Seclusion and simplicity on the edge of Lycoming County
Franklin is named in honor of Benjamin Franklin, but the township in North Central Pennsylvania is a far cry from Philadelphia, the city where the Founding Father spent much of his life. About 150 miles northwest of Philadelphia, Franklin is a rural stretch of Lycoming County inhabited by about 900 people. There are fewer businesses, churches and schools in the township today than at the end of the 19th century, but it hasn’t lost its sense of community. Locals shoot the breeze at the tavern, hold festivities at the fire station and work the farmland that originally drew people to the area 200 years ago. It remains a largely undeveloped area, with 10-plus miles separating Franklin from the closest shopping and dining clusters in Hughesville and Williamsport.
Waterfalls, mountain views at North Mountain
The northern end of Franklin is in the foothills of North Mountain, a 2,600-foot peak. This upland area is also home to State Game Lands No. 13, roughly 51,000 acres of land conserved by the state. Hunters may trek into the forests to find wild turkeys or trap gray foxes. Those who hike or bike the hilly trails may be rewarded with a view from the summit or a shady spot next to the churning waters of Sullivan Falls. About 6 miles west of Franklin, Hughesville offers the nearest municipal parks. Bodine Park has a playground and baseball field, while Lime Bluff Recreational Area features an 18-hole disc golf course. On the south end of Franklin, Radiant Light Church precedes Sunday worship with a breakfast for the congregation, also holding luncheons, dinners and Bible studies throughout the week.
Lengthy drives to stores
Lairdsville Cornerstone is the township’s lone restaurant. Its current ownership took over in 2022, but the building has served as a tavern since the 1800s. The restaurant is known for Darwin’s Dominator, a bacon cheeseburger with grilled cheeses instead of top and bottom buns. Some locals are periodic customers at the no-frills eatery, where the motto is: “Order what you want; eat what you get.” “I frequent several times per week for lunch,” says Raine Ohnmeiss, a Franklin resident and the township’s secretary. When it comes to shopping, the nearest options are Dollar General, 4 miles south of Franklin in Millville, or TJ’s Market, a grocery store 6 miles west of the township in Hughesville. Main Street Hughesville is lined with small businesses where people can have a diner-style breakfast at Kathy’s Cafe or shop for clothes and boots at Mark’s Outfitters. For big-box stores, shoppers can head 12 miles west of Franklin to Muncy, home to Sam’s Club and Target, or drive 15 miles south of the township to Bloomsburg, where there are Walmart, The Home Depot and Marshalls.
Village and countryside living
Most homes are in the countryside, where Colonial Revivals and Cape Cods sit on large lots averaging about 2 acres. Spacious properties and thickets of trees create plenty of privacy for residents. One exception is Lairdsville, a small village within Franklin where Folk Victorians and Colonial Revivals are close together along Pennsylvania Route 118. About 50 homes in Lairdsville are connected to a sewage treatment plant that opened in 2023 to replace sewage disposal systems on homeowners’ properties. Ohnmeiss says the plant doesn’t create a smell. However, homeowners connected to the plant have to pay $110 per month to fund the cost of pumping sewage. Homes usually cost between $150,000 and $350,000, but a renovated house with more than 2,000 square feet can sell for as much as $450,000.
Environmental hazards in Franklin
Although FEMA rates the risk of tornadoes in Lycoming County as relatively low, a tornado in 2022 ripped through Lairdsville. Winds tore roofs off homes, destroyed barns and injured one person. Friends, neighbors and first responders from Franklin and surrounding townships worked together in the following days to clear debris. FEMA identifies flood zones around Muncy Creek, which flooded in 2011. Homebuyers purchasing houses in flood zones may be required to have flood insurance.
Extensive sports options at Hughesville Junior/Senior High
Carl G. Renn Elementary School stands in the middle of the township, with every home within 10 miles of the school, graded a B by Niche. Hughesville Junior/Senior High School, which teaches seventh through 12th graders, is 15 miles from some residents. The B-minus-rated school offers more than 30 boys and girls sports, including bowling and indoor track.
Gathering at the fire station
The Lairdsville Community Volunteer Fire Co. station off Route 118 is the community hub for events. Firefighters organize parades to celebrate the organization’s anniversaries, invite locals for fish dinners and host gun raffles to raise money.
Highway connection to Hughesville, Williamsport
The township is a car-dependent community where people get around by highways and country roads. Pennsylvania Route 118 winds east to west through Franklin, connecting to Hughesville. U.S. Route 220 leads from Hughesville to Interstate 180, which drivers can take to downtown Williamsport and Williamsport Regional Airport, which provides direct flights to Washington Dulles International Airport.
