Preparations Underway for Franklin Springs Centennial Celebration

The City of Franklin Springs is gearing up to celebrate its Centennial this year.

At their meeting last week, the City Council heard from Mayor Lee Moore regarding plans for the celebration.

Moore told the Council that while the main event or events are planned for this summer, the City wants to begin now to celebrate by holding a monthly drawing for citizens.

“The first thing that we want to do is I would like to every month draw a citizen’s name; not a customer but a citizen who lives in Franklin Springs, who has a utility bill. Every month draw a name. We’ll have a pot and have all the names in the pot. And whoever gets their name drawn gets a $100 credit to their utility bill,” Moore explained.

Moore said he and the council will be meeting with the Franklin Springs Downtown Development Authority in the coming weeks to plan events for this summer’s celebration.

In the 1800’s Franklin Springs was a popular travel spot with its beneficial mineral, sulfur, and freestone springs.

By 1890 Franklin Springs’ resort had two hotels, a skating rink, two pavilions, and about 15 private residences on about 87 acres.

The reputation of Franklin Springs as a health resort was spreading, and people from Augusta, Savannah, Atlanta, towns in South Carolina, and even as far south as New Orleans, were coming to derive benefits from its health-giving waters.

Faith in the springs diminished as other health remedies became available. The Springview Hotel was offered for sale.

According to HMdb.org, the nationally famous Methodist evangelist Lorenzo Dow spoke to large crowds under the trees of Franklin Springs in 1802 and 1803. On February 22, 1803, the subject of his sermon was The Trinity where he spoke using three large tree branches as an illustration.

On March 1, 1918, the site was purchased by the Pentecostal Benevolent Association consisting of G.O. Gaines, Perry Sexton, Hugh Bowling, Josiah Allen, John W. Jordan, and Joseph C. Sorrow. It became the home of Franklin Springs Institute and was later renamed Emmanuel College. Last year, the college was renamed Emmanuel University.

The City of Franklin Springs was chartered on July 22, 1924.

Source: Franklin County History

WLHR News will be keeping our listeners updated on the events planned for the City’s Centennial Celebrations as they become available.