"Old Franklinville"
A. W. Cissel
Just north of
Mechanicstown, the
Frederick-Emmitsburg
Turnpike made a wide
swing to the west,
curving as it crossed
Owens Creek. The
bustling community
that developed along
both sides of the
creek and this section
of the road was called
Franklin Mills, later
Franklinville. At the
turn of the 20th
century, it had its
own Post Office,
(officially named
Roddy's), a
schoolhouse, general
store, blacksmiths and
other small shops
interspersed with the
large orchards and
farmlands.
Since 1954 when the
highway (now Route
#15) was rerouted to
straighten the road,
the Franklinville
section was bypassed
but echoes of its past
remain. Take
Franklinville Road as
it, begins at the
Gateway Market, and as
you drive it,
paralleling the
highway you pass some
of its history in its
farm houses, the old
brick toll-house and
the yellow brick
building that was the
last Franklinville
schoolhouse.
Franklinville
developed around the
site of an early mill
first established in
1828 and sold by Jacob
Firor to tanner Daniel
Rouzer in 1831. Daniel
conveyed it to his
son-in-law William
Landers in 1834 who
operated it for 40
years. The mill was
located just south of
creek on the main
road. The stagecoach
from Frederick to
Emmitsburg ran three
times a week, but the
road was so bad, the
trip began before
dawn. In 1858 the
Mechanicstown to
Emmitsburg Turnpike
was built, requiring
the payment of a fee
or toll to use this
"improved" road. One
of the toll houses was
located north of
Landers Mill. (This
two-story brick house
is still standing,
though in ruinous
condition).
The original mill was
three-stories with
water wheels that were
12 feet high and 7
feet across. In the
last quarter of the
19th century it was
owned by Gettysburg
College and leased to
various millers. J.
Wesley Creeger bought
the mill and the
surrounding farms, but
died shortly
thereafter. In
October, 1912 Carl
Gall purchased the
"Mill Farm" from his (Creeger)
father-in-law's
estate, paying $45.00
an acre for the 173
acres, with the grist
mill, new bank barn,
brick "Mansion House"
and orchards. The mill
operated until 1918
when Mr. Gall sold the
machinery to Henry
Finnyfrock for $500,
before demolishing the
building. In 1920 J.
Hooker Lewis purchased
the Mill Farm for
$25,000."
The meadows around the
creek and mill saw
some history on July
5, 1863 when Gen.
J.E.B. Stuart and
about 2,000 of his
exhausted Confederate
cavalrymen stopped to
rest and to feed their
weary horses as they
covered the left flank
of Lee's army
retreating from the
horrors of Gettysburg.
According to the
"Baltimore Sun"
correspondent they
spent five hours at
Franklin Mills before
moving off toward
Deerfield.
Eyewitnesses later
recounted that the
oats, wheat and rye
taken from the mill
was strewn out along
the roadbed to make a
giant feeding trough
for the horses and
mules. Although
patrols galloped over
the nearby roads
scouting for Yankee
troops, little damage
was done, except for
the loss of 6 mules
and two horses
appropriated from Mr.
Landers.
Just before the
northern end of the
old road curves east
again to rejoin the
highway, the yellow
brick schoolhouse can
still be seen. Built
in 1889/90 it was the
third at
Franklinville, the
second having been
located on an island
in Owens Creek , was
heavily damaged by the
same storm of May,
1889 that caused the
Johnston Flood in Pa.
The new school would
consolidate nearby
Payne's school with
the Franklinville
children. Contractor
Joseph Weddle's bid of
$1,097 was successful.
Specifications called
for a 60 X 40 foot
brick building of
one-story, two
classrooms and halls.
When nearing
completion in January,
1890 the "catoctin
Clarion" pronounced it
an imposing structure"
and one which "would
enhance the
neighborhood".
Hundreds of children
went through the 7
grades at
Franklinville school
before it was closed.
The Thurmont newspaper
usually published an
annual picture of the
students.
Even after teaching
was no longer done
there, the building
was used as a
community center for
village meetings,
Sunday schools and
local entertainments.
Later the building was
turned into a private
residence. Though
shorn of its bell
tower and boasting
some modernizations
(the privies are
gone), it is still a
tangible link to the
past for many local
families--- one of the
landmarks of "Old
Franklinville".
Have
your own memories of Franklinville or
other places in
the Thurmont Area?
If so, please send them to us so we can
included them in our archives.
E-mail us at:
history@mythurmont.net
Read more articles by
Anne Cissel