FAHS News, May 2024: Plant Sale 5/18, MCF Grant, Fun Franklin Fact, and much more

May 2024

Make a donation to FAHS. Join/renew online!

We collect and preserve stories and artifacts relating to the history of

Franklin and Franklin Township, Ohio.

Blooms at the Cabin

Saturday, May 18, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Plant and garden decor sale at the Log Post Office.

Some of the offerings we'll have: Hostas, black-eyed Susans, lavender, chives, iris, comfrey, Egyptian walking onions, rosemary, parsley, mullein, thyme, pennyroyal, phlox, cold sedum, Lily of the Valley, marjoram, basil, two new garden chimes in box, garden statuary, gemmed decorative plant stakes, wood crate, and clay pots.

We gladly accept cash, checks, Venmo, and PayPal.

If you'd like to donate plants, cuttings, garden decor, etc., drop them by the Log PO on Friday, May 17, from 10 to 3.

Questions? Call (937) 746-8295. This event is sponsored by The Farm on Central, Carlisle, Ohio.

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Little Cats, Big Minds

Our mascot, Mack the Moose, enjoyed spending time at "Little Cats, Big Minds," Franklin City Schools' Early Childhood Fair, which was recently held at Gerke School.

Mack handed out stickers and coloring sheets and enjoyed the smiles. Keep following our Facebook page for more of Mack's adventures.

MCF grant to support Log Post Office repair

We are excited to announce that the Historical Society has received a $10,000 grant from Middletown Community Foundation for repairs to the c. 1802 Log Post Office.

Architectural Reclamation of Franklin will be repairing daubing between logs, the stone foundation, windows, and making other needed repairs.

Many thanks to Middletown Community Foundation for the support!

We’ll be posting photos as the work takes place.

Fun Franklin fact: The horse that broke the bank

Once upon a time, Franklin could boast of being the home of one of the country’s fastest racehorses. Fortunes were made and all was going well … until it wasn’t. Meet Nightingale, The Horse that Broke the Bank.

Nightingale was a racehorse owned by Franklin businessmen D.M. Anderson and Charles Harding. Her earnings in 1892 alone amounted to $15,750 for the ten races she participated in.

In 1893, Nightingale ran races in Hartford, Connecticut, and Detroit, winning $15,000 for each race. Nightingale was pampered and kept in a nice barn decorated with lace curtains at the windows and had sleeping quarters for two men. The barn was located behind 103 Miami Avenue but was eventually destroyed by fire.

Nightingale was so popular that when she ran at the Franklin Fairgrounds additional trains had to be run to town to accommodate race attendees. Whenever she was shipped back home from out-of-town races, crowds would gather at the train station and a band would play for her return.

A party was always held at the Hotel Elite (219-223 S. Main St.) Nightingale’s winning streak came to an end in Lexington, Kentucky where she was defeated by Hamilton Nightingale from New York. After the race, Nightingale and three other horses in the stable owned by Franklin businessmen were held for unpaid bills. A group from Franklin traveled to Lexington to get the horses. They managed to get the horses and equipment loaded onto train cars, but the train was stopped, and the horses were seized. Nightingale was never returned to Franklin.

Citizens of Franklin had bet heavily on Nightingale in her losing race and soon after the bank closed down. Did the race factor into the bank closure? Maybe. Of course, it could be explained by the financial panic that swept the U.S. beginning in 1893. A conflict over the value of currency led lenders to call in loans and frightened foreign investors. That set off a four-year depression.

But until then, Franklin was known as a small town with the largest poker games and the fastest racehorses in the country.

Memberships, memorials, and donations

Thank you to these new and renewing members: Candy Fellers (new life member), Phyllis Scholp, Joe Jeromos, Phil Darragh, Shirley Smith (new member), Sharon Smith (new member), Melissa Pavlak (new member), Mishelle Dicken, Monica Rhude, Frank & Martha Chapman, Chris Kellis, and Craig Kellis.

Thank you for recent donations given in memory or in honor:

From Nancy Sharts Hopko in honor of Amy Bridge's birthday.
From Mary Nenninger in honor of Mary Sue Edwards' 100th birthday.
From Peggy Darragh-Jeromos in memory of loved ones.
Phyllis Howser Scholp in memory of Virgil "Buck" and Doris Howser.

Thank you for making donations to FAHS: Mary Nenninger, Robert Lipps, Mishelle Dicken, Peggy Darragh-Jeromos, Phyllis Scholp, Frank & Martha Chapman, and Melissa Pavlak.

Have you renewed or would you like to join? It's easy to do it online!

Annual trivia event and other 2024 happenings

We have a calendar full of great events planned this year. We hope to see you at some or all of these. Visit our website or follow our Facebook page for details.

May 18: Cabins in Bloom plant sale at Log PO, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

June 15: Getting Started with Warren County Records research. Speaker: Diana Lovett. Noon, at the Harding Museum.

June 21/22: Paranormal event, Harding Museum. Watch for a ticket purchase link.

June 23: Concert on the Harding lawn: Brother Been.

July 28: Concert on the Harding lawn: Gary Roberts’ Band.

Aug. 11: FAHS Trivia event; location: Deardoff Center.

Aug. 24: Carly Wall, author, will speak on herbs. 10 a.m., Log Post Office.

Sept. 8: Second Sunday author event at the Harding Museum.

Sept. 8: Used book sale begins.

Sept. 6-15: Open Doors statewide event.

Sept. 28: Worldwide Day of Play at Log Post Office.

Oct. 14: Second Sunday author event at the Museum.

Oct. 26 & 27: Murder Mystery events.

Nov. 10: Second Sunday author event at the Museum. Last day of book sale.

Dec. 14: Hometown Christmas open house.

More work at the Harding

Volunteer Brent Hull continues to take on projects at the Harding. He is currently working on the Elm Street screen door (screen repair) and entry doorway (stain). Thank you, Brent!

If you've visited the Harding lately, you've probably noticed the landscaping. Many thanks to our board vice president Steve Peters for all of his work over the last few summers.

Kroger Rewards!

Kroger shoppers: Kroger shoppers: The Kroger Family of Companies is committed to community engagement, positive social impact, and charitable giving at the national and local levels.

One of the ways Kroger does this is via the Kroger Community Rewards program. This program makes fundraising easy by donating to local organizations based on the shopping you do every day. Please consider linking your card to Franklin Area Historical Society. Once you link your Card to FAHS, all you have to do is shop at Kroger and swipe your Shopper’s Card.