Franklin County is located in the

U.S. state In the United States, a state is a constituent political entity, of which there are 50. Bound together in a political union, each state holds governmental jurisdiction over a separate and defined geographic territory where it shares its sover ...

Missouri Missouri is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. Ranking List of U.S. states and territories by area, 21st in land area, it is bordered by eight states (tied for the most with Tennessee ...

. At the 2020 census, the population was 104,682. Its

county seat A county seat is an administrative center, seat of government, or capital city of a county or civil parish. The term is in use in Canada, China, Hungary, Romania, Taiwan, and the United States. The equivalent term shire town is used in the US st ...

Union Union commonly refers to: * Trade union, an organization of workers * Union (set theory), in mathematics, a fundamental operation on sets Union may also refer to: Arts and entertainment Music * Union (band), an American rock group ** ''Un ...

. The county was organized in 1818 and is named after

Founding Father The following list of national founding figures is a record, by country, of people who were credited with establishing a state. National founders are typically those who played an influential role in setting up the systems of governance, (i.e. ...

Benjamin Franklin Benjamin Franklin ( April 17, 1790) was an American polymath who was active as a writer, scientist, inventor, statesman, diplomat, printer, publisher, and political philosopher. Encyclopædia Britannica, Wood, 2021 Among the leading inte ...

. Franklin County is part of the

St. Louis St. Louis () is the second-largest city in Missouri, United States. It sits near the confluence of the Mississippi and the Missouri Rivers. In 2020, the city proper had a population of 301,578, while the bi-state metropolitan area, which e ...

, MO- IL

Metropolitan Statistical Area In the United States, a metropolitan statistical area (MSA) is a geographical region with a relatively high population density at its core and close economic ties throughout the area. Such regions are neither legally Incorporated town, incorporate ...

and contains some of the city's

exurb An exurb (or alternately: exurban area) is an area outside the typically denser inner suburban area, at the edge of a metropolitan area, which has some economic and commuting connection to the metro area, low housing density, and growth. It s ...

s. It is located along the south side of the Missouri River. The county has

wineries A winery is a building or property that produces wine, or a business involved in the production of wine, such as a wine company. Some wine companies own many wineries. Besides wine making equipment, larger wineries may also feature warehouses, b ...

that are included in the

Hermann AVA The Hermann AVA is an American Viticultural Area located in Gasconade County, Missouri, and entirely contained within the larger Ozark Mountain AVA. The wine appellation is located on the southern side of the Missouri River near the town of ...

(

American Viticultural Area An American Viticultural Area (AVA) is a designated wine grape-growing region in the United States, providing an official appellation for the mutual benefit of winery, wineries and consumers. Winemakers frequently want their consumers to know abo ...

) and is part of the region known as the

Missouri Rhineland The Missouri Rhineland is a geographical area of Missouri that extends from west of St. Louis to slightly east of Jefferson City, located mostly in the Missouri River Valley on both sides of the river. Dutzow, the first permanent German settle ...

, which extends on both sides of the Missouri River.

History

Occupied by succeeding cultures of

indigenous people Indigenous peoples are culturally distinct ethnic groups whose members are directly descended from the earliest known inhabitants of a particular geographic region and, to some extent, maintain the language and culture of those original people ...

s, this area was populated by the historic Osage tribe at the time of European encounter. The region was first settled by Europeans during the rule of the

Spanish Empire The Spanish Empire ( es, link=no, Imperio español), also known as the Hispanic Monarchy ( es, link=no, Monarquía Hispánica) or the Catholic Monarchy ( es, link=no, Monarquía Católica) was a colonial empire governed by Spain and its prede ...

. The Spanish log fort ''San Juan del Misuri'' (1796–1803) was built in present-day

Washington Washington commonly refers to: * Washington (state), United States * Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States ** A metonym for the federal government of the United States ** Washington metropolitan area, the metropolitan area centered o ...

. After the

American Revolutionary War The American Revolutionary War (April 19, 1775 – September 3, 1783), also known as the Revolutionary War or American War of Independence, was a major war of the American Revolution. Widely considered as the war that secured the independence of t ...

, migrants from the new United States started moving West. Among them were the family and followers of

Daniel Boone Daniel Boone (September 26, 1820) was an American pioneer and frontiersman whose exploits made him one of the first folk heroes of the United States. He became famous for his exploration and settlement of Kentucky, which was then beyond the we ...

, an explorer from Kentucky who settled the area starting in 1799. For the next two decades, most settlers came from the

Upper South The Upland South and Upper South are two overlapping cultural and geographic subregions in the inland part of the Southern and lower Midwestern United States. They differ from the Deep South and Atlantic coastal plain by terrain, history, econom ...

, especially Kentucky and Virginia, bringing their

slaves Slavery and enslavement are both the state and the condition of being a slave—someone forbidden to quit one's service for an enslaver, and who is treated by the enslaver as property. Slavery typically involves slaves being made to perf ...

with them to work the land. In 1833 substantial numbers of

German German(s) may refer to: * Germany (of or related to) ** Germania (historical use) * Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language ** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law **Ge ...

immigrant families began settling in the area, and soon they outnumbered the slave owners in the county. The German newcomers were opposed to slavery, and their sons would become

supporters during the

U.S. Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861 – May 26, 1865; also known by other names) was a civil war in the United States. It was fought between the Union ("the North") and the Confederacy ("the South"), the latter formed by states t ...

