Franklin County celebrating its centennial

<span>January 30 marks 100 years since the creation of Idaho’s Franklin County and citizens will spend the next few months in celebration.</span>

<span>“It will start Wednesday the 30th with an open house at the courthouse,” said County Clerk Shauna Geddes. “There will be a live remote on our local radio station that day and we will talk with some people from the community and they will tell us about some of the histories in their parts of the county.</span>

<span>“There will be displays at the courthouse and everyone is invited to attend those.”</span>

<span>Geddes said Franklin County has a very rich history.</span>

<span>“We’re hoping there will be many with unique stories about the beginnings of our county, or the people who lived here, who will come forward and share their stories. The Preston Citizen newspaper is going to print a column each week with stories rediscovering the county’s heritage.”</span>

<span>She said there are several Franklin counties throughout the 50 states but only two of them were not named after Statesman Benjamin Franklin. </span>

<span>“Our county was named after the city of Franklin and the city was named after Franklin D. Richards, an LDS apostle.”</span>

<span>County resident Myrna Fuller has assembled and published a book highlighting 80 historical monuments and markers and historical sites in the county.</span>

<span>“This book explains the significance of the marker and how to find it. They will be for sale.”</span>

<span>The celebration will <a href=”http://www.franklincountyidaho.org/County1/Centennial_Events.html” target=”_blank”>extend beyond January</a>. An April variety show will present the talents of those in the county. </span>

<span>In July a pageant at the Oneida Stake Academy will share the history of both the county and the academy in song and dance.</span>

<span>There will also be an antique car and tractor parade and merchants are preparing histories of their business for display as well.</span>

<span>Mormon pioneers settled in the area 53 years before Franklin County was created and at various times were considered citizens of Bannock County which at that time included all of southeastern Idaho and later were included in Oneida County, until 1913.</span>

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