Franklin is a small township with multi-generational family farms
The Franklin Township of Columbia County offers a rural setting south of the Susquehanna River. Grain silos, barns and acres of hilly farmland make up most of this community, which is home to around 550 residents. “Everybody I know here farms,” says Denise Bosworth, the fourth-generation owner of Rohrbach's Farm Market, Bakery & Gift Shop. “Most of our families have lived and worked on this land for decades.” In the southern part of town, Knoebels Amusement Resort’s rollercoasters and waterslides peek over the tree canopy. Though the park does attract tourists, the township maintains a slow-paced lifestyle. “Every day is pretty much the same for most of us,” Bosworth says. “We wake up, get to work on our farms and then spend time with our families.”
Houses here sit on farmland
Housing includes Colonial Revivals, ranch-style homes and New Traditionals. Most properties are working farms with wheat crops, cattle and hay pastures. Oak and pine trees densely shade some houses. The median single-family home price is around $130,000, which is less than the national median. Fixer-uppers can start at $25,000, while custom-built homes may reach $660,000. Heavy rainfall occasionally causes the Susquehanna River and its creeks to overflow, so houses closest to these waterways do have a risk of flooding.
There’s a longstanding farm market in Franklin
Rohrbach's Farm Market, Bakery & Gift Shop sells items like jam, barbecued meats and wine, which are all made on-site. Behind the red barn-style storefront, people can pick their own cherries, peaches and pumpkins, depending on the season. The market, which opened in 1955, also hosts cooking classes and summer camps about farming. “We have people who came here when they were little, and now they bring their kids with them,” Bosworth says. “Farmers and families in the township have supported our small business for decades.” The area has a few other farm stands and restaurants. For instance, Rolling Hill Red Deer Farm sells venison cuts, while Paw & Plate is a dog-friendly bar with regular live music performances on the patio. More restaurants and a Weis Markets grocery store are in Catawissa, about 4 miles north.
Tourists visiting Knoebels Amusement Resort may back up traffic
Knoebels Amusement Resort is the country’s largest free-admission amusement park, with over 60 rides. The wooden Phoenix roller coaster has a 72-foot drop, while the steel Impulse roller coaster dangles riders upside down. Visitors can also spin around two century-old carousels and cool off in the 900,000-gallon swimming pool, which has several water slides. The park’s regular season is between April and September, but the 18-hole Three Pond Golf Course near the entrance is open year-round unless it snows. Tourists often stay at the Knoebels-affiliated campgrounds sprinkled around Franklin. They also frequently back up traffic on state Route 487, which spans the township’s core and is the main road into the park. “Cars will be bumper to bumper on that road during the summer,” Bosworth says. “But us locals just drive on backroads to get around the area.”
The area’s public schools earn B-minus ratings or higher
Southern Columbia Area School District serves Franklin. Kids can attend G.C. Hartman Elementary, which Niche grades a B-plus. They may continue to B-rated Southern Columbia Area Middle and B-minus-graded Southern Columbia Area High, where pathway programs include algebra, biology and literature. Commonwealth University’s Bloomsburg Campus, about 9 miles north, offers over 60 undergraduate and graduate programs, ranging from creative writing to economics.
Locals can boat and fish on the Susquehanna River
Franklin is near several recreation spaces along the Susquehanna River. There's a kayak launch off River Drive in Danville, about 12 miles northwest. Paddling east along the calm water, kayakers can dock at Bloomsburg Town Park, which has tennis courts, picnic pavilions and a playground. Milton State Park, 25 miles northwest, is another riverfront green space with fishing docks and more boat launches. Multiple designated hunting grounds for deer, wild turkey and rabbit are less than 20 miles away.
Some people travel by tractor here
Locals drive cars and tractors along Franklin's asphalt and gravel roads. “Some people actually need to drive their tractors around for work, but sometimes we just hop in our tractor and take it to go to our neighbor’s house,” Bosworth says. State Route 487 connects with state Route 42 to reach Bloomsburg, less than 9 miles north. The town is home to Geisinger Bloomsburg Hospital, the closest emergency room. Wilkes-Barre Scranton International Airport is a 60-mile drive east on U.S. Route 11, which is just north of Franklin. Locals occasionally hear train horns from the freight railroad that runs along the Susquehanna River.
