Franklin's 150th Anniversary

Franklin’s Year Long Celebration of 150 Years to Conclude with Special Ceremony on Saturday, February 11, 2006: New Date Announced

At some point in time the party has to come to an end. Franklin’s 150th Birthday Celebration will officially conclude on Saturday, February 11, 2006. The event will be held in the historic Sanctuary of Franklin’s First Presbyterian Church beginning at 11:00 a.m.

“Due to scheduling conflicts we’ve had to delay the closing ceremony one day,” said Janet Greene, Franklin150th Steering Committee Chair. The event was originally scheduled for February 10th. “Mayor Joe Collins as well as the entire Town Board will be attending a very important educational workshop in Asheville. This three day event runs through Friday and there is simply no way they could attend on the date we had originally planned for.”

According to Greene the day’s events are as follows. The closing ceremony will begin at 11:00 a.m. and will include a proclamation declaring the 150th Anniversary Celebration officially closed. “After the short ceremony all are invited to the unveiling of the Sesquicentennial Quilt in the Courthouse and then to a reception at the Historical Museum to view the contents of the time capsule and pictures from our celebration,” Greene concluded.

The time capsule and its contents will be buried at a later date. It is to be opened in 50 years during Franklin’s Bi-Centennial Celebration along with the time capsule of the Centennial Celebration of 1955. The 150th Time Capsule will be buried in the Memory Garden next door to the Macon County Historical Museum on Main Street in Franklin.

Everyone is encouraged to attend and once again invited to don period dress for the event. For additional information contact Tony Angel at the Franklin Chamber of Commerce by calling 828-524-3161.

'Christmas Memories' Annual Parade Tremendous Success: Winning Entries Announced

Threatening skies didn’t dampen the spirits of the thousands who came out to officially welcome the holiday season with the Annual Franklin Christmas Parade on Sunday, November 27. Those attending were treated to a near record number of entries. Well over 100 units traveled along the parade route. Of that number nearly half were floats.

The Franklin High School Marching Panther Regiment was honored as this year’s Grand Marshal.

“We’re really pleased with this year’s event,” said Tony Angel, Chamber Special Events Coordinator. “So much hard work went into the many, many floats this year. The judges had a difficult task in picking the top three entries in each category.”

Winning entries this year were:

Church
o 1st Place – Longview Baptist
o 2nd Place – Windy Gap Baptist
o 3rd Place – Mashburn Branch Baptist
Civic/Community
o 1st Place – Macon County Democrat Party
o 2nd Place – Highlands Road Merchants
o 3rd Place – Macon County Sheriff’s Office
Business
o 1st Place – Britthaven of Franklin
o 2nd Place – Wal-Mart
o 3rd Place – Kelly’s Home Healthcare

“The Franklin Chamber of Commerce would like to extend our appreciation and gratitude to the community for their support of the parade. It takes all of us working together to make an event of this magnitude a success,” Angel concluded.

The Chamber offers special thanks to Chief Terry Bradley and the Franklin Police Department, Grace Presbyterian Church, First Assembly of God Church, Jim Brown Chrysler Dodge Jeep, Franklin High School, Wal-Mart, Big Kmart, Lowe’s, Pam Shepherd, Don Marks, Scotty Corbin, Cindy Stamey, and “Muffin” Dowdle Anderson.

Franklin and Macon County Veterans Honored on November 11

On the 11th day of the 11th month at the 11th hour Franklin and Macon County Veterans marched through downtown Franklin in special parade in their honor.

“This is the first time a group other than the Veterans themselves had organized an event for this day,” said Janet Jacobs Greene, Chair of Franklin’s Sesquicentennial Steering Committee. “It had been many, many years since the last Veterans Parade in Franklin.”

Steering Committee Member Tony Angel organized the Veterans Parade and the special Veterans Ceremony which followed at the downtown Franklin gazebo. According to Angel, “It was an honor for us to be able to recognize our Veterans. We hope to make this an annual event."

The parade was led by an escort from the Franklin Police Department followed by the Color Guard of the Smoky Mountain Detachment of the Marine Corps League. Next the award winning Franklin High School Marching Panther Regiment lead the parade of Veterans with patriotic numbers. Banners carried by the Boy Scouts of Franklin and others recognized the individual groups of Veterans along the parade route according to the war or time period they served, from Iraq and Afghanistan back to WWII.

The Veterans Ceremony featured comments from 150th Chair Janet Greene and Town of Franklin Mayor Joe Collins. Gues speaker for the event was Rev. Steve Reeves of Pastor Iotla Baptist Church and Vietnam Veteran. A wreath laying ceremony to honor our fallen Veterans was held as a time of silence was observed in their honor. Shane McConnell concluded the ceremony with the playing of "Taps".

