Franklin

Formed November 5, 1792 (10^th county)

Franklin County (49,949), Saint Albans (6,859)

The Modern red brick courthouse was constructed in 1990 to replace an 1874 structure.  The facility is on Lake Street at Catherine Street.  United States Highway 7 passes one block to the west.  Alexander, Truex, and DeGroot, Inc., designed the new courthouse.  There were also 1803 and 1850 courthouses in Saint Albans.  The county was created on November 5, 1792 from Chittenden County as the 10^th county and Saint Albans has always been the county seat.  The county is named for American statesman Benjamin Franklin.  Saint Albans is named for the Duke of Saint Albans.  Franklin County is the birthplace of 3 Vermont Governors, J. Gregory Smith, Edward C. Smith, and Charles W. Gates. 

Franklin County government consists of a sheriff, an attorney, and a clerk but doesn’t have a unified government as each township governs.  One Superior Court Judge serves Franklin and Grand Isle counties, One Superior Court Judge serves Franklin and Chittenden counties, and Two Superior Court Judges serve Franklin County.  The county is in the northwest part of the state.  Burlington, Vermont is directly south and Montreal, Canada is north of the county.  The county center is 9.5 miles Northeast of Saint Albans nearer Sheldon.  The county is surrounded clockwise by Canada and Orleans, Lamoille, Chittenden, and Grand Isle counties. 

The area of the county is 637 square miles.  It is 11 out of 14 in the state.  It ranks 5 out of 14 in population in the state.  It has a density of 78.4 persons per square mile making it 4 out of 14 in the state.  Franklin County has 21.2% of its population in its incorporated areas.  Interstate Highway 89 originates in the county and heads south into Chittenden County.  United States Highway 7 parallels Interstate Highway 89 from origin to Chittenden County.  Chester A. Arthur, the 21^st President, was born in this county.  The county is a fat capital letter L lying on its face.  Saint Albans is located in the southwest quarter of the county.  Saint Albans is the county seat and the largest city.  It is 13.7% of the county population.  This county is in the Burlington-South Burlington Metropolitan Statistical Area.