Franklin is a borough in Sussex County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough’s population was 5,045 reflecting a decline of 115 (-2.2%) from the 5,160 counted in the 2000 Census, which had in turn increased by 183 (+3.7%) from the 4,977 counted in the 1990 Census.

Franklin, known as the “Fluorescent Mineral Capital of the World,” is located over a rich ore body containing more than 150 minerals, many of them fluorescent and 25 of which are found nowhere else on earth. Settled in the 17th century, the village known as Franklin Furnace after Benjamin Franklin, developed near iron mines and iron smelting operations located along the Wallkill River. In the early 19th century, zinc deposits in the area began to be developed commercially. For most of the century many small companies mined zinc and iron in the Franklin area. In 1897 all zinc mining efforts merged into the New Jersey Zinc Company, which was a major controlling factor in the development of Franklin. Immigrants from Russia, Britain, Hungary and Poland joined the work force at the mine. The population, 500 in 1897, had swelled to 3,000 by 1913. On March 18, 1913, the Borough of Franklin was incorporated from portions of Hardyston Township, based on the results of a referendum held on April 23, 1913.

According to the United States Census Bureau, Franklin borough had a total area of 4.570 square miles (11.835 km²), including 4.498 square miles (11.650 km²) of land and 0.072 square miles (0.185 km²) of water (1.57%).

The borough borders the boroughs of Hamburg and Ogdensburg, as well as Sparta and Hardyston townships.

Franklin Furnace provides many examples of the complex mineralogy of the area.

As of the 2010 United States Census, there were 5,045 people, 1,936 households, and 1,316.480 families residing in the borough. The population density was 1,121.6 per square mile (433.1/km²). There were 2,136 housing units at an average density of 474.9 per square mile (183.4/km²). The racial makeup of the borough was 92.15% (4,649) White, 2.18% (110) Black or African American, 0.30% (15) Native American, 1.74% (88) Asian, 0.00% (0) Pacific Islander, 1.23% (62) from other races, and 2.40% (121) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 7.83% (395) of the population.

People who were born in, residents of, or otherwise closely associated with Franklin include:

• Charles Joseph Fletcher (1922–2011), inventor and the owner / CEO of Technology General Corporation who developed an early version of the hovercraft.
• Samuel Fowler (1779–1844), doctor, state legislator, and member of the United States House of Representatives who was one of the developers of the mines in the area.
• Alfred B. Littell (1893–1970), politician who was mayor of Franklin in the 1950s, who also served as a member of both houses of the New Jersey Legislature and as President of the New Jersey Senate in 1951.
• Robert Littell (1936–2014), politician, who served as a member of the New Jersey State Senate.
• Charles Francis Lynch (1884–1942), United States Attorney and a United States district court judge in New Jersey.
• Alison Littell McHose (born 1965), politician who served in the New Jersey General Assembly from 2003 to 2015 until she was appointed as borough administrator.
• Steve Nagy (1919–2016), pitcher who played for two MLB seasons for the Pittsburgh Pirates and Washington Senators, as part of a career that included 14 minor league seasons.
• Steve Oroho (born 1958), politician, who has served in the New Jersey Senate since 2008, where he represents the 24th Legislative District.

Source: Wikipedia