Williamson County Historical Society 2015
FRANKLIN DOWNTOWN HISTORIC DISTRICT
The town of Franklin was developed in 1799 by Abram Maury, who acquired the land from Major Anthony Sharpe. The original town, consisting of 109 acres, was composed of sixteen blocks divided into 188 lots centered on a 2-acre public square. The public square was donated to the county, upon which the first two courthouses were built. The historic district, placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1972, is outlined by Margin streets on the north and south and includes First, Second, Third, Fourth, and Fifth avenues running north and south, and Church, Main and Bridge streets running east and west. Over 300 commercial and residential building lie within the district. Franklin received its town charter in 1815.