. Former governor and then Confederate General

Sterling Price Major-General Sterling "Old Pap" Price (September 14, 1809 – September 29, 1867) was a senior officer of the Confederate States Army who commanded infantry in the Western and Trans-Mississippi theaters of the American Civil War. Prior to ...

led his cavalry through the county during his Missouri raid of 1864. Before the war Franklin County had been served by

steamboat A steamboat is a boat that is marine propulsion, propelled primarily by marine steam engine, steam power, typically driving propellers or Paddle steamer, paddlewheels. Steamboats sometimes use the ship prefix, prefix designation SS, S.S. or S/S ...

s that moved freight and passenger traffic on the Missouri River. Afterwards, it became a

railroad Rail transport (also known as train transport) is a means of transport that transfers passengers and goods on wheeled vehicles running on rails, which are incorporated in tracks. In contrast to road transport, where the vehicles run on a pre ...

transportation center. Manufacturing industries were established at the end of the Civil War and successive ones have continued. Bias Vineyard, near the small city of

Berger Berger is a surname in both German language, German and French language, French, although there is no etymological connection between the names in the two languages. The French surname is an occupational name for a shepherd, from Old French ''bergi ...

, is located within the Hermann

(AVA), designated in 1983. Röbller Vineyard and Winery near

New Haven New Haven is a city in the U.S. state of Connecticut. It is located on New Haven Harbor on the northern shore of Long Island Sound in New Haven County, Connecticut and is part of the New York City metropolitan area. With a population of 134,02 ...

is also in the Hermann AVA. Wineries along both sides of the Missouri River are part of the

, whose vineyards were started by German immigrants in the mid-19th century. Before

Prohibition Prohibition is the act or practice of forbidding something by law; more particularly the term refers to the banning of the manufacture, storage (whether in barrels or in bottles), transportation, sale, possession, and consumption of alcoholic ...

, Missouri was the second-largest wine-producing state in the nation. Everything was closed down except for limited production of wine allowed for religious purposes. The state's wine industry had to be completely rebuilt, which has been taking place since the 1960s. The rural county has had severe problems with local production, distribution and consumption of

methamphetamine Methamphetamine (contracted from ) is a potent central nervous system (CNS) stimulant that is mainly used as a recreational drug and less commonly as a second-line treatment for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and obesity. Methamph ...

. The struggles of the county with adverse effects of the drug, was explored in a 2005 A&E documentary entitled ''Meth: A County in Crisis''.

Geography

According to the

U.S. Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The Census Bureau is part of the ...

, the county has a total area of , of which is land and (0.9%) is water. It is the fourth-largest county in Missouri by land area and third-largest by total area. The center of the Missouri River forms the nominal northern border of the county, although the river has changed its course since boundaries were first established: a portion of

St. Charles County St. Charles County is in the central eastern part of the U.S. state of Missouri. As of the 2020 census, the population was 405,262, making it Missouri's third-most populous county. Its county seat is St. Charles. The county was organized Oct ...

near

St. Albans St Albans () is a cathedral city in Hertfordshire, England, east of Hemel Hempstead and west of Hatfield, north-west of London, south-west of Welwyn Garden City and south-east of Luton. St Albans was the first major town on the old Roman r ...

is now south of the river, while a portion of Franklin County near Augusta is north of the river. The

Bourbeuse River The Bourbeuse River (French for 'muddy') is a river located in east-central Missouri, in the Ozarks region, and is one of two major tributaries of the Meramec River, the other being the Big River. The Bourbeuse flows to the northeast from its sou ...

flows for 107 miles through the county. It cuts a deep, narrow valley and is very crooked. It empties into the

Meramec River The Meramec River (), sometimes spelled Maramec River, is one of the longest free-flowing waterways in the U.S. state of Missouri, draining Blanc, Caldwell, and Hawk. "Location" while wandering Blanc, Caldwell, and Hawk. "Executive Summary" fr ...

near

. This river is mostly undeveloped, with limited access and few bridges over it. During low water, a number of fords allow crossing. The county is located in the

Ozarks The Ozarks, also known as the Ozark Mountains, Ozark Highlands or Ozark Plateau, is a physiographic region in the U.S. states of Missouri, Arkansas, Oklahoma and the extreme southeastern corner of Kansas. The Ozarks cover a significant port ...

region, with steep hills and deep valleys,

caves A cave or cavern is a natural void in the ground, specifically a space large enough for a human to enter. Caves often form by the weathering of rock and often extend deep underground. The word ''cave'' can refer to smaller openings such as sea ...

, springs, and

sinkholes A sinkhole is a depression or hole in the ground caused by some form of collapse of the surface layer. The term is sometimes used to refer to doline, enclosed depressions that are locally also known as ''vrtače'' and shakeholes, and to openi ...

characteristic of

karst Karst is a topography formed from the dissolution of soluble rocks such as limestone, dolomite, and gypsum. It is characterized by underground drainage systems with sinkholes and caves. It has also been documented for more weathering-resistant ro ...

areas. The underlying rock is typically

carbonate A carbonate is a salt of carbonic acid (H2CO3), characterized by the presence of the carbonate ion, a polyatomic ion with the formula . The word ''carbonate'' may also refer to a carbonate ester, an organic compound containing the carbonate g ...

