Franklin County, Pennsylvania facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Franklin County
County
Franklin County Courthouse in Chambersburg in October 2013
Seal
Location within the U.S. state of Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania's location within the U.S.
Country	United States
State	Pennsylvania
Founded	September 9, 1784
Named for	Benjamin Franklin
Seat	Chambersburg
Largest borough	Chambersburg
Area
• Total	773 sq mi (2,000 km2)
• Land	772 sq mi (2,000 km2)
• Water	0.6 sq mi (2 km2)  0.08%
Population  (2020)
• Total	155,932
• Density	200/sq mi (80/km2)
Time zone	UTC−5 (Eastern)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−4 (EDT)
Congressional district	13th

Franklin County is a county in the state of Pennsylvania. It's located in the south-central part of the state. In 2020, about 155,932 people lived here. The main town and county seat (where the county government is) is Chambersburg.

Franklin County is part of a larger area that includes Chambersburg and Waynesboro. This area is also connected to the bigger Washington–Baltimore combined statistical area.

History

Franklin County has an interesting past! It wasn't always its own county. First, it was part of Lancaster County in 1729. Then, it became part of York County in 1749. After that, it was part of Cumberland County in 1750.

Finally, Franklin County became its own independent area on September 9, 1784. This happened right after the American Revolutionary War ended. The county was named to honor Benjamin Franklin, one of the important people who helped create the United States.

Geography

Fannettsburg in rural northwestern Franklin County

Franklin County covers about 773 square miles. Most of this area is land (772 square miles), with a small amount of water.

The county's rivers and streams mostly flow into the Chesapeake Bay through the Potomac River. However, some parts in the northeast drain into the Susquehanna River through creeks like Conodoguinet Creek and Shermans Creek. The weather here is usually warm in summer and cold in winter. For example, in Chambersburg, the average temperature is around 29.9°F in January and 74.7°F in July.

Neighboring Counties

Franklin County shares its borders with these other counties:

• Juniata County (north)
• Perry County (northeast)
• Cumberland County (northeast)
• Huntingdon County (northwest)
• Adams County (east)
• Frederick County, Maryland (southeast)
• Washington County, Maryland (south)
• Fulton County (west)

Main Roads

Many important highways run through Franklin County, connecting it to other parts of Pennsylvania and beyond. These include:

Population Information

In 2020, Franklin County had a population of 155,932 people. This shows that the county has been growing steadily over the years.

United States Senate

The people representing Pennsylvania in the United States Senate are:

• John Fetterman, a Democrat
• Dave McCormick, a Republican

Education

Franklin County offers many educational opportunities, from colleges to public and private schools.

Universities and Colleges

• Wilson College
• Penn State Mont Alto

Technology Schools

• Franklin County Career and Technology Center
• Chambersburg Area Career Magnet School
• Triangle Tech

Intermediate Unit

The Lincoln Intermediate Unit (IU#12) helps schools in Franklin, Adams, and York counties. It provides many services, like special education support and help with technology. They also offer a Summer Academy for students who are gifted or high-achieving. The Intermediate Unit also helps adults earn a high school diploma through a GED program.

Public School Districts

Students in Franklin County attend schools in these public school districts:

• Chambersburg Area School District
• Fannett-Metal School District (also in Perry County)
• Greencastle-Antrim School District
• Shippensburg Area School District (also in Cumberland County)
• Tuscarora School District
• Waynesboro Area School District

Private Schools

There are many private schools in Franklin County, offering different types of education:

Libraries

The Franklin County Library system has several branches where you can find books, computers, and other resources:

• Blue Ridge Summit Free Library – Blue Ridge Summit
• Coyle Free Library – Chambersburg
• Grove Family Library – Chambersburg
• Lilian S Besore Memorial Library – Greencastle
• St Thomas Branch Library – Saint Thomas

The system also helps the Alexander Hamilton Memorial Library in Waynesboro. Plus, they have two bookmobiles that bring books to different communities!

Recreation

Franklin County is a great place for outdoor activities and learning about history! There are four Pennsylvania state parks located here:

• Caledonia State Park is on the border of Franklin and Adams counties. It's a popular spot for hiking and camping.
• Buchanan's Birthplace State Park is where James Buchanan, the 15th President of the United States, was born. You can visit and learn about his early life.
• Mont Alto State Park is special because it's the oldest state park in Pennsylvania.
• Cowans Gap State Park is mostly surrounded by Buchanan State Forest and is partly in Fulton County. It's known for its lake and beautiful scenery.

Communities

Map of Franklin County, Pennsylvania with municipal labels showing boroughs (in red), townships (in white), and census-designated places (in blue)

House in Roxbury in Lurgan Township

Chambersburg, the county seat and largest municipality in Franklin County

In Pennsylvania, there are different types of towns and areas. These include boroughs, townships, and census-designated places (CDPs). Boroughs are usually smaller towns with their own local government. Townships are larger rural areas. Census-designated places are areas that the U.S. Census Bureau defines for collecting population data, but they don't have their own separate local government like boroughs do.

Boroughs

• Chambersburg (This is the main town and county seat!)
• Greencastle
• Mercersburg
• Mont Alto
• Orrstown
• Shippensburg (mostly in Cumberland County)
• Waynesboro

Townships

Census-Designated Places (CDPs)

These are areas that the U.S. Census Bureau tracks for population information:

Population Ranking

Here's a list of the largest communities in Franklin County, based on the 2010 census:

† county seat

See also

In Spanish: Condado de Franklin (Pensilvania) para niños