A JOINT RESOLUTION honoring the founders of the town of franklin on the town's 150th anniversary.
Whereas, in 1820, the North Carolina General Assembly set aside 400 acres as the seat of government in Macon County and authorized the sale of 20 town lots to establish the town site; and
Whereas, Jesse Franklin, together with James Meabin, was appointed to survey the 400 acres and locate the county seat, now the Town of Franklin in its present site; and
Whereas, the first house, a small round log cabin, was built shortly thereafter by Joshua Roberts; and
Whereas, on December 3, 1832, the Baptist Church was granted three acres and 72 poles of land, and on January 10,1835, the Methodist-Episcopal Church received a grant for three acres of land at $3.00 an acre; and
Whereas, the Town of Franklin was established by an act of the General Assembly on February 10, 1855, and was named for Jesse Franklin, the surveyor; and
Whereas, the act provided “corporate limits of said town shall be one-half mile from the courthouse in every direction”; and
Whereas, the Sheriff of Macon County called for the first town election to be held at the courthouse in October 1855, when five commissioners were elected – J.M. Lyle, John Reid, N.G. Allman, J.R. Siler, and J. Jackson Johnson; and
Whereas, on December 12, 1855, the five commissioners appointed J.R. Siler, Chairman; J. Jackson Johnson, Secretary and Treasurer; Jonathan M. Bryson, Town Magistrate, and A.M. Bell, Constable; and
Whereas, much of the early history contained in the town minutes between 1855 and 1903 was destroyed in a fire; and
Whereas, in 1946, the Town purchased the sacred Nikwasi Mound site, the center of an ancient village of the Middle Cherokees that was listed on the National Historical Registry in September 1981; and
Whereas, Dr. Edgar Angel and Dr. Furman Angel established a medical practice and medical facility in 1924 – the forerunner of Angel Medical Center, a modern facility with 25 physicians serving Western North Carolina; and
Whereas, a series of town parks have been connected by a two‑mile greenway located on the bank of the Little Tennessee River; and
Whereas, the Town of Franklin has become a commercial, industrial, and retail business center for Western North Carolina; and
Whereas, land has been purchased and plans are being drawn for the relocation and construction of a new town hall, police station, offices, and equipment building; and
Whereas, the preserved town square along with the conversion of the old jail to a museum shows the town’s respect for the town’s past and optimism for its future; Now, therefore,
Be it resolved by the Senate, the House of Representatives, concurring:
SECTION 1.  The General Assembly wishes to honor the memory of the founders and early residents of the Town of Franklin for their contributions to North Carolina.
SECTION 2.  The General Assembly congratulates the Town of Franklin on its 150th anniversary and encourages the people of this State to join the citizens of Franklin in celebrating this historic occasion.
SECTION 3.  The Secretary of State shall transmit a certified copy of this resolution to the Mayor of the Town of Franklin.
SECTION 4.  This resolution is effective upon ratification.