, including

limestone Limestone ( calcium carbonate ) is a type of carbonate sedimentary rock which is the main source of the material lime. It is composed mostly of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of . Limestone forms whe ...

and

dolomite Dolomite may refer to: *Dolomite (mineral), a carbonate mineral *Dolomite (rock), also known as dolostone, a sedimentary carbonate rock *Dolomite, Alabama, United States, an unincorporated community *Dolomite, California, United States, an unincor ...

. Mining activity in the county included ores of

lead Lead is a chemical element with the symbol Pb (from the Latin ) and atomic number 82. It is a heavy metal that is denser than most common materials. Lead is soft and malleable, and also has a relatively low melting point. When freshly cu ...

copper Copper is a chemical element with the symbol Cu (from la, cuprum) and atomic number 29. It is a soft, malleable, and ductile metal with very high thermal and electrical conductivity. A freshly exposed surface of pure copper has a pinkis ...

zinc Zinc is a chemical element with the symbol Zn and atomic number 30. Zinc is a slightly brittle metal at room temperature and has a shiny-greyish appearance when oxidation is removed. It is the first element in group 12 (IIB) of the periodi ...

, and deposits of

refractory In materials science, a refractory material or refractory is a material that is resistant to decomposition by heat, pressure, or chemical attack, and retains strength and form at high temperatures. Refractories are polycrystalline, polyphase, ...

clay Clay is a type of fine-grained natural soil material containing clay minerals (hydrous aluminium phyllosilicates, e.g. kaolin, Al2 Si2 O5( OH)4). Clays develop plasticity when wet, due to a molecular film of water surrounding the clay par ...

. The soils in most of the county tend to be thin, rocky red clay, and are poor for most agriculture, while the soil near the Missouri River is dark, rich, and thick, and used primarily for row crops such as

corn Maize ( ; ''Zea mays'' subsp. ''mays'', from es, maíz after tnq, mahiz), also known as corn (North American and Australian English), is a cereal grain first domesticated by indigenous peoples in southern Mexico about 10,000 years ago. Th ...

wheat Wheat is a grass widely cultivated for its seed, a cereal grain that is a worldwide staple food. The many species of wheat together make up the genus ''Triticum'' ; the most widely grown is common wheat (''T. aestivum''). The archaeologi ...

, and

soybean The soybean, soy bean, or soya bean (''Glycine max'') is a species of legume native to East Asia, widely grown for its edible bean, which has numerous uses. Traditional unfermented food uses of soybeans include soy milk, from which tofu an ...

s. Much of the county is covered with thick

forest A forest is an area of land dominated by trees. Hundreds of definitions of forest are used throughout the world, incorporating factors such as tree density, tree height, land use, legal standing, and ecological function. The United Nations' ...

s, reestablished since the 1920s. Urbanization is increasing in the county, especially surrounding

and

, and along

Interstate 44 Interstate 44 (I-44) is a major Interstate Highway in the central United States. Although it is nominally an east–west road as it is even-numbered, it follows a more southwest–northeast alignment. Its western terminus is in Wichita Fal ...

is now a continuation of the suburban region of St. Louis County while the majority of the county retains a rural character and includes extensive wilderness areas, typical of exurban areas.

Adjacent counties

Warren County Warren County is the name of fourteen counties in the USA. Some are named after General Joseph Warren, who was killed in the Battle of Bunker Hill in the American Revolutionary War: * Warren County, Georgia * Warren County, Illinois * Warren County ...

(north) *

(northeast) * St. Louis County (northeast) * Jefferson County (east) * Washington County (southeast) *

Crawford County Crawford County is the name of eleven counties in the United States: * Crawford County, Arkansas * Crawford County, Georgia * Crawford County, Illinois * Crawford County, Indiana * Crawford County, Iowa * Crawford County, Kansas * Crawford Count ...

(southwest) * Gasconade County (west)

Major highways

U.S. Route 50 U.S. Route 50 or U.S. Highway 50 (US 50) is a major east–west route of the U.S. Highway system, stretching from Interstate 80 (I-80) in West Sacramento, California, to Maryland Route 528 (MD 528) in Ocean City, Maryland, on the Atlanti ...

* ''

U.S. Route 66 U.S. Route 66 or U.S. Highway 66 (US 66 or Route 66) was one of the original highways in the United States Numbered Highway System. It was established on November 11, 1926, with road signs erected the following year. The h ...

'' (1926–79) * Route 30 * Route 47 * Route 100 * Route 185

Demographics

As of the

census A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording and calculating information about the members of a given population. This term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common censuses incl ...

of 2000, there were 93,807 people, 34,945 households, and 25,684 families residing in the county. The population density was . There were 38,295 housing units at an average density of 42 per square mile (16/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 97.47%

White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully reflect and scatter all the visible wavelengths of light. White on ...

, 0.94%

Black Black is a color which results from the absence or complete absorption of visible light. It is an achromatic color, without hue, like white and grey. It is often used symbolically or figuratively to represent darkness. Black and white have o ...

