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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.
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