History Of Franklin

History Of Franklin. . , The unique, concrete home at 324 River Street, was designed by attorney Patrick Gaynor. Gaynor was born in Dublin, Ireland in 1848. By 1884, he was practicing law in Franklin. His daughter May married Justin Harding and they later resided in the home locals know as "the Alamo." Justin, an attorney, served as the Assistant Attorney General of Ohio, as a district attorney and judge in Alaska and in 1947 was chosen as one of the 24 judges that served at the Nuremburg Trials after World War II. , The Eden Thirkield House at 318 River Street is a Greek Revival home built around 1848. The house was built for Henry C. Storm, a riverboat captain. The home was then sold to Eden Thirkield, owner of the Thirkield Department Store. Today, the building is the home of the Museum of Spiritual Art. The Museum houses works by local and international artists, representing the different religions of the world. , William Schenck and Daniel Cooper platted Franklin in 1796. The spaces between Second and Fifth Street and between Front Street (present day River St.) and the river were given to the inhabitants of the town , The lions that guard the Second Street bridge were a gift to the city from the J. W. Shipman Company of Cincinnati. The Shipman Company built a two-lane, suspension bridge at the site of the present bridge. The bridge opened in 1873 with the four lions adorning the anchorage piers of the suspension bridge. The lions were moved to the replacement bridge in 1933. The present bridge has long been referred to as the "Lions Bridge." , The railroad bridge was opened in 1887 to accommodate Cincinnati Northern trains. The line came from Vanwert south about 15 miles from the Indiana line through Greenville, Germantown, and Franklin. The trains then used the New York Central tracks to continue to Cincinnati. The railroad bridge survived the Flood of 1913 and was later raised two feet. , , Most of Franklin's murals are located one block east of the bike path along Main Street. Eric Henn, the artist, is a native of Circleville, Ohio and a former resident of Franklin. Henn's work can be seen all over the country at zoos, theme parks, aquariums and on city scapes and water towers. Look for Henn on Facebook and at erichennmurals.com , Transportation Mural, Sixth and Main Streets , This mural was commissioned in 2003 to commemorate Ohio's Bicentennial. It depicts the various forms of transportation that played a role in the development of Franklin. The building was built circa 1909. It served as the Traction Office where tickets could be purchased for the trolley that ran between Detroit and Cincinnati. Trolleys operated 18 hours per day with trains running every hour. , Veteran's Memorial Mural , 422 S. Main Street on side of VFW Post 7596 , Delivery Mural, Pisanello's, Fourth and Main Streets , Mural continues inside , This site was the location of the Union Church, built in 1823. The church was also home to Methodist, Presbyterian and First United Church of Christ Congregations. The church was demolished in 1905 and replaced by Conover Hardware Store , Ohio Bicentennial , 6th and Main St. , Trompe l'Oeil Mural , Fourth and Main Streets , National Municipal Mural Award Winner , Suspension Bridge Mural , Third and Main Streets National Municipal Award Winner 1872-73 a suspension bridge was built where the present bridge is now stands. It was based on the design of John Roebling , builder of the Brooklyn Bridge.