Welcome to the Franklin Township Historical Society!
Did you know that Southeastern Avenue was once only a trail cut through the woods on land bought from Indians? Or that the Acton Camp Ground was a widely known attraction where cottagers lived during the summer, and as many as 40,000 people gathered there on a Sunday afternoon? Did you know that Wanamaker State Bank president George Bowen saved the bank from disaster during the Depression by persuading depositors that their money was safe, on loan to their neighbors?
The Franklin Township Historical Society preserves the history of Franklin Township through books, artifacts, photographs, programs, tours and more. We want to make people aware of how this part of Marion County, Indiana, evolved from a wooded land inhabited by Native Americans through pioneer and agricultural eras to the rapidly growing area it is today.
We are a not-for-profit organization devoted to the preservation and promotion of Franklin Township history and the care of our meeting house, the former Big Run Baptist Church.