African American African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ens ...

, 0.27%

Asian Asian may refer to: * Items from or related to the continent of Asia: ** Asian people, people in or descending from Asia ** Asian culture, the culture of the people from Asia ** Asian cuisine, food based on the style of food of the people from Asi ...

, 0.24% Native American, 0.02%

Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the list of islands in the Pacific Ocean, Pacific Islands. As an ethnic group, ethnic/race (human categorization), racial term, it is used to describe the original p ...

, 0.20% from

other races Other often refers to: * Other (philosophy), a concept in psychology and philosophy Other or The Other may also refer to: Film and television * ''The Other'' (1913 film), a German silent film directed by Max Mack * ''The Other'' (1930 film), a ...

, and 0.86% from two or more races. Approximately 0.72% of the population were

Hispanic The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or Hispanidad. The term commonly applies to countries with a cultural and historical link to Spain and to Vic ...

Latino Latino or Latinos most often refers to: * Latino (demonym), a term used in the United States for people with cultural ties to Latin America * Hispanic and Latino Americans in the United States * The people or cultures of Latin America; ** Latin A ...

of any race. 44.9% were of

, 13.0%

American American(s) may refer to: * American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the "United States" or "America" ** Americans, citizens and nationals of the United States of America ** American ancestry, pe ...

, 10.7%

Irish Irish may refer to: Common meanings * Someone or something of, from, or related to: ** Ireland, an island situated off the north-western coast of continental Europe ***Éire, Irish language name for the isle ** Northern Ireland, a constituent unit ...

and 7.7%

English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England ** English national ide ...

ancestry. There were 34,945 households, out of which 36.10% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 60.40% were

married couples Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognized union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children, and between t ...

living together, 9.00% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.50% were non-families. 22.10% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.90% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.66 and the average family size was 3.11. In the county, the population was spread out, with 27.40% under the age of 18, 8.20% from 18 to 24, 30.00% from 25 to 44, 22.40% from 45 to 64, and 12.10% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 98.50 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.80 males. The median income for a household in the county was $54,392, and the median income for a family was $62,969. Males had a median income of $35,849 versus $23,344 for females. The

per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or total income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. It is calculated by dividing the area's total income by its total population. Per capita i ...

for the county was $24,529. About 4.50% of families and 7.00% of the population were below the

poverty line The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for t ...

, including 7.90% of those under age 18 and 8.80% of those age 65 or over.

2020 Census

Economy

The

unemployment rate Unemployment, according to the OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development), is people above a specified age (usually 15) not being in paid employment or self-employment but currently available for work during the referen ...

in Franklin County is 2.9% as of December 2018, below state and national averages. Manufacturing accounts for the most (23.8%) employment in Franklin County, primarily in the cities of Washington and Union, followed by trade, transportation and utilities (18.8%), education and health care (17.7%), and construction (11.3%). The biggest employers in Franklin County are the manufacturing firms of Magnet LLC, Cardinal Brands Hazel Division, GDX Automotive, Sporlan Valve Company, Esselte, Silgan, Buddeez, and Meramec Group Inc. as well as the Meramec Valley R-III School District in the public education sector and Schatz Underground Cable Inc. in the construction industry. Small farms and wineries also greatly contribute to the economy in Franklin County.

Education

The highest educational attainment in Franklin County consists of the following: * High School Graduates: 59.1% * Associate Degree: 10.6% * Bachelor's Degree: 10.9% * Graduate Degree: 7.5%

School districts

School districts in the county: ; K-12: *

Crawford County R-I School District Crawford may refer to: Places Canada * Crawford Bay Airport, British Columbia * Crawford Lake Conservation Area, Ontario United Kingdom * Crawford, Lancashire, a small village near Rainford, Merseyside, England * Crawford, South Lanarkshire, a ...

* Gasconade County R-I School District * Gasconade County R-II School District * Meramec Valley R-III School District * New Haven School District * St. Clair R-XIII School District * Sullivan C-2 School District * Union R-XI School District *

Washington School District The Washington School District is a small, urban, public school district in Washington County, Pennsylvania. It serves the city of Washington, Pennsylvania and the borough of East Washington, Pennsylvania. The district encompasses approximately ...

Elementary: * Franklin County R-II School District * Lonedell R-XIV School District * Richwoods R-VII School District * Spring Bluff R-XV School District * Strain-Japan R-XVI School District

Public schools

New Haven Public School District
-

** New Haven Elementary School (K–6) ** New Haven Middle School (7–8) ** New Haven High School (9–12)
Meramec Valley R-III School District
–

Pacific The Pacific Ocean is the largest and deepest of Earth's five oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic Ocean in the north to the Southern Ocean (or, depending on definition, to Antarctica) in the south, and is bounded by the continen ...

