Franklin County, Missouri
At 922 square miles,
Franklin
County, Missouri, is one of the largest
counties in Missouri. In 1818, it was organized and
separated from neighboring St. Louis County, and
named after Benjamin Franklin.
By an act of the State Legislature on Jan. 22, 1825,
the City
of Union was established as the county
seat. The city’s name was chosen to express the
coming together of people and ideas. In the past 20
years, Union has grown from a sleepy Missouri farm
town to a bustling bedroom community of nearby St.
Louis. The city’s population is about 8,000, and
home to East Central College and its 3,500 students.
In a nationwide survey released in 2001, Union was
ranked “One of the Top 10 Best Small Towns in the
United States” and was the only Missouri community
on the list.
Today, Union is home to more than 300 successful
businesses are now based in Union. Some of the
city’s largest employers are manufacturing firms
such as the Esselte Pendaflex Corporation and
Transaction Technology/Coinco. Other major employers
are the Franklin County Government, Union R-XI
School District, and East
Central College.
Major rivers and streams in the area include the
Missouri, the Meramec, the Bourbeuse, and the St.
Johns and Boeuf creeks. Native American Indians and
early explorers and settlers named these waterways. Robertsville
State Park, named after one-time
landowner Edward James Roberts, is 1,225 acres, and
popular for canoeing and fishing in the adjoining
Meramec River.
In addition to Union and Roberstville, other cities
and towns in Franklin County include Beaufort,
Berger, Catawissa, Gerald, Gray Summit, Labadie,
Leslie, Lonedell, Luebbering, New Haven, Pacific,
Saint Clair, Sullivan, Villa Ridge, and Washington.
<< Back
to Community Page