Following the ceremony Veterans and their families were treated to a reception in their honor at Franklin's First United Methodist Church.

The 150th Steering Committee offers special thanks to Bob Litten-Military advisor for the event, Director Buddy Huckabee and the Franklin High School Marching Panther Regiment, Gem Capital Auto Club, Jim Brown Chrysler Jeep Dodge, Franklin First Baptist Church, Franklin First United Methodist Church, Chief Terry Bradley and the Franklin Police Department, Orson & Jean Finch, Shane McConnell, Norma Marks and the Boy Scouts of Franklin for volunteering their time to make this event such a success.

Franklin’s 150th Birthday Celebration: A Look Back

Record Crowds Attend Franklin’s 4th of July Fireworks & Fun Day

Independence Day 2005 in Franklin, North Carolina was one for the record books as nearly 20,000 people packed the Macon County Recreation Park to enjoy the celebration. "We were a bit concerned that since the 4th didn't fall on the weekend that our attendance for the event would be down this year," said Tony Angel, Chamber Public Information Director. "Were we ever wrong!"

Off and on rain showers couldn't dampen the spirit of the occasion as the crowds delighted to plenty of great entertainment, fun, games and food. Headlining entertainers for this year's event were Yesterday's Tomorrow the youngest Beatle's tribute band in the world. Hailing from Asheville, the band recently played 3 dates at the world famous Cavern Club in Liverpool, England where it all started for the Beatles.

Other entertainers included Franklin's Southern Thunder & Blue Ridge, Mountain Faith, the Macon County Line Dancers, Dave Stewart & Co. and the Franklin House of Prayer Praise Band.

The day's activities began at 10 a.m. with a record 32 teams entering the Annual Horseshoe Tournament. "Teams had to actually be turned away from the event," Angel continued. Several hundred people took advantage of scenic helicopter rides offered throughout the day. An all new Fun Land was featured this year as well as a hard rock climbing wall, free games and more!

To top off the celebration which also focused on Franklin's 150th Birthday was a breathtaking fireworks display. "Mike Trammell and the guys really kicked it up a notch this year."

Planning has already begun for next year's event. According to Angel, "Each year we're faced with the task of making the 4th of July Fun Day bigger and better. Rest assured that our team here at the Franklin Chamber already has our sleeves rolled up to make next year's celebration the best yet."

Below are just a few shots from Franklin's 4th of July Fireworks & Fun Day. More to come!

Yesterday's Tomorrow headlined entertainment during Franklin's 4th of July Fireworks & Fun Day.

Thousands Attend Memorial Day Weekend 2005 150th Birthday Celebration

Below are just a few glimpses of the weekend's activities.

Costume Contests contestants pictured above dressed the part during Saturday's Celebration.

Some enjoyed themselves more than others!

An authentic Moonshine Still was one of more than 50 exhibits.

Great mountain music was heard all throughout the weekend.

The Civil War Re-enactors drew large crowds throughout the weekend.

Franklin's 150th Anniversary Parade was a great success and lots of fun!

Admiral Gerald Beaman addressed more than 500 attendees at a Veterans Ceremony.

Admiral Beaman personally greeted many Veterans on hand for the event.

The crowds gather for the free Shenandoah Concert.

Shenandoah live in downtown Franklin to conclude the 150th Celebration!

Check out more great pictures at DNET!

Veterans' Day 2005: Honoring Franklin and Macon County Veterans

Franklin 150th Steering Committee Chair Janet Greene welcomes Veterans, family and friends.

Town of Franklin Mayor Joe Collins thanks Franklin and Macon County Veterans for their service.

Rev. Steve Reeves, Pastor of Iotla Baptist Church, was the keynote speaker for the event. Reeves served in Vietnam.

Woodrow Shope (center) is show accompanied by other WWII and Korea Veterans.

Veterans from WWII to Afghanistan attended the event. More than 150 Veterans marched in the parade and attended the ceremony representing all branches of service.

"Then and Now" A Pictorial History of Franklin

The Macon County Historical Society has unveiled a new book for Franklin's 150th Anniversary. Called "Then and Now" A Pictorial History of Franklin, the book features more than 300 photographs of Franklin's past and present. The coffee table style book is on sale now at the Macon County Historical Museum on Main Street in Franklin. Cost of the book is $50 plus tax. Nearly half of the first printing of 1,000 copies has already been sold. For more information contact the museum at 828-524-9758.