** Meramec Valley Community School (Pre-K) – Pacific ** Meramec Valley Early Childhood Center (Pre-K) – Pacific ** Truman Elementary School (K–5) – Pacific ** Robertsville Elementary School (K–5) – Robertsville ** Zitzman Elementary School (K–5) – Pacific ** Nike Elementary School (K–5) – Catawissa ** Coleman Elementary School (K–5) – Villa Ridge ** Riverbend School (8) – Pacific ** Meramec Valley Middle School (6–7) – Pacific ** Pacific High School (9–12) – Pacific
St. Clair R-XIII School District
– St. Clair ** St. Clair Elementary School (K–2) ** Edgar Murray Elementary School (3–5) ** St. Clair Jr. High School (6–8) ** St. Clair High School (9–12)

– Spring Bluff R-XV, Missouri, Spring Bluff ** Spring Bluff R-XV (k-8)
Sullivan School District
– Sullivan ** Sullivan Primary School (Pre-K–1) ** Sullivan Elementary School (2–5) ** Sullivan Middle School (6–8) ** Sullivan High School (9–12)
Union R-XI School District
–

** Beaufort Elementary School (K–6) –

Beaufort Beaufort may refer to: People and titles * Beaufort (surname) * House of Beaufort, English nobility * Duke of Beaufort (England), a title in the peerage of England * Duke of Beaufort (France), a title in the French nobility Places Polar regions ...

** Central Elementary School (K–3) – Union ** Clark-Vitt Elementary School (4–6) – Union ** Union Middle School (7–8) – Union ** Union High School (9–12) – Union
Washington School District
–

** Family Resource Center (Pre-K) – Washington ** Washington West Elementary School (Pre-K–6) – Washington ** South Point Elementary School (K–6) – Washington ** Marthasville Elementary School (K–6) – Marthasville ** Labadie Elementary School (K–6) – Labadie ** Clearview Elementary School (Pre-K–6) – Union ** Campbellton Elementary School (K–6) – New Haven ** Augusta Elementary School (Pre-K–06) – Augusta ** Washington Middle School (7–8) – Washington ** Washington High School (9–12) – Washington
Franklin County R-II School District
– New Haven ** Franklin County Elementary School (K–8) – New Haven
Lonedell R-XIV School District
– Lonedell ** Lonedell Elementary School (K–8) – Lonedell
Owensville R-II School District
–

Gerald Gerald is a male Germanic given name meaning "rule of the spear" from the prefix ''ger-'' ("spear") and suffix ''-wald'' ("rule"). Variants include the English given name Jerrold, the feminine nickname Jeri and the Welsh language Gerallt and Iri ...

** Gerald Elementary School (K–5) – Gerald
Strain-Japan R-XVI School District
- Sullivan ** Strain-Japan Elementary School (K-08) - Sullivan

Private schools

* The Fulton School at St. Albans –

– (Pre-K–12) – Nonsectarian, Montessori
Cornerstone Christian Academy
– St. Clair – (1–12) – Other Affiliation
Crosspoint Christian School
– Villa Ridge – (K–12) – Nondenominational Christianity
Immanuel Lutheran School
– Washington – (K–8) – Lutheran
St. Francis Borgia Regional High School
– Washington – (9–12) –

Roman Catholic Roman or Romans most often refers to: *Rome, the capital city of Italy *Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD *Roman people, the people of ancient Rome *'' Epistle to the Romans'', shortened to ''Romans'', a lette ...

St. John the Baptist School
– Villa Ridge – (Pre-K–8) –

St. Gertrude School
– Kraków – (K–8) –

St. Francis Borgia Grade School
– Washington – (Pre-K–8) –

Our Lady of Lourdes
– Washington – (Pre-K–8) –

St. Clare Catholic Grade School
– St. Clair – (Pre-K–8) –

St. Bridget of Kildare School
– Pacific – (Pre-K–8) –

Alternative schools

* Autumn Hill State School (K–12) – Union – Handicapped/Special needs * Franklin County Special Education Cooperative (Pre-K–12) – St. Clair – Special Education * Four Rivers Career Center (9–12) – Washington – Vocational/Technical

Colleges/universities

East Central College East Central College (ECC) is a Public college, public community college with its main campus in Union, Missouri. It also offers classes in Rolla, Missouri, Rolla and Washington, Missouri, Washington. Approximately 2,100 students are enrolled in ...

– Union

Public libraries

*Gerald Area Library * Scenic Regional Library *Sullivan Public Library * Washington Public Library

Crime

Rural Franklin County has had problems with the local production and consumption of

and was featured in an A&E documentary entitled ''Meth: A County in Crisis'' (2005).

Politics

As of July 2022, according to the new congressional map based on the 2020 U.S. Census passed by the

Missouri General Assembly The Missouri General Assembly is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Missouri. The bicameral General Assembly is composed of a 34-member Senate and a 163-member House of Representatives. Members of both houses of the General Assembly are ...

and signed into law by Governor

Mike Parson Michael Lynn Parson (born September 17, 1955) is an American politician serving as the 57th governor of Missouri since 2018. A member of the Republican Party, Parson served in the Missouri House of Representatives from 2005 to 2011 and in the ...

, all of Franklin County will be moved from Missouri's 3rd Congressional District to Missouri's 2nd Congressional District, with the new district boundaries taking effect on January 3, 2023 from the results of the November 2022 general elections.

Local

The Republican Party predominantly controls politics at the local level in Franklin County. Republicans hold all but one of the elected positions in the county.

State

Franklin County is divided into four legislative districts in the

Missouri House of Representatives The Missouri House of Representatives is the lower chamber of the Missouri General Assembly. It has 163 members, representing districts with an average size of 37,000 residents. House members are elected for two-year terms during general elections ...

