History & Facts

About Franklin County Idaho

Franklin County was named after Franklin D. Richards, an Apostle of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and it is the only Franklin County in the United States that is not named after Benjamin Franklin.


Franklin County Facts

  • Established: January 30, 1913
  • Date of Incorporation: January 20, 1913
  • County Population 2020 14,194
  • Water area: 2.9 square miles
  • County Seat: Preston
  • Elevation: 4715'
  • Population: 14,194 (2020 Census)
  • Area: 667 square miles
  • County Seat: Preston
  • Courthouse built: 1938



Historic Information Links



Scenic beauty and points of interest:


  • Little Mountain (or Mt. Lookout) located between Preston and Franklin attracts a great deal of attention because of it being completely separated from the Wasatch range and is a rather outstanding landmark in the valley.
  • The water lines left on the mountains by Lake Bonneville are quite distinct.
  • The Oneida Narrows, Cub River canyon, Franklin Basin, Litz Basin, and Willow Flat are some of the outstanding beauty spots.



Historic places in Franklin County

A brief outline of some sites, buildings, and areas that have historical significance within our County lines.


  1. Idaho's first permanent settlement at Franklin (1860) with building and sites there.
  2. Two known indian burial sites (showing clearly on the Martineau map).
  3. Two archeological caves at Franklin and Weston.
  4. Pioneer Relic Hall built in 1936 in Franklin.
  5. Old Battler Creek Town at the site of the Battle of Bear River (1877 -1881) Now: Bear River Massacre National Historic Landmark
  6. Oneida Stake Academy (Partial Restoration)
  7. This area was nearly covered by "Lake Bonneville". The last plateau is plainly visible on the east benches.
  8. The original emigrant trail from East to West known as the "Old German Dugway" (mid 1800's), still useable (Cub River Canyon area)
  9. The first narrow gauge railroad and roundhouse at Battle Creek.
  10. First River town and toll bridge at Battle Creek (1869) known as Bridgeport
  11. The site of the Battle of Bear River between Col. P.E. Conner, the California Volunteers, and the No. Western Shoshoni. January 29, 1863 (designated a massacre site in 1990)



CITIES & AREAS


Franklin - first settled in 1860 by five companies from Provo, Payson, Slaterville, Kayscreek and Bountiful. First Idaho School House was built in 1861. First Idaho flour mill was built in 1863. See photos of Franklin's Historic District


Battle Creek - was the setting for the Indian Massacre in 1863. Had a population of over 100 people. The Utah Northern Railroad was built to there in 1878 and it was made a division point in 1881. Battle Creek seemed to boom into a town almost overnight.


Clifton ated on the west side of the valley, at the foot of a beautiful chain of the Wasatch Mountains. It was named for the many jagged cliffs in the nearby canyons. Twin Lakes reservoir is located nearby and is a source of recreation and irrigation.


Weston is located in the southeast corner of Franklin County. By reason of its being the first settlement over the river on the west side of Cache Valley, it was first called Westtown and later the name was shortened to Weston. In 1922 the Weston High School basketball team were successful in winning the Intermountain Champtionship and a year later they went to Chicago and lost to the National team by three points.


Whitney - is located just midway between Franklin and Preston along the highway. It was first known as "Hulls Crossing" and later was changed to Whitney in honor of Orsen F. Whitney, an Apostle in the LDS Church.


Preston - is the County seat. Preston was first called "Worm Creek". It is the banking and commerical center of Franklin County. It is situated on an eminence 200 feet above the rest of the valley. 


Dayton - is located across Bear River, west and about five miles from Preston. THe place was first called "Chadville" then "Five Miles" (it being just five miles from Weston and five miles from CLifton). It was later called Dayton. 


Treasureton - north of Preston on the old Bear River Highway in the midst of alfalfa and stock ranching will be found Treasureton. When the place was first settled, it belonged to Clifton Ward.


Mink Creek - along the foothills of the Wasatch Mountains, about 15 miles north-east of Preston is Mink Creek. 


Riverdale - about seven miles north of Presotn lies the little town of Rverdale. 


Mapleton - the little town of Mapleton is situated about ten miles east of Preston. Cub River is a beautiful mountain stream that winds its way through the settlement. 


Fairview - just a few miles south of Preston is found a small farming community.The Fairview ward formed a part of Lewiston ward until the organization of Oneida Stake. 


Winder - this rich dryfarm land began as 'sagebrush and jackrabbit country'. Most of the settlers arrived between 1890 and 1900.


Banida - on the county border, was said to have been coined from the words Bannock and Oneida. It had a riotous beginning as a railroad terminus town in 1878. This was a booming tent city known as Dunnville. 


Coulam - was located 3 miles northest of Clifton. At one time it was a business center with many nice homes, a store, an implement house, a confectionery, blacksmith shop and lumberyard. It had an active life span of about ten years. 


Oxford - The name Oxford is supposed to have originated in the days of the trappers and mountaineers who found tracks of an ox or oxen which had forded the stream near the present settlement. Residents now say it received its name because an ox drowned when some pioneers were crossing. Oxford was the County seat at one time.


Linrose - this place was originally known as Roosevelt, with the Lincoln district to the west. Later, Emma Rich Bingham, coined the name Linrose from the first parts of Lincoln and Roosevelt. 


Bridgeport - was located across Bear River at the mouth of Deep Creek, about two and one-half miles north and west of the present city of Preston.


