Franklin, Milwaukee County, Wisconsin

Franklin is a city in Milwaukee County, Wisconsin

Wisconsin

Wisconsin is a U.S. state located in the north-central United States and is part of the Midwest. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michigan to the northeast, and Lake Superior to the north. Wisconsin's capital is...

, United States

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

. Franklin is a suburb of Milwaukee

Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Milwaukee is the largest city in the U.S. state of Wisconsin, the 28th most populous city in the United States and 39th most populous region in the United States. It is the county seat of Milwaukee County and is located on the southwestern shore of Lake Michigan. According to 2010 census data, the...

with a population of 35,451 as of the 2010 census.

Transportation

Franklin is nine miles (14 km) from downtown Milwaukee and four miles (6 km) from General Mitchell International Airport

General Mitchell International Airport

General Mitchell International Airport is a county-owned public airport located five miles south of the central business district of Milwaukee, a city in Milwaukee County, Wisconsin, United States....

, close to Interstate 94

Interstate 94

Interstate 94 is the northernmost east–west Interstate Highway, connecting the Great Lakes and Intermountain regions of the United States. I-94's western terminus is in Billings, Montana at a junction with Interstate 90; its eastern terminus is the U.S...

. Running through the city are U.S. Highway 45, and WIS 36

Highway 36 (Wisconsin)

State Trunk Highway 36 is a state highway in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. It runs in a diagonal southwest-northeast direction across southeastern Wisconsin from Springfield which is north of Lake Geneva to Milwaukee.- Route description :WIS 36 begins at its intersection with WIS 120, and travels...

, WIS 100

Highway 100 (Wisconsin)

State Trunk Highway 100 is a road which encircles the outer edges of Milwaukee County...

, and WIS 241

Highway 241 (Wisconsin)

State Trunk Highway 241 is a state highway in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. It runs north–south in southeast Wisconsin from Oak Creek to Milwaukee along a previous routing of U.S. Route 41, for which it is named.Highway 241 was created when State highway officials decided to re-route U.S...

Best place to live in

In July 2007, CNN/Money and Money magazine ranked Franklin the 90th best place to live in the United States.

FDi magazine

FDi magazine

fDi Magazine is an English-language bi-monthly news and foreign direct investment publication owned by The Financial Times Ltd and edited in London. The A4 glossy pages reach a circulation of 14, 768 ABC “senior decision-makers involved in overseas investment” across the world...

honored Franklin in their April 2007 issue with awards for "Best Human Resources Runner-up", as well as "Best Infrastructure Top Five" for Micro Cities in the North America

North America

North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...

n region.

Franklin ranked 94th in the 2011 Money Magazine rankings.

Geography

Franklin is located at 42.899166°N 88.002204°W (42.899166, -88.002204).

According to the United States Census Bureau

United States Census Bureau

The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...

, the city has a total area of 34.7 square miles (89.9 km²), of which, 34.6 square miles (89.7 km²) of it is land and 0.1 square miles (0.2 km²) of it (0.26%) is water.

The Root River

Root River (Wisconsin)

The Root River is a river that flows to Lake Michigan at the city of Racine in southeastern Wisconsin in the United States. Racine and Racine County are named for the river, as racine is the French word for root.-Course:...

runs south through Franklin, cutting the city in half.
Franklin contains many prized natural features in Milwaukee County:

Franklin State Natural Area
Root River Parkway
untouched wetlands
prairies
mature woodlands
some remaining agriculture in southern 1/3 of city

Demographics

The Department of Administration estimates that the population for the City of Franklin in 2005 was 32,548. Since 2000, the population of Franklin has grown approximately 10 percent. Franklin is one of the fastest growing communities in the state of Wisconsin, and by 2010, Franklin is predicted to have a population close to 40,000. Franklin has an estimated 35% of land still available for development (residential/commercial/office).
As of the census

Census

A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...

of 2000, there were 29,494 people, 10,602 households, and 7,697 families residing in the city. The population density

Population density

Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...

was 851.8 people per square mile (328.8/km²). There were 10,936 housing units at an average density of 315.8 per square mile (121.9/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 90.78% White, 5.15% African American, 0.36% Native American, 2.10% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.67% from other races

Race (United States Census)

Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...

, and 0.91% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.64% of the population.

There were 10,602 households out of which 33.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 63.2% were married couples

Marriage

Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...

living together, 6.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.4% were non-families. 22.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 6.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.58, and the average family size was 3.06.