, all of which are held by Republicans. * District 61 — Aaron Griesheimer (R-

). Consists of Berger, Gerald, Leslie, New Haven, and part of Washington. * District 109 — John Simmons (R-

). Consists of Gray Summit, Union, Villa Ridge, and part of Washington. * District 110 — Dottie Bailey (R-

Eureka Eureka (often abbreviated as E!, or Σ!) is an intergovernmental organisation for research and development funding and coordination. Eureka is an open platform for international cooperation in innovation. Organisations and companies applying th ...

). Consists of the city of Pacific. * District 119 —

Nate Tate Nate Tate (born January 12, 1979) is an American politician who has served in the Missouri House of Representatives from the 119th district since 2017. References 1979 births Living people Republican Party members of the Missouri House of ...

(R- St. Clair). Consists of Oak Grove Village, Parkway, St. Clair, and Sullivan. All of Franklin County is a part of Missouri's 26th District in the

Missouri Senate The Missouri Senate is the upper chamber of the Missouri General Assembly. It has 34 members, representing districts with an average population of 174,000. Its members serve four-year terms, with half the seats being up for election every two yea ...

and is represented b
Dave Schatz
(R- Sullivan).

Federal

All of Franklin is included in the 3rd Congressional District, represented by

Blaine Luetkemeyer William Blaine Luetkemeyer ( ; born May 7, 1952) is an American politician serving as the U.S. representative for , a seat he has held since 2009. A member of the Republican Party, Luetkemeyer formerly served as a member of the Missouri House of ...

(R-St. Elizabeth) in the

U.S. House of Representatives The United States House of Representatives, often referred to as the House of Representatives, the U.S. House, or simply the House, is the lower chamber of the United States Congress, with the Senate being the upper chamber. Together they ...

Political culture

At the presidential level, Franklin County is fairly independent-leaning, but, like many exurban and mostly rural counties, its voters often favor Republican and conservative issues. While southerner

Bill Clinton William Jefferson Clinton ( né Blythe III; born August 19, 1946) is an American politician who served as the 42nd president of the United States from 1993 to 2001. He previously served as governor of Arkansas from 1979 to 1981 and agai ...

narrowly carried the county both times in 1992 and 1996,

George W. Bush George Walker Bush (born July 6, 1946) is an American politician who served as the 43rd president of the United States from 2001 to 2009. A member of the Republican Party, Bush family, and son of the 41st president George H. W. Bush, he ...

strongly carried Franklin County in 2000 and 2004. Like many of the rural counties in Missouri, Franklin County favored

John McCain John Sidney McCain III (August 29, 1936 – August 25, 2018) was an American politician and United States Navy officer who served as a United States senator from Arizona from 1987 until his death in 2018. He previously served two terms ...

over

Barack Obama Barack Hussein Obama II ( ; born August 4, 1961) is an American politician who served as the 44th president of the United States from 2009 to 2017. A member of the Democratic Party, Obama was the first African-American president of the U ...

in 2008. Like most predominantly rural areas, voters in Franklin County generally strongly support socially and culturally

conservative Conservatism is a cultural, social, and political philosophy that seeks to promote and to preserve traditional institutions, practices, and values. The central tenets of conservatism may vary in relation to the culture and civilization i ...

principles and therefore tend to support Republican candidates. In 2004, Missourians voted on a constitutional amendment to define marriage as the union between a man and a woman; the measure overwhelmingly passed Franklin County with 76.89 percent of the vote. The initiative passed the state with 71 percent of support from voters as Missouri became the first state to ban

same-sex marriage Same-sex marriage, also known as gay marriage, is the marriage of two people of the same Legal sex and gender, sex or gender. marriage between same-sex couples is legally performed and recognized in 33 countries, with the most recent being ...

. In 2006, Missourians voted on a constitutional amendment to fund and legalize embryonic stem cell research in the state; it failed in Franklin County with 56.13 percent voting against the measure. The initiative narrowly passed the state with 51 percent of support from voters as Missouri became one of the first states in the nation to approve

embryonic stem cell research Embryonic stem cells (ESCs) are pluripotent stem cells derived from the inner cell mass of a blastocyst, an early-stage pre- implantation embryo. Human embryos reach the blastocyst stage 4–5 days post fertilization, at which time they consist ...

. Despite Franklin County's longstanding tradition of supporting socially conservative platforms, voters have advanced some

populist Populism refers to a range of political stances that emphasize the idea of "the people" and often juxtapose this group against " the elite". It is frequently associated with anti-establishment and anti-political sentiment. The term developed ...

causes such as increasing the

minimum wage A minimum wage is the lowest remuneration that employers can legally pay their employees—the price floor below which employees may not sell their labor. Most countries had introduced minimum wage legislation by the end of the 20th century. Bec ...

