Franklin

About Franklin

Tucked into the rolling hills of New London County, Franklin is one of Connecticut's most quietly charming small towns — the kind of place where neighbors still know each other by name and the pace of life feels genuinely unhurried. With its classic New England Congregational church anchoring the landscape, Franklin offers a rare sense of small-town authenticity in southeastern Connecticut.

What to Know

• Named for a Founding Father: Franklin takes its name from Benjamin Franklin himself, giving this modest rural town a surprisingly distinguished namesake.
• The Village of North Franklin: The town includes the quaint village of North Franklin, adding to its layered, old-New England character.
• Selectman-Town Meeting Government: Franklin still operates under the traditional Connecticut selectman-town meeting form of government — democracy as close to its roots as it gets.
• Scenic and Small: Spanning just under 20 square miles, Franklin is refreshingly uncrowded, with open land, quiet roads, and a genuine countryside feel within easy reach of Norwich and the shoreline.

History

Franklin's roots stretch back to 1663 as part of the original Norwich settlement, and its residents had to petition twice before finally winning the right to form their own ecclesiastical society in 1716. The town was officially incorporated in 1786, and until 1861 its borders stretched east to the Shetucket River — until the creation of the town of Sprague reshaped its boundaries into what they are today.

Community & Living

Franklin is the kind of town that attracts people looking to escape suburban sprawl without sacrificing the warmth of a connected community. Residents enjoy a deeply rural setting with a strong sense of local pride and civic tradition. It's a place where simplicity is a feature, not a bug.