Historic Photos 

Businesses

Simpson Co, KY

if you have any photos of Franklin businesses to post on this page, please E-mail me

Shirt Factory

Walter Chisholm Collection

Knapp's Department Store , South of Square, early 1900's

from "Franklin and Simpson County A Picture of Progress" 1819-1975, pg 151

Woolen Mill

North Main Street,  early 1900's; Walter Chisholm Collection

One of the first industries in Franklin which employed ten or more workers.  Gardner and Gaines, Franklin Business  Directory, 1876-1877 shows it as being located on Water Street; G.M. Neely and Co. were proprietors.  In 1874, John Walsh began the manufacture of jeans, which later grew into the manufacture of woolen blankets.  John Tatham served as superintendent. In 1891 a brick factory was built near the railroad and in 1892 a frame building was erected on the same lot.  In the early 1900's the mill was moved to the west side of North Main Street.  The building burned in 1911. "Franklin and Simpson Co. A Picture of Progress" 1819-1975, pg 328; compiled by Mrs. James Beach, Sr and James Henry Snider

Simpson County Grocery

Walter Chisholm Collection

Theater

Walter Chisholm Collection

H.G. Hill Grocery, corner Main and Depot Street, 1927-1930

Walter Chisholm Collection

The L&N passenger depot on East Cedar St.

Sam A. Griffin, regular telegraph operator in Franklin from 2 Oct 1911-18 Nov 1912, described the depots as follows: "There was a freight depot in charge of a freight agent and several clerks and a separate passenger depot in charge of ticket agent-operator (7-3), a second trick telegraph operator (3-11) and a third trick telegraph operator (11-7) working 7 days a week.  This building consisted of the telegraph office, two waiting rooms, one for white and one for the black patrons, and a baggage room.  In front of the office there was a semaphore train signal, about thirty feet high, located between the main and side tracks with pipes running under the main track to the telegraph office connected to two levers that operated the signals when handled by the operator."  "Franklin-Simpson A Picture of Progress" 1819-1975; pg 55, compiled by Mrs. James Beach, Sr and James Henry Snider

The L&N freight depot

Dunn Brothers

Walter Chisholm Collection

Dr. McCreary

Walter Chisholm Collection