. In 2006, Missourians voted on a proposition (Proposition B) to increase the minimum wage in the state to $6.50 an hour; it passed Franklin County with 77.61 percent of the vote. The proposition strongly passed every single county in Missouri with 75.94 percent voting in favor as the minimum wage was increased to $6.50 an hour in the state. During the same election, voters in five other states also strongly approved increases in the minimum wage. 2020 Missouri Presidential primary Republican President

Donald Trump Donald John Trump (born June 14, 1946) is an American politician, media personality, and businessman who served as the 45th president of the United States from 2017 to 2021. Trump graduated from the Wharton School of the University of Pe ...

won Franklin County with 97.35 percent of the vote; all other Republican candidates received less than 1 percent of the vote. Democratic Forty-seventh Vice President Joe Biden won Franklin County with 59 percent of the vote; U.S. Senator

Bernie Sanders Bernard Sanders (born September8, 1941) is an American politician who has served as the junior United States senator from Vermont since 2007. He was the U.S. representative for the state's at-large congressional district from 1991 to 2007 ...

(I-Vermont) came in second with 35.03 percent.

2016 Missouri Presidential primary

;Republican

won Franklin County with 44.49 percent of the vote; U.S. Senator

Ted Cruz Rafael Edward "Ted" Cruz (; born December 22, 1970) is an American politician and attorney serving as the junior United States Senator from Texas since 2013. A member of the Republican Party, Cruz served as Solicitor General of Texas from ...

(R-Texas) came in second with 39.77 percent, Governor

John Kasich John Richard Kasich Jr. ( ; born May 13, 1952) is an American politician, author, and television news host who served in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1983 to 2001 and as the 69th governor of Ohio from 2011 to 2019. A Republican, Kasic ...

(R-Ohio) came in distant third with 7.65 percent, and U.S. Senator

Marco Rubio Marco Antonio Rubio (born May 28, 1971) is an American politician and lawyer serving as the senior United States senator from Florida, a seat he has held since 2011. A member of the Republican Party, he served as Speaker of the Florida Hous ...

(R-Florida) came in fourth with 5.63 percent. ;Democratic U.S. Senator

(I-Vermont) won Franklin County with 55.41 percent of the vote while former Secretary of State

Hillary Clinton Hillary Diane Rodham Clinton ( Rodham; born October 26, 1947) is an American politician, diplomat, and former lawyer who served as the 67th United States Secretary of State for President Barack Obama from 2009 to 2013, as a United States sen ...

came in second with 42.89 percent.

2012 Missouri Presidential primary

;Republican Former U.S. Senator

Rick Santorum Richard John Santorum ( ; born May 10, 1958) is an American politician, attorney, and political commentator. A member of the Republican Party, he served as a United States Senator from Pennsylvania from 1995 to 2007 and was the Senate's thir ...

(R-Pennsylvania) won Franklin County with 60.12 percent of the vote. Former Governor

Mitt Romney Willard Mitt Romney (born March 12, 1947) is an American politician, businessman, and lawyer serving as the junior United States senator from Utah since January 2019, succeeding Orrin Hatch. He served as the 70th governor of Massachusetts f ...

(R-Massachusetts) came in a distant second place with 21.1 percent, and former U.S. Representative

Ron Paul Ronald Ernest Paul (born August 20, 1935) is an American author, activist, physician and retired politician who served as the U.S. representative for Texas's 22nd congressional district from 1976 to 1977 and again from 1979 to 1985, as well ...

(R-Texas) came in third with 12.36 percent. ;Democratic With no serious contest for incumbent President

, only 1,080 Franklin County voters chose to participate in the Democratic primary, and Obama won 81.11 percent.

2008 Missouri Presidential primary

;Republican

U.S. Senator The United States Senate is the upper chamber of the United States Congress, with the House of Representatives being the lower chamber. Together they compose the national bicameral legislature of the United States. The composition and powe ...

(R-

Arizona Arizona ( ; nv, Hoozdo Hahoodzo ; ood, Alĭ ṣonak ) is a state in the Southwestern United States. It is the 6th largest and the 14th most populous of the 50 states. Its capital and largest city is Phoenix. Arizona is part of the Fou ...

) won Franklin County with 35.68 percent of the vote. Former

Governor A governor is an administrative leader and head of a polity or political region, ranking under the head of state and in some cases, such as governors-general, as the head of state's official representative. Depending on the type of political ...

(R-

Massachusetts Massachusetts (Massachusett language, Massachusett: ''Muhsachuweesut assachusett writing systems, məhswatʃəwiːsət'' English: , ), officially the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, is the most populous U.S. state, state in the New England ...

) came in a close second place with 30.51 percent while former

Mike Huckabee Michael Dale Huckabee (born August 24, 1955) is an American politician, Baptist minister, and political commentator who served as the 44th governor of Arkansas from 1996 to 2007. He was a candidate for the Republican Party presidential nomina ...

(R-

Arkansas Arkansas ( ) is a landlocked state in the South Central United States. It is bordered by Missouri to the north, Tennessee and Mississippi to the east, Louisiana to the south, and Texas and Oklahoma to the west. Its name is from the Osage ...

) finished third with 27.70 percent.

Libertarian Libertarianism (from french: libertaire, "libertarian"; from la, libertas, "freedom") is a political philosophy that upholds liberty as a core value. Libertarians seek to maximize autonomy and political freedom, and minimize the state's e ...

-leaning

U.S. Representative The United States House of Representatives, often referred to as the House of Representatives, the U.S. House, or simply the House, is the lower chamber of the United States Congress, with the Senate being the upper chamber. Together they c ...

