 The town of Franklin was founded in the spring of
1860 by Mormon pioneers moving north through the Cache Valley of
Utah. Sixty-one families built small cabins along the Cub River
(at that time called the Muddy River) and commenced farming.
Settlers fanned out to establish new communities in northern
Cache Valley. These early pioneers believed they were still in
Utah, and not until 1872 did an official boundary survey fix the
Idaho-Utah border a mile south of where Franklin was
established.
In a typical Utah pattern, the first settlers laid out wide
streets and held a drawing to distribute town and farm lots.
Town lots were large enough to accommodate a garden, barn, and
outbuildings. Space was reserved for a central square -- which
today is the Franklin City Park, located south of the State of
Idaho properties for which the Idaho State Historical Society is
responsible.
The Relic Hall is open to the public from Memorial Day
through Labor Day and at other times by appointment. The
Franklin Cooperative Mercantile Building, which primarily
houses Mormon history of a local and denominational nature, is
open periodically, mostly by appointment. The Hatch House is
closed.
 The Hatch House
In 1872, Lorenzo Hill Hatch built his elegant stone house on
one of Franklin's largest lots on Main Street, across from the
city square. Hatch was the town's temporal and spiritual leader
from 1863 to 1875. He was the second Mormon bishop and the first
mayor of Franklin. He was also the first Mormon legislator in
Idaho.
The stone Greek Revival style of the house was popular in
Utah in the 1870s and the structure was occupied by descendants
of Bishop Hatch until the 1940s. It was acquired by the
Historical Society in 1979.When ownership of the house was
assumed by the State of Idaho, the ground floor had been
completely gutted by the previous owner. Extensive modifications
had been made to the ground floor, which was raised
approximately seven inches, and all interior walls were removed.
The house is still in that condition.
The second story survives with little modification and could
be restored to an 1870-80s appearance in the future. A 1910
addition, made of a hard yellow brick, housed a new kitchen and
pantry, later altered to a bathroom. This section of the house
has been altered by the previous owner.
Relic Hall
Relic Hall
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Relic Hall Interior
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In 1923 the Franklin Pioneer Association bought the old
Franklin Cooperative Mercantile Building, located on Main Street
one block east ofU.S. Highway 91, to use as a museum. After
running out of room in that facility, the Association deeded a
building lot to the State of Idaho located adjacent to and west
of the Mercantile Building, hoping that a new building would be
constructed on the site.
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Franklin Cooperative Mercantile Building
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The legislature appropriated funds for construction of a
rustic log hall, which was built in 1936-37 from timber provided
by the Forest Service and labor by Civilian Conservation Corps
crews. The Idaho State Historical Society has been responsible
for maintaining the Relic Hall building since its construction.
Information on this page has been borrowed from Idaho State Historical Society until
we can create our own information.
Visit the
Franklin City website.
City of Franklin - PO Box
69, 128 East Main - Franklin, Idaho
83237 - (208)646-2300 |
