Franklin
s i loDD
Centennial ? ul
Edition ms $b, XUomnn
SECTION B
70th Year ? No. 24 Franklin, N. C, Thursday, June 16, 1955
Sixteen Pages
These Franklin Landmarks Still Stand . . .
'W ' - ? J^W.U.J ii?mut ?? i . .?ni null
Franklin's Indian mound has been noted for more than a century. And al
ways it has been a subject of speculation. What was its origin? Even today, no
body is sure.
This i.~ "the house at the foot of the h;H",. the oldest home standing in
Franklin. W hen Jesse R. Siler, who came here about 1830. built his house, he
incorporated into it an Indian log" cabin. Those logs still are within the walls
of the old house. It has been enlarged and remodeled many times, but always
it has been owned and occupied by Jesse Siler descendants. It is now the home
of his granddaughter, Mrs. George A. Jones, and her son and daughter-in-law,
Mr. and Mrs. R.?S. Jones.
This is the old Jarrett Hotel. Though it no longer is used as a hostelry, the
second floor porch remains,.
Kverybody who's ever been in Franklin remembers this old home, "Dixie
Hal", situated just west of the courthouse. There is no doubt about its age, lie
cause the figures "I860" appear on the old gutter. It first was the home of Jul
ius Siler, then of his daughter and son-in-law, Lt. Gov. and Mrs. James Robin
son. Their granddaughter. Miss Hope Daniels, of Xew York and Franklin, is the
present owner.
This was the first brick business building ? prob
ably the first brick building of any kind ? in Frank
lin. The bricks were burned on the ground, and it is
said were made by slave labor. Here was the post
office in the early days, and it is said the stamps
were "made" on the second floor. Now the Munday
building, it formerly was known as the McCoy store.
Like all stores of that period, it was in the yard of
the owner's house, below.
The Munday home,, on West Main street, i- one of!
the oldest building's in Franklin. Its exact age, though,
is not known. It has been owned by the McCoy and!
Xinirod Jarrett families, and later by Mr. Jarrett's
grandson. S. A. Munday. whose daughter- mvn it
now.
The Macon Oiuiuk eounhoiw. ai ;Ii Uer of
Franklin, i> three-fourths a> old as the town. In its
entire history, this county has hail only two court- 1
houses. The present structure was completed in 1880.
Today it looks much as it did then. Inside, twin sets
of stairs still wind from the first to the second' floor.
The building's old walls, in their 75 years, have heard
a lot of courtroom oratory, witnessed a lot of heart
break ...
Franklin Ready For 100th
Birthday Party June 16, 17, 18
'J'HEY'S goin' to be big doin'.- in Franklin.
A plumb shindig, that'll last three whole days.
Franklin's a hundred years old. and it'll be a birth
day party tor the ole countyseat of Macon.
The folks'll start celehratin' 'long about sunup on
Thursday. June 16, and it'll be long after sundown on
Saturday. June 1<S, before they quit.
The party's not just for home folks. Company's in
vited, too ? the latchstring already'-* out. And when
visitors get here. Franklin folks'll be ,-houtin' at 'em ?
i its t like their great-granddaddies did. when some
body rode up to the hitchin' post, -a hundred years
ago: '"Light, stranger, and come in!"
>!: sve sf:
The Franklin Centennial program, will be purely in
digenous.
In order to preserve the flavor of this thriving lit
tle mountain town, and in an attempt to reflect the
spirit of the proud, independent, courageous men and
women who first settled this county, outside, profes
sional direction was vetoed when plans for the cele
bration first began to take shape. There'll be no high
pressure promotions, no gaudy carnivals and honky
tonk midway lights, no Hollywood-like extravaganzas.
Instead, it'll be a program of. by, and for the people
of Franklin and Macon County. If it's a bit home
spun. say members of the Centennial committee, so
much the better ? that'll be. in the spirit of 1 S 5 5 .
Some of the events may be, more <"?r les ~ spontan
eous r but that, too, is in keeping with the traditions
of this community: because Franklin has never gone
in for formality or >et .program*.
Highlights, of course, are definite?. pr-" grairmed.
Among them :
Dedication of Franklin'* new v .v:> hall by
Xort-h Carolina's t ir.verm >r Ltrher H. Hodge*.
Thursday afternoon.
Earlier on the opening .lay. 'the "Mi**- Centen
nial" parade of some 3" young women. Governor
Hodges has been asked to. select the event's
"Mi.ss" from the group, ajid crown her.
The Parade of Progress Friday afternoon.
Saturday will be "hoiin ng day" for
?former Franklin resident*, with th. ???lay's events
climaxed by a free barbecue in the late after
noon and the crowning ?>f the .king ml queen
of the Centennial ? they : be years of age
or older ? at a dance Saturday : .
And each -of the three evening* there'll be a
free square dance.
Interspersed bet ween : ti e ? e ' be a vari
etyot entertainment.- including man; .contest* remi
niscent of the Franklin of the past cemury.
Among the contest- wi'I he tho-e ?r 'he best
beards, sideburns, goatee*. an. I mu*t;tches : tor the
best dresses and bonnets ot' the period* tor the pret
tiest "ljelle" and the tij^i ie-*t "bru-h brother": for
the baldest man, for the fa; test man. and the wmuan
with the largest "brood".
And there'll be those oVl arts and skiils, like oid
timey hymn singing at the c.ourthou*e. spelling' bees,
log rolling, wood chopping, churning, corn -hacking',
bean stringing, and milking. And mountain sports
like male races, log draggiitig. muzzle loading shoot
ing matches, and pie eating. r
String bands and mountain entertainer*, ranging
from banjo .pickers to jug blower*, will appear at
intervals during the three day* for short programs.
And between dance*, at the nightly free square
dances on the Public Square, ''tick dancer* from S to
SO or 90 will perform.
The opening day. Thur*day. will lie "Govern
or's Day". Governor Hodge*' bu*y program includes
the crowning of "Mis's Centennial" in the morning
and the dedication of Franklin's new $5 1,00c city
building at the intersection of \Ye*t Main and US
2.V441 in the afternoon.
A Centennial plaque qUo is to be presented the
town.
Another feature of "Governor'* Day" will be the
burial of a time capsule at the citv building.
In Friday afternoon's Parade <>f Pto^re*- there are
expected to be more than home-made floats, each
carrying out the theme of Pki vear? <>:' ;>i >gre*s.
Following the barbecue late Sanit'da* afternoon,
the third free dance will be *taged oh the siptare.
while another i is under way at the Franklin Feed Mill.
At the latter, the "Km^ and < hteen of Centennial '
are to be announced and crowned to reign over fes
tivities of the evening. King and queen nominees, re
stricted to those over 50 years, are being chosen in a
pennv-a-vote contest.
Sunday has be^n proclaimed "I reedotn of Religion"
day by the Centennial committee. Ministers through
out the countv are being asked to emphasize religious
I freedom in their sermons.