(R-

Texas Texas (, ; Spanish language, Spanish: ''Texas'', ''Tejas'') is a state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States. At 268,596 square miles (695,662 km2), and with more than 29.1 million residents in 2 ...

) finished a distant fourth with 4.07 percent. ;Democratic Then-

(D-

New York New York most commonly refers to: * New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York * New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States New York may also refer to: Film and television * '' ...

) carried Franklin County with 55.83 percent of the vote. Then-

(D-

Illinois Illinois ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern United States. Its largest metropolitan areas include the Chicago metropolitan area, and the Metro East section, of Greater St. Louis. Other smaller metropolita ...

) received 40.28 percent of the vote from Franklin County Democrats, one of his more impressive showings in a predominantly rural albeit exurban county. Although he withdrew from the race, former

John Edwards Johnny Reid Edwards (born June 10, 1953) is an American lawyer and former politician who served as a U.S. senator from North Carolina. He was the Democratic nominee for vice president in 2004 alongside John Kerry, losing to incumbents George ...

(D-

North Carolina North Carolina () is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States. The state is the 28th largest and 9th-most populous of the United States. It is bordered by Virginia to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, Georgia and So ...

) still received 2.96 percent of the vote in Franklin County. * Despite being a strongly Republican county, Hillary Rodham Clinton received more votes, a total of 7,177, than any candidate from either party in Franklin County during the 2008 presidential primary. Barack Obama received 5,179 in the Missouri Democratic Primary. Both Democratic candidates each received more votes than John McCain in the Republican Primary in Franklin County, who received 4,032 votes. Covid-19 controversy During the 2020

COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identif ...

, Angie Hittson, the director of the Franklin County Public Health Department described being driven to resign from her position by residents who made "daily verbal assaults, threats of violence, and even death threats" against her and her family due to the public-health orders made in response to the pandemic.

Communities

Cities

(small part in St. Louis County) * St. Clair * Sullivan (partial) *

(county seat) *

Villages

* Charmwood * Leslie * Miramiguoa Park * Oak Grove Village *

Parkway A parkway is a landscaped thoroughfare.''"parkway."''Webster's Third New International Dictionary, Unabridged. Merriam-Webster, 2002. http://unabridged.merriam-webster.com (14 Apr. 2007). The term is particularly used for a roadway in a park or ...

Census-designated places

* Gray Summit *

Lake St. Clair Lake St. Clair (french: Lac Sainte-Claire) is a freshwater lake that lies between the Canadian province of Ontario and the U.S. state of Michigan. It was named in 1679 by French Catholic explorers after Saint Clare of Assisi, on whose feast day ...

* Stanton * Villa Ridge

Unincorporated communities

Anaconda Anacondas or water boas are a group of large snakes of the genus '' Eunectes''. They are found in tropical South America. Four species are currently recognized. Description Although the name applies to a group of snakes, it is often used ...

* Beemont * Boles * Campbellton * Catawissa * Champion City * Clover Bottom * Dissen *

Dundee Dundee (; sco, Dundee; gd, Dùn Dè or ) is Scotland's fourth-largest city and the 51st-most-populous built-up area in the United Kingdom. The mid-year population estimate for 2016 was , giving Dundee a population density of 2,478/km2 or ...

* Elmont * Etlah * Gildehouse * Hemker * Huff * Jaegers Shop *

Japan Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north ...

* Jeffriesburg *

Kiel Kiel () is the capital and most populous city in the northern Germany, German state of Schleswig-Holstein, with a population of 246,243 (2021). Kiel lies approximately north of Hamburg. Due to its geographic location in the southeast of the J ...

* Kohl City * Krakow * Labadie * Lonedell * Luebbering *

Lyon Lyon,, ; Occitan: ''Lion'', hist. ''Lionés'' also spelled in English as Lyons, is the third-largest city and second-largest metropolitan area of France. It is located at the confluence of the rivers Rhône and Saône, to the northwest of t ...

* Maupin *

Monday Monday is the day of the week between Sunday and Tuesday. According to the International Organization for Standardization's ISO 8601 standard, it is the first day of the week and in countries that adopt the "Sunday-first" convention, it is ...

Moselle The Moselle ( , ; german: Mosel ; lb, Musel ) is a river that rises in the Vosges mountains and flows through north-eastern France and Luxembourg to western Germany. It is a bank (geography), left bank tributary of the Rhine, which it jo ...

* Mount Hope * Neier * Noser Mill * Oetters * Port Hudson * Robertsville * Spring Bluff *

Strain Strain may refer to: Science and technology * Strain (biology), variants of plants, viruses or bacteria; or an inbred animal used for experimental purposes * Strain (chemistry), a chemical stress of a molecule * Strain (injury), an injury to a mu ...

References

External links

Franklin County Government's Website

from

University of Missouri The University of Missouri (Mizzou, MU, or Missouri) is a public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in Columbia, Missouri. It is Missouri's largest university and the flagship of the four-campus Universit ...

Division of Special Collections, Archives, and Rare Books {{authority control Missouri Rhineland 1818 establishments in Missouri Territory Populated places established in 1818 Missouri counties on the Missouri River Regions of Greater St. Louis