The Franklin College Building No. 5 is located along Main Street, or State Route 9, in New Athens, Ohio. The building houses the Franklin Museum which is dedicated to preserving the building and its primary function. The college building was placed on the National Register on May 8, 1987.

History

John Walker, an abolitionist and Presbyterian Church minister, established Alma College in New Athens in 1818. The primary function of the college was to promote religion and abolitionist beliefs in the area. The college was renamed Franklin College in 1825, but the college kept its original mission. Over the span of operations the college operated out of several buildings around New Athens. Over the course of over 100 years, the college was key in the education of two governors, eight

U.S. Senators The United States Senate is the upper chamber of the United States Congress, with the House of Representatives being the lower chamber. Together they compose the national bicameral legislature of the United States. The composition and power ...

, and nine

U.S. Congressmen The United States House of Representatives, often referred to as the House of Representatives, the U.S. House, or simply the House, is the lower chamber of the United States Congress, with the Senate being the upper chamber. Together they c ...

and twenty state legislators. The college also graduated Titus Basfield, an African-American student and former slave, as well as several prominent women. The college slowly dwindled until only one building remained, which ceased operations in 1919, due to a decrease in enrollment. The building became affiliated with Muskingum College in

New Concord New Concord is a village in Muskingum County, Ohio, United States. The population is 2,491 as of the 2010 census. New Concord is the home of Muskingum University and is served by a branch of the Muskingum County Library System. History New Con ...

from 1919 until 1927. The New Athens School District purchased the building and operated the high school in the building from 1927 to 1971, the middle school from 1971 to 1987, after which it sat vacant. The Franklin Museum purchased the building in 1992 and opened the building as a museum.

Exterior

The current building, number 5 of the original college layout, sits on a slight hill overlooking Main Street below. The building dates from 1900, after the original log structure burned down in 1899. The building was designed by

Joseph W. Yost Joseph Warren Yost (1847–1923) was a prominent architect from Ohio whose works included many courthouses and other public buildings. Some of his most productive years were spent as a member of the Yost and Packard partnership with Frank Packar ...

of the firm Yost & Packard, and consists of red bricks with white wood trim boards. The main building is shaped like a "U", with the wings facing the street. The recessed main entrance is located in the center of the "U" and is framed by four

Corinthian columns The Corinthian order (Greek: Κορινθιακός ρυθμός, Latin: ''Ordo Corinthius'') is the last developed of the three principal classical orders of Ancient Greek architecture and Roman architecture. The other two are the Doric order w ...

supporting an entablature and a pediment. The entablature is emblazoned with a nameplate reading "Franklin Museum". The pediment above contains dentil molding with a frieze containing "1900". The wooden double doors are topped by a transom light. Above this entrance is a square window with sandstone quoins. The building rests upon rusticated sandstone blocks with small rectangular windows illuminating the bottom floor. The first and second floors contain large rectangular windows with sandstone casings. On either side of the entrance are three double-sashed windows. The wing projections each contain a

palladian window Palladian architecture is a European architectural style derived from the work of the Venetian architect Andrea Palladio (1508–1580). What is today recognised as Palladian architecture evolved from his concepts of symmetry, perspective and ...

on the main floor with three windows above. The roof is supported by an

entablature An entablature (; nativization of Italian , from "in" and "table") is the superstructure of moldings and bands which lies horizontally above columns, resting on their capitals. Entablatures are major elements of classical architecture, and ...

and overhangs the structure. Decorative brackets line the entablature along the building. The hipped roof is pierced by three

dormer A dormer is a roofed structure, often containing a window, that projects vertically beyond the plane of a pitched roof. A dormer window (also called ''dormer'') is a form of roof window. Dormers are commonly used to increase the usable space ...

windows with the central dormer containing a decorative pediment. A drum supporting an open cupola with eight arches with Doric columns rises from the center of the roof, to either side of the cupola is a large brick chimney.

References

External links

Franklin Museum website
{{NRHP in Harrison County, Ohio School buildings on the National Register of Historic Places in Ohio Colonial Revival architecture in Ohio School buildings completed in 1900 Franklin College (New Athens, Ohio) Buildings and structures in Harrison County, Ohio National Register of Historic Places in Harrison County, Ohio Museums in Harrison County, Ohio History museums in Ohio Yost and Packard buildings 1900 establishments in Ohio

History

Exterior

See also

References

External links