Franklintown, PA

Franklintown is a York County borough in south-central Pennsylvania, laid out in 1813 on a tract owned by William Butts and Jacob Schultz. The founders surveyed streets and 186 lots, then used a lottery to sell the lots quickly. Martin Carl took over the local store in 1826 and secured a post office, while Captain John Klugh helped repopulate the town after the early settlement faltered. Franklintown incorporated as a borough in 1869, when its streets were resurveyed, graded, and paved.

Franklintown's small borough center still carries the marks of that early plan, with Baltimore Street running through a community of homes, churches, local offices, and gathering places. The borough's history also includes a Civil War company recruited by Captain Klugh and a long tradition of music, from a military band to bluegrass gatherings. York County's larger agricultural landscape surrounds the borough, while nearby roads connect it with the towns of northern York County. Franklintown is a compact place with a surprisingly full timeline, built from a survey, a post office, and people willing to start over.