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Franklin 50th Anniversary LbNA #37478 (ARCHIVED)

Owner:Adoptable
Plant date:Jan 10, 2008
Location:
City:North Franklin
County:New London
State:Connecticut
Boxes:1
Planted by:Franklin Apple
Found by: Connfederate
Last found:Sep 5, 2009
Status:FFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFaaa
Last edited:Jan 10, 2008
As you approach the letterbox, please enjoy the wonderful rural town of Franklin. It's history is quite interesting. As a project to learn about our town, the second graders have turned fact into poetry. After the last stanza is the directions to the box. Enjoy!

FES 50th Anniversary Letterbox
2007
Poetry of Franklin
By Grade 2 students

What do you know about Franklin?
It wasn’t always called Franklin.
West Farms was its name.
It used to be a part of Norwich.
Franklin was named after Benjamin Franklin
Because he was very famous.
Sold by Uncas and his brother Wawequa
For seventy pounds.
Seven Hills they found
In 1659, the white men said, “It is mine!”
And that’s Franklin history
Now, it’s not such a mystery.


Dr. Sweet was so neat!
1798 is his birth date
In Lebanon, Connecticut.
1874 in Franklin he died.
During the winter he would ride
Bones that belong to slaves
Dr. Sweet saved so many days.
He had 18 children! (clap, clap)
Oh my God!
I wonder if he named one Todd?
Wow! His house still stands today!
His father trained him (clap, clap)
To be a great doctor that he wanted to be.
Oh no! He did not attend college.
So from his father he got his knowledge!

Samuel Nott would preach and teach.
Born in 1754
He taught more than 200 people
Starting in 1781
His daughters taught too
He was very important
Served Franklin for 72 years
By saving people from tears
He wrote with a feather
To write a letter
At age 99 he passed away
From burns, sad to say.

Lafayette S. Foster
He was a lawyer and born in this town.
This man did really get around.
He was a really good man and in his day
he was even a founder of N.F.A. (Norwich Free Academy)
When Abraham Lincoln died
He stood by Andrew Jackson’s side
As Vice President.
He taught at Yale
And never failed.
Served as a U.S. Senator.
He became a mayor
Of the town of Norwich.
When he died people cried
It was so sad when he died.
This was the time
1880, he was 73 years old.


John Ayer was born in England
And had six children
He was Franklin’s first permanent
Resident.
300 acres he bought
From Native Americans.
John Ayer was a well-known trapper, too.
I don’t know if he got any bears, but he probably got a deer or two.
He did own a farm,
But just a barn.
He was no fake!
But he was really scared of snakes!
So he got some hogs next to dogs
And the hogs killed the snakes
For goodness sake!

Do you know that Franklin has seven hills?
They will give you the chills!
The hills are so high,
They can touch the sky!
There is Pleasure Hill with a glorious view
Then Little Lebanon hill, now called Mason Hill
Don’t forget Hearthstone Hill with beautiful stones
Meeting House Hill shaped like a cone
Of course Great Hill with many nicknames,
Like Center and Middle Hill, it’s a shame
Blue Hill is the farthest west,
But, at its Bailey’s Ravine you can take a rest!
Lastly is Dragon’s Hole, as it was known back then,
Today, however, it is called Devil’s Den.

Ashbel Woodward settled in Franklin in 1829,
As a doctor he was just fine.
He opened a medical practice here,
Without much fear.
Ashbel was a surgeon in the Civil War
Helping people when they were injured and sore.
His home on Route 32
Was dedicated for me and you
As a museum in 2004.
Go there to learn more.

Native American Ashbow had a good life
With his Indian wife
Ashbow’s family lived in a cave.
Tatabum, his son, was brave
He used ash wood from Franklin to make his bow.
With the Mohegan tribe he did grow.
He would trade with white men and sometimes say, “No!”
He could trade for a row.


Drive to Route 207 in Franklin. The main section of 207 in Franklin has the Elementary School and park across the street. Next to the park is the Veteran's Memorial Park and cemetary. Park safely at Giddeon Park or the Memorial Cemetary. Walk toward the stone wall in the cemetary that is perpendicular to the main road. Continue walking to the last path that is perpendicular to the street. It is rocky and not paved well. To your right, you will notice a stone wall that is parallel to the street. Walk down the path to the stone wall where there is a gap in the stonework. Walk through the gap toward the open field. Face the main road, route 207. Peek into the stone wall on the left side about 3 feet from the gap. (To your left, you'll see a large frog grave marker! Cool!) Look carefully for the bag and white container. Inside you will find the letterbox and materials. For our records, please state the date you visited. We'd also like to incorporate geography skills, so add your hometown from which you've traveled. Please be careful to replace it nicely in the stone wall. We hope to have this become a cherished project. :-)