known as Franklin Furnace, was named after Benjamin Franklin. It grew around iron mines and places where iron was melted, located along the Wallkill River.

In the early 1800s, people started mining zinc in the area. Many small companies mined zinc and iron for most of that century. In 1897, all the zinc mining companies joined together to form the New Jersey Zinc Company. This company played a big role in how Franklin developed.

Many immigrants from Russia, Britain, Hungary, and Poland came to work in the mines. The population grew from 500 people in 1897 to 3,000 by 1913. On March 18, 1913, Franklin officially became a borough. This happened after people voted for it on April 23, 1913.

Geography of Franklin

Franklin covers about 4.43 square miles (11.47 square kilometers). Most of this area is land, with a small part being water.

The borough shares its borders with other towns like Hamburg and Ogdensburg. It also borders Sparta and Hardyston townships.

The area around Franklin Furnace is known for its many different and interesting minerals.

Population Changes in Franklin

How Many People Live Here?

In 2010, the United States census counted 5,045 people living in Franklin. There were 1,936 households, which are groups of people living together in a home.

Most of the people in Franklin were White (about 92%). There were also smaller groups of Black or African American, Native American, and Asian people. About 7.8% of the population was Hispanic or Latino.

The average age of people in Franklin was about 41 years old. About 22% of the population was under 18 years old.

Education in Franklin

Local Schools

Students in Franklin from kindergarten through eighth grade go to schools in the Franklin Borough School District. As of the 2022–23 school year, this district has one school with about 477 students. There is about one teacher for every 9 or 10 students.

High School Education

For ninth through twelfth grades, students attend Wallkill Valley Regional High School. This high school also serves students from Hamburg, Hardyston Township, and Ogdensburg.

In the 2022–23 school year, Wallkill Valley Regional High School had about 615 students. There was about one teacher for every 12 students. Franklin has two representatives on the high school's board of education.

Getting Around Franklin

Route 23 and County Route 517 going north in Franklin

Roads and Highways

As of 2010, Franklin had about 26.87 miles of roads. Most of these roads are taken care of by the town itself.

The main highway that goes through Franklin is Route 23. Another important road, County Route 517, also passes through the borough, often running alongside Route 23.

Public Transportation

The county offers a bus service called Skylands Ride. This bus travels between Sussex and Newton.

Media in Franklin

WSUS is a radio station located in Franklin. It broadcasts on 102.3 FM and plays adult contemporary music. It serves the Sussex County area.

Famous People from Franklin

• Gertrude M. Clarke (1932–2020) was a science teacher who taught physics and did research in nuclear physics.
• Alexandra Tillson Filer (1916–2015) was an expert in metals, a mineral collector, and a bookseller.
• Charles Joseph Fletcher (1922–2011) was an inventor who created an early version of the hovercraft.
• Samuel Fowler (1779–1844) was a doctor and politician. He helped develop the mines in the area.
• Alfred B. Littell (1893–1970) was the mayor of Franklin in the 1950s. He also served in the New Jersey government.
• Robert Littell (1936–2014) was a politician who served in the New Jersey State Senate.
• Charles Francis Lynch (1884–1942) was a judge and lawyer in New Jersey.
• Alison Littell McHose (born 1965) was a politician who served in the New Jersey General Assembly. She later became the borough administrator.
• Steve Nagy (1919–2016) was a baseball pitcher who played for the Pittsburgh Pirates and Washington Senators.
• Steve Oroho (born 1958) was a politician who represented Franklin in the New Jersey Senate.

See also

In Spanish: Franklin (Nueva Jersey) para niños