In the city, the population was spread out with 23.4% under the age of 18, 8.4% from 18 to 24, 32.7% from 25 to 44, 25.6% from 45 to 64, and 9.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 109.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 110.0 males.

The median income for a household in the city was US$64,315, and the median income for a family was $75,532. Males had a median income of $47,827 versus $33,737 for females. The per capita income

Per capita income

Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...

for the city was $27,474. About 1.4% of families and 2.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 2.7% of those under age 18 and 3.9% of those age 65 or over.

History

The city of Franklin was originally one of two towns that were created out of the Town of Kinnickinnic by the Wisconsin Territorial Legislature in 1838. The name “Franklin” was given in homage to one of the Founding Fathers, Benjamin Franklin

Benjamin Franklin

Dr. Benjamin Franklin was one of the Founding Fathers of the United States. A noted polymath, Franklin was a leading author, printer, political theorist, politician, postmaster, scientist, musician, inventor, satirist, civic activist, statesman, and diplomat...

, and was bestowed on the area in 1838. Franklin was originally a part of the Northwest Territory and was organized into a township in 1841. The township consisted of a thirty-six-mile area that was originally covered with heavy timber, which was mostly hardwoods such as hickory, walnut, and butternut. Most of the town's drainage was delivered by the Root River and there was an abundance of wildlife including bears, deer, and wolves.

By the 1950s, Franklin was known as a “City of homes” for its growing residential areas, which served as a suburb of the city of Milwaukee. In 1956, town officials were alarmed by the possibility that the City of Milwaukee might attempt to annex portions of Franklin. In response, the town was officially incorporated as a fourth-class city on August 15, 1956. Franklin is bounded by the City of Oak Creek

Oak Creek, Wisconsin

Oak Creek is a city in Milwaukee County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 28,456 at the 2000 census. In 2009, its population was estimated at 33,946.-History:...

to the east, the villages of Greendale

Greendale, Wisconsin

Greendale is a village in Milwaukee County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 14,405 at the 2000 census.-History:Greendale was settled in 1938 as a public cooperative community in the New Deal Era...

and Hales Corners to the north, the county of Racine

Racine, Wisconsin

Racine is a city in and the county seat of Racine County, Wisconsin, United States. According to 2008 U.S. Census Bureau estimates, the city had a population of 82,196...

to the south, and the county of Waukesha

Waukesha, Wisconsin

Waukesha is a city in and the county seat of Waukesha County, Wisconsin, in the Upper Midwest region of the United States. The population was 70,718 at the 2010 census, making it the largest community in the county and 7th largest in the state. The city is located adjacent to the Town of Waukesha...

to the west. The city of Milwaukee lies adjacent to the Franklin city limits in the northeast.

Police

The City of Franklin Police Department, which was formed in January 1964, began its operations out of an old farmhouse located at 5521 W. Ryan Road with a force of six officers under the command of Chief Harold H. Roach, who was the first Franklin Chief of Police from January 1964 to September 1968.

Following the resignation of Chief Harold Roach, Walter Lazowski was appointed as the second Franklin Chief of Police, who commanded the department from October 1968 to October 1971.

Following the resignation of Chief Walter Lazowski, Norman J. Pollman was appointed as the third and longest serving City of Franklin Chief of Police who commanded the department from October 1971 to December 1996. During Chief Pollman's tenure, the department operated from police facilities at the far end of City Hall at 9259 West Loomis Road.

Following the retirement of Chief Norman J. Pollman, Lieutenant Don Hareng was called back out of retirement to serve as Interim Chief of Police from January 1997 until July 1997.

Kenneth W. Bohn was appointed as the forth City of Franklin Chief of Police, who commanded the department from July 1997 to June 2004. During Chief Bohn's tenure, the department operated from police facilities at the far end of City Hall at 9259 West Loomis Road from July 1997 to December 2001, when construction of the Franklin Law Enforcement Center at 9455 West Loomis Road was completed and the department and Municipal Court began operations from the current facilities. The City of Franklin Police Department experienced its largest staffing growth from 39 sworn officers and 11 dispatch/support staff in 1997 to 59 sworn officers and 19.5 dispatchers / support staff in 2004 and most aggressive equipment and facilities development during Chief Bohn's tenure of July 1997 to June 2004.

