Daycation Destination: A trip to historic Franklin, Pa.
Dine, sip, shop and stroll the day away with a Daycation Destination road trip to historic Franklin in Venango County.
Named for Benjamin Franklin and laid out in 1775, Franklin is a small city nestled at the confluence of the French Creek and Allegheny River about 85 miles north of Pittsburgh.
Franklin was first established as a fort, and the first European settlers hailed from France and England. The French first claimed the area with the creation of Fort Machault in 1753, the same year George Washington visited the Franklin region.
Four forts would go on to occupy Franklin — Machault, Venango, Franklin and the Old Garrison — making Franklin the only city in Pennsylvania to have had four different forts within its borders.
The discovery of oil in nearby Titusville in 1859 spawned an economic boom to Franklin and the surrounding area, resulting in the construction of many large and elaborate homes and millionaire residents.
Franklin’s Historic District was registered in the National Registry of Historic Places in 1979, and existing homes represent more than 20 styles collectively labeled Victorian, earning Franklin the nickname “America’s Victorian City.”
Friendly Franklin
Franklin Area Chamber of Commerce executive director Jodi Lewis is a proud Franklin native and loves to greet visitors and help them navigate the historic Franklin shopping and dining hub of Liberty Street.
“All of the restaurants, ice cream shops and bakeries have their own amazing something. If you are coming to town, look me up and I’ll be happy to help you find what you’re craving,” Lewis said. “I’m most proud that I’m blessed to be a part of a team of organizations who work together to make our community the incredible destination that it is. Shoppers, foodies, history buffs, architecture, outdoorsy people — we have it all.”
Historic Walking Tours
Free historic walking tours are available to anyone interested in walking in the footsteps of late notables such as Johnny Appleseed, George Washington, John Wilkes Booth, John D. Rockefeller, Louis C. Tiffany and Presidents William McKinley and Ulysses S. Grant.
“St. John’s Episcopal Church has a set of original Tiffany windows that Tiffany himself came to town to help design. These are simply beautiful, especially when the sun is shining,” Lewis said.
Self-guided free tours showcasing the 30 Tiffany windows are available from 8 a.m.-2 p.m. Tuesdays-Fridays inside the church at 1145 Buffalo St.
The collection of Tiffany windows was installed from 1901-17 and was appraised for almost $16 million during the 1980s. The windows underwent a restoration project funded by the congregation in the late 1990s.
Visitors to Franklin can book free guided tours with a volunteer from the Franklin Rotary Club.
Deb Eckelberger is an experienced walking tour docent, Rotary member and unofficial cheerleader for Franklin.
She loves to show off the fort diorama inside the Franklin Historical Society and loves sharing Franklin with tourists.
Franklin homeowners residing in the historic district have to adhere to historical exterior color and architectural requirements, and yellow is a common house color.
“We have a Civil War monument that was dedicated in 1866, and more than 15,000 attended the monument unveiling with 400 names on there,” Eckelberger said.
Tour highlights include an original horse hitch remaining at one home along Elk Street.
Many of the homes have working original shutters and have been meticulously maintained.
Pocket doors, custom woodwork and glass door knobs are many features inside the homes — one of which Thomas Edison’s widow, Mina Miller Edison, called home.
The walking tour includes the Venango County Jail, which is still in use.
The jail’s tower, once equipped with a noose and scaffold, can be seen from Elk Street.
The stone jail was constructed in 1910 and features historic artifacts discovered in Franklin and displayed inside for public viewing.
Another home along Elk Street once served as a boarding house where President Abraham Lincoln’s assassin, John Wilkes Booth, once rented lodging.
Franklin has several parks, including Riverfront Park at Ninth and Elk streets and Johnny Appleseed Park at 13th Street and Franklin Avenue, where John “Johnny Appleseed” Chapman lived along French Creek from 1797 to 1804.
Shop local
Katrina Piercy grew up in the South Hills of Pittsburgh and has called Franklin home for 17 years.
“It instantly felt like home,” Piercy said of the welcoming vibe that permeates Franklin. “I lost my husband unexpectedly, and, after he passed, I was embraced and cared for by the community. A little Hallmark town, as I like to call it.”
Liberty Street is the hub for locally owned businesses that include eateries, breweries, cafes, antiques and boutiques.
Franklin’s historic district includes more than 200 architecturally significant buildings showcasing more than 20 styles of architecture.
From gourmet olive oils and balsamic vinegar at The Olive Vault to whimsical and unique clothing and gifts at Something Clever, visitors can shop more than 30 stores in the blocks surrounding and along Liberty Street.
Find Southern California-inspired women’s wear at Boho Daisy Boutique, also on Liberty.
Foodie Franklin
Liberty Street offers numerous dining and drinking establishments, all with a casually creek-chic vibe and suitable for all ages.
Specialty homemade cupcakes in flavors such as lemon berry, mega brownie, sugar cookie and vanilla caramel can be found at Pink Champagne Cupcakery.
Trails to Ales Brewery dubs itself the “neighborhood gathering place” and is housed in a 145-year-old brick building with a restored original tin ceiling.
Signature, seasonal and small-batch selections of beer are brewed on-site, and a full menu includes burgers, pizza, salads, handhelds and their signature Brewpub Pickle Chips — breaded, deep-fried and served with ranch dressing.
Franklin’s fine-dining scene welcomes children (there’s a kid’s menu) and is repped with Bella Cucina, an American-themed eatery and bar on Liberty Street.
Bella Cucina serves lunch and dinner and offers covered patio dining, live music at 6 p.m. during the summer and signature cocktails like The Hummingbird, made with tequila, blackberry puree and simple syrup and topped with ginger beer and fresh mint; and the Bella 75, made with Empress Gin, lemon juice and Cointreau.
Seek the creek
Outdoor pursuits include fishing, golf, camping and river recreation. The French Creek is within walking distance of the historic district and visible from many residences.
Blazing a nature trail is easy, as the Allegheny River Trail continues for 28 miles along the Allegheny River from Franklin to Emlenton.
Kayak, bike and river-related rentals are available at OARS (Outdoor Allegheny River Services) for exploring the French Creek and Allegheny River.
Festive Franklin
Franklin hosts some type of festival each month, and Applefest takes over downtown Franklin from Oct. 3 to 5.
Other popular festivals include Pet Fest, Pink Splash, Old-Fashioned Christmas, May Garden Mart, Franklin On Ice, Taste of Franklin, LibertyFest, Blues & Barbecue and Wine Walk.
Next up is something for all the stone skippers of the world — the 2025 Rock in River Fest: PA Stone Skipping Championship is scheduled from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Aug. 16.
Franklin Historic District resident Bridget Sottiaux enjoys seeing tourists learn about Franklin.
Sottiaux fell for Franklin so hard that she recently moved there and lives in a historic home on Liberty Street.
She suggests visitors try a Clark’s doughnut and coffee from Iron Furnace on Liberty Street.
“We have something scheduled every month to bring people into Franklin,” Sottiaux said.
Joyce Hanz is a native of Charleston, S.C. and is a features reporter covering the Pittsburgh region. She majored in media arts and graduated from the University of South Carolina. She can be reached at jhanz@triblive.com
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