Franklin

Formed February 6, 1818 (9^th county)

Franklin County (32,113), Russellville (10,859)

A masonry and concrete courthouse is in Franklin County.  The courthouse is located on Jackson Avenue at Limestone Street.  The site is eight blocks west of United States Highway 43 which by-passes the center of the city.  This structure was built in 1955 using the Classical Revival designs of Johnson and Jones.  The grounds have veteran memorials.  There was an 1891 earlier courthouse in Russellville.  An addition was added in 1937 and an Annex was built in 2002.  Belgreen started as the county seat in 1818 with Russellville following in 1890.  Franklin County got its name from statesman Benjamin Franklin.  Russellville was named for settler William Russell.  Franklin County was formed on February 6, 1818 from Cherokee Territory as the 9^th county and later yielded Colbert County in 1867. 

Franklin County government consists of a sheriff, revenue commissioner, and coroner (executive).  It has 5 commissioners (legislative.)  A Circuit Judge and a District Judge, a Probate Judge, a District Attorney, and a County Clerk serve Franklin County (judicial.)  It is situated in northwest Alabama bordering Mississippi on the west.  Huntsville, Alabama is east of the county.  The center of the county is 9 miles Southwest of Russellville.  The county is surrounded clockwise by Colbert, Lawrence, Winston, and Marion counties and Mississippi.  Russellville is in the northeast quarter of the county.  Russellville is the county seat and the largest city.  It is 33.8% of the county population.

The county has an area of 633.8 square miles.  It ranks 41 out of 67 in size.  It ranks 37 out of 67 in population in the state.  It has a density of 50.4 persons per square mile making it 31 out of 67 in the state.  Franklin County has 48.8% of its population in its incorporated areas.  United States Highway 43 cuts from north to south going from Colbert County to Marion County.  The county is a flat rectangle.