Following the retirement of Chief Kenneth W. Bohn, Inspector Gaylord Hahn served as Interim Chief of Police from June 2004 until the appointment of Chief Richard P. Oliva in May 2005.

Richard P. Oliva was appointed the fifth City of Franklin Chief of Police, May 2005, and currently commands the department (August 2010), operating out of its current facility located at 9455 W. Loomis Road with a sworn staff of fifty-nine(59) officers and 19.5 dispatchers / support staff, serving a population of 33,500.See More

City of Franklin

Franklin government is very typical of a local Wisconsin municipality. It consists of a Mayor(Executive), Common Council (Legislative), and Municipal Judge. There are many various departments that the city operates for the service and safety of its citizens.

The Common Council is the legislative branch of City government. Its primary purpose is the passage of laws, ordinances and policies, establishment of pay ranges for City employees and official management of the City's financial affairs; its budget, its revenues, and the raising of funds for the operation of the City. The Common Council is composed of the Mayor and 6 members representing the 6 Aldermanic Districts, serving 3-year overlapping terms. One Alderman is elected and serves as Common Council President.

The Mayor is the Chief Executive Officer of the City, responsible for ensuring that all City ordinances and State laws are observed and enforced, and that all City Officers, Boards and Commissions properly discharge their duties. The Mayor is the head of the Police and Fire Departments. The Mayor nominates to Council the appointment of certain City employees, Board and Commission members, and is chairman of the Plan Commission and the Community Development Authority. The Mayor presides at the meetings of the Common Council, voting only in cases relating to tie votes. The Mayor is elected for a 3-year term of office, with the current term expiring April 2011. City Ordinances designate eight cabinet officers, as well as other unclassified positions within City government, that are appointed by the Mayor subject to the confirmation by a majority of all members of the Common Council.

Elected City Officials

Mayor
Municipal Court
Aldermanic District 1
Aldermanic District 2
Aldermanic District 3
Aldermanic District 4
Aldermanic District 5
Aldermanic District 6

County

Franklin is in the Southwest corner of Milwaukee County. The Milwaukee County Government consists of a Board of Supervisors and a County Executive. The Board of Supervisors is composed of 19 legislative representatives who are elected to four-year terms on a nonpartisan ballot in the spring of a presidential election year. Each supervisor represents about 50,000 people. The County Executive is elected County wide on a non partisan ballot to a four-year term. They sign laws. make sure the laws are enforeced and runs the various departments of Milwaukee County including the safety and services of its residents. The City of Franklin shares parts of the 9th and 11th Milwaukee County Supervisor districts and are the only two districts that fall within the City. Read more here.

State

Franklin is represented by various state officials. All of the City of Franklin lies in the 28th State Senate District and the 82nd State Assembly District

Wisconsin State Assembly

The Wisconsin State Assembly is the lower house of the Wisconsin Legislature. Together with the smaller Wisconsin Senate, the two constitute the legislative branch of the U.S. state of Wisconsin....

consisting of Franklin's representation in Wisconsin State Government.

Federal

Franklin's represenation in the Federal Government consists of:
Senators Herb Kohl(D) and Ron Johnson(R). Wisconsin's First Congressional District is represented by Paul Ryan(R) It is the only congressional district that falls within the City of Franklin.

Public

The majority of Franklin students, grades kindergarten thru 12th grade, attend the Franklin Public School District. The Oak Creek-Franklin School District, primarily of Franklin's eastern neighbor, Oak Creek, is a separate school district from that of the Franklin Public School District and serves residents of the far eastern side of Franklin, along 27th street. In some places it can go as far as a mile and a half mile West into the Franklin City limits. The District also serves all of the City of Oak Creek. The Whitnall School District, which serves primarily the neighboring Village of Hales Corners and parts of the City of Greenfield, serves the City of Franklin residents residing on the city's far Northwest side. Even though some students who reside in the City of Franklin end up going to neighboring school districts, Franklin maintaines a good community bond as most students do attend Franklin Public Schools.

The Franklin Public School District was formed in 1962 as a K - 12 common school district. Franklin has five elementary schools, one middle school and one high school. The Franklin Recreation Department is also operated by the school district. The district is governed by an annual meeting of electors and a seven member school board elected every three years with overlapping terms and election held every year in April. City government exercises no fiscal control over a common school district.

Private

Franklin is home to high quality private schools.

