Franklin County History
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The so-called "Siberia of the North"
Franklin County was named for Benjamin Franklin: the exact reason remaining somewhat of a mystery. At one time much of the south end of the county was owned by LeRay de Chaumont, son of a French count, who greatly admired Franklin. In addition, a great number of the first settlers came from counties named Franklin in Vermont and Massachusetts.
Located centrally on the US-Canadian border, the county was formed from Clinton County on the east, March 11, 1808. It was taken from lots 7,8,9, and 10 of the Old Military Tract of 1786, and townships 6 and 9 of Macomb Tract 1 of 1791. The Revolutionary War veterans were not interested in the so-called "Siberia of the North" and left it for speculators, who sold it for 8 or 9 pence an acre to settlers, mostly from Vermont. Although there were northern settlements of Mohawk natives earlier, it wasn't until 1796 that a European settlement was made at the "Four Corners," as Chateaugay was then called.
Ready money was hard to come by and most of the necessities of life were obtained by trading and home production. The first real cash crop was potash, obtained by burning wood and leaching the ashes. It took about thirty cords of wood to produce a ton of ashes, which in turn yielded one sixth of a ton of potash. This was sometimes further refined