About Franklin County Idaho

Franklin County FactsEstablished: January 30, 1913

County Population 2007 - 12,203

Land area: 665 square miles

Water area: 2.9 square miles

County Seat: Preston

Elevation: 4715'

Population: 14,194 (2020 Census)

Area: 667 square miles

County Seat: Preston

Date of Incorporation: January 20, 1913

Courthouse built: 1938


Franklin County was named after Franklin D. Richards, an Apostle of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and it is the only Franklin County in the United States that is not named after Benjamin Franklin.


Franklin County has many places of scenic beauty and points of interest ...

* Little Mountain (or Mt. Lookout) located between Preston and Franklin attracts a great deal of attention because of it being completely separated from the Wasatch range and is a rather outstanding landmark in the valley.


* The water lines left on the mountains by Lake Bonneville are quite distinct.


* The Oneida Narrows, Cub River canyon, Franklin Basin, Litz Basin, and Willow Flat are some of the outstanding beauty spots.

Historic places in Franklin County
A brief outline of some sites, buildings, and areas that have historical significance within our County lines.

  1. Idaho's first permanent settlement at Franklin (1860) with building and sites there.
  2. Two known indian burial sites (showing clearly on the Martineau map).
  3. Two archeological caves at Franklin and Weston.
  4. Pioneer Relic Hall built in 1936 in Franklin.
  5. Old Battler Creek Town at the stie of the Battle of Bear River (1877 1881) Now: Bear River Massacre National Historic Landmark
  6. Oneida Stake Academy(Partial Restoration)
  7. This area was nearly covered by "Lake Bonneville". The last plateau is plainly visible on the east benches.
  8. The original emigrant trail from East to West known as the "Old German Dugway" (mid 1800's), still useable (Cub River Canyon area)
  9. The first narrow gauge railroad and roundhouse at Battle Creek.
  10. First River town and toll bridge at Battle Creek (1869) known as Bridgeport
  11. The site of the Battle of Bear River between Col. P.E. Conner, the California Volunteers, and the No. Western Shoshoni. January 29, 1863 (designated a massacre site in 1990)
Franklin - first settled in 1860 by five companies from Provo, Payson, Slaterville, Kayscreek and Bountiful.
      First Idaho School House was builing in 1861.
      First Idaho flour mill was built in 1863. 

Bridgeport - was located across Bear River at the mouth of Deep Creek, about two and one-half miles north and west of the present city of Preston.

Battle Creek - was the setting for the Indian Massacre in 1863. Had a population of over 100 people. The Utah Northern Railroad was built to there in 1878 and it was made a division point in 1881. Battle Creek seemed to boom into a town almost overnight.

Clifton ated on the west side of the valley, at the foot of a beautiful chain of the Wasatch Mountains. It was named for the many jagged cliffs in the nearby canyons. Twin Lakes reservoir is located nearby and is a source of recreation and irrigation.

Weston is located in the southeast corner of Franklin County. By reason of its being the first settlement over the river on the west side of Cache Valley, it was first called Westtown and later the name was shortened to Weston. In 1922 the Weston High School basketball team were successful in winning the Intermountain Champtionship and a year later they went to Chicago and lost to the National team by three points.

Whitney - is located just midway between Franklin and Preston along the highway. It was first known as "Hulls Crossing" and later was changed to Whitney in honor of Orsen F. Whitney, an Apostle in the LDS Church.

Preston - is the County seat. Preston was first called "Worm Creek". It is the banking and commerical center of Franklin County. It is situated on an eminence 200 feet above the rest of the valley. 

Dayton - is located across Bear River, west and about five miles from Preston. THe place was first called "Chadville" then "Five Miles" (it being just five miles from Weston and five miles from CLifton). It was later called Dayton. 

Treasureton - north of Preston on the old Bear River Highway in the midst of alfalfa and stock ranching will be found Treasureton. When the place was first settled, it belonged to Clifton Ward.

Mink Creek - along the foothills of the Wasatch Mountains, about 15 miles north-east of Preston is Mink Creek. 

Riverdale - about seven miles north of Presotn lies the little town of Rverdale. 

Mapleton - the little town of Mapleton is situated about ten miles east of Preston. Cub River is a beautiful mountain stream that winds its way through the settlement. 

Fairview - just a few miles south of Preston is found a small farming community.The Fairview ward formed a part of Lewiston ward until the organization of Oneida Stake. 

Winder - this rich dryfarm land began as 'sagebrush and jackrabbit country'. Most of the settlers arrived between 1890 and 1900.

Banida - on the county border, was said to have been coined from the words Bannock and Oneida. It had a riotous beginning as a railroad terminus town in 1878. This was a booming tent city known as Dunnville. 

Coulam - was located 3 miles northest of Clifton. At one time it was a business center with many nice homes, a store, an implement house, a confectionery, blacksmith shop and lumberyard. It had an active life span of about ten years. 

Oxford - The name Oxford is supposed to have originated in the days of the trappers and mountaineers who found tracks of an ox or oxen which had forded the stream near the present settlement. Residents now say it received its name because an ox drowned when some pioneers were crossing. Oxford was the County seat at one time.

Linrose - this place was originally known as Roosevelt, with the Lincoln district to the west. Later, Emma Rich Bingham, coined the name Linrose from the first parts of Lincoln and Roosevelt. 
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