St. Martin of Tours Parish School K4-8

Founded in 1858 (as Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary), St. Martin of Tours Parish School is an independent, self-sustaining institution that has been a continual presence in the community since the mid-19th century. It is the longest serving school in Franklin and the only Catholic school in Franklin. The school educates children of all faiths from four-year old kindergarten through 8th grade. Communities in southern Milwaukee, eastern Waukesha, and northern Racine are represented in its enrollment. It embraces personalized learning and an instructional model centering on learners not just curriculum.

St. Pauls Lutheran K4-8

St. Paul's Lutheran Church and school was founded in 1865 by a group of German Lutherans in the township of Franklin. Through the years, St. Paul's has continued to grow building a new church building, school (serving kindergarten through 8th grade), early child enrichment center, and mission opportunities.

Indian Community School of Milwaukee (Franklin, WI) K4-8

The Indian Community School of Milwaukee (located in Franklin, WI) exists to foster quality academic education, cultural and physical well-being of Indian children and youth. Traditional values, culture, language, heritage and spirituality provide the foundation for this development. The Indian Community School develops lifelong community leaders who inspire others throughout the Circle of Life. With excellence and commitment, the school serves urban American Indian students and their families so that each student develops the skills and knowledge to sustain a healthy balance of American Indian culture, academic achievement, and a sense of identity through indigenous teachings and ways of learning.

Environmental Concerns

Franklin is home to one of the Environmental Protection Agency's Superfund

Superfund

Superfund is the common name for the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980 , a United States federal law designed to clean up sites contaminated with hazardous substances...

sites. Referred to as the "Fadrowski Drum Disposal Site", or FDDS, the 40 acres (161,874.4 m²) site located at 42.920587°N 87.9528584°W 6865 South 27th Street is one of many sites across the United States that contain, or once contained substantial amounts of contamination and hazardous wastes. The FDDS was found to be contaminated with high amounts of lead

Lead

Lead is a main-group element in the carbon group with the symbol Pb and atomic number 82. Lead is a soft, malleable poor metal. It is also counted as one of the heavy metals. Metallic lead has a bluish-white color after being freshly cut, but it soon tarnishes to a dull grayish color when exposed...

and chromium

Chromium

Chromium is a chemical element which has the symbol Cr and atomic number 24. It is the first element in Group 6. It is a steely-gray, lustrous, hard metal that takes a high polish and has a high melting point. It is also odorless, tasteless, and malleable...

. Trace amounts of arsenic

Arsenic

Arsenic is a chemical element with the symbol As, atomic number 33 and relative atomic mass 74.92. Arsenic occurs in many minerals, usually in conjunction with sulfur and metals, and also as a pure elemental crystal. It was first documented by Albertus Magnus in 1250.Arsenic is a metalloid...

and DDT

DDT

DDT is one of the most well-known synthetic insecticides. It is a chemical with a long, unique, and controversial history....

were also found. The site also contains levels of mercury

Mercury (element)

Mercury is a chemical element with the symbol Hg and atomic number 80. It is also known as quicksilver or hydrargyrum...

above Wisconsin Enforcement Standards. The site once included a man-made pond with elevated cyanide

Cyanide

A cyanide is a chemical compound that contains the cyano group, -C≡N, which consists of a carbon atom triple-bonded to a nitrogen atom. Cyanides most commonly refer to salts of the anion CN−. Most cyanides are highly toxic....

levels. The exact amount of drums contained on the site, and their contents, is not known. The site was placed on the National Priorities list in 1986, with Remedial Action (RA) completed in 1994. The site was deleted from the National Priorities List in 2003.

Overview of the Fadrowski Drum Disposal Site

For over a decade, beginning in 1970, the Fadrowski Drum Disposal Site was operated by Edward J. Fadrowski as an unlicensed waste site thought to be accepting standard landfill debris. The site illegally accepted an unknown amount of hazardous waste during its time of operation. In 1983, Menard, Inc. purchased land that included the site with the intention of building a Menards

Menards

Menards is a chain of home improvement stores in the Midwestern United States.The privately held company headquartered in Eau Claire, Wisconsin has 262 stores in 13 states: Ohio, Michigan, Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa, Missouri, Nebraska, Kansas, South Dakota, North Dakota, and...

store. During excavation for fill to level the grade for the store, several buried drums were uncovered. Some drums ruptured, spilling their unknown (at the time) contents. One drum exploded, prompting a call to the Franklin Fire Department, who in turn notified the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources

Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources

The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources is an agency of the state of Wisconsin. Its purpose is to preserve, protect, manage and maintain the natural resources of the state. The WDNR has the authority to set policy for itself and to recommend regulations for approval by the State Legislature...

. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency ultimately oversaw the containment of the site. The site remedies include restricting access to the site, restricting use of land at the site, limited excavation of the waste (some drums), removal of hazardous soil, monitoring ground water, monitoring surface water, and installing a landfill cap.

Current Status of the Fadrowski Drum Disposal Site

Presently, the site has been largely remediated via landfill and limited excavation, however "waste material above health-based levels will be left on site" (drums, some with unknown contents, still remain buried to this day). Although Remedial Action was completed in 1994, the site is currently under a monitoring status. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is reviewing the site every five years, the last review was conducted in July 2008. When viewed, the site appears largely as a field with a slightly higher elevation (due to the landfill cap) than the surrounding land. It is surrounded by a barbed wire

Barbed wire

Barbed wire, also known as barb wire , is a type of fencing wire constructed with sharp edges or points arranged at intervals along the strand. It is used to construct inexpensive fences and is used atop walls surrounding secured property...

fence. The site is now encircled by development. It is bordered on the north by an Ashley Furniture HomeStore, which now occupies the building of the original Menard's store when the site was discovered. The Menard's store has relocated across South 27th Street, but Menard, Inc. still owns the land. A tributary

Tributary

A tributary or affluent is a stream or river that flows into a main stem river or a lake. A tributary does not flow directly into a sea or ocean...

that flows into the Root River

Root River (Wisconsin)

is a few hundred feet west of the site, and South 27th Street is approximately 250 feet (76.2 m) to the east. In 2001, the EPA relaxed deed restrictions on land intended to be a "buffer" around the site. The southern border of the site is now lined with recently-built Goodwill Industries

Goodwill Industries

Goodwill Industries International is a not-for-profit organization that provides job training, employment placement services and other community-based programs for people who have a disability, lack education or job experience, or face employment challenges...

and Gander Mountain

Gander Mountain

Gander Mountain, headquartered in St. Paul, Minnesota, is a retail network of stores for hunting, fishing, camping, marine, and other outdoor recreation products and services...

retail stores. The eastern border currently has an outlot for sale by Menard, Inc. and is home to a vacant storefront, formerly "The Furniture Source". A Golden Corral

Golden Corral

Golden Corral is an American family-style restaurant chain that features a large buffet and grill offering numerous hot and cold items, a carving station and their Brass Bell Bakery...

restaurant was planned at the southeast corner of the site (sharing approximately 50 feet (15.2 m) of the eastern border of the site)but since early 2010 the sign has been removed. Single-family homes are just 1000 feet (304.8 m) west of the site, and multi-family units are just 600 feet (182.9 m) to the south. A Wal-Mart

Wal-Mart

Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. , branded as Walmart since 2008 and Wal-Mart before then, is an American public multinational corporation that runs chains of large discount department stores and warehouse stores. The company is the world's 18th largest public corporation, according to the Forbes Global 2000...

is just 600 feet (182.9 m) north of the site. The site itself is prohibited (via Declaration of Restriction #6778720 to Menard's Inc.) from ever being used for potable water, residential development, or any development that would disturb the landfill cap. These restrictions essentially ensure no development will ever take place on the land.

Franklin News

Local Blogs

(Non-Official Franklin Blogs)
Discussions and feelings related to Franklin topics by some of its residents

Notable residents

Bill Castro
Bill Castro
William Radhames Castro Checo is a former Major League Baseball pitcher and former pitching coach for the Milwaukee Brewers of the National League....

, former Milwaukee Brewers
Milwaukee Brewers
The Milwaukee Brewers are a professional baseball team based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, currently playing in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League...

pitching coach
Ted Musgrave
Ted Musgrave
Theodore Musgrave is an American race car driver.-Pre-NASCAR:Musgrave's father, Elmer, was a famous short-track racer in the Midwest who raced for over 25 years at Soldier Field, O'Hare, Waukegan, and Wilmot, Wisconsin before moving into asphalt late models in the American Speed Association and...

, NASCAR
NASCAR
The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing is a family-owned and -operated business venture that sanctions and governs multiple auto racing sports events. It was founded by Bill France Sr. in 1947–48. As of 2009, the CEO for the company is Brian France, grandson of the late Bill France Sr...

driver

Attractions

External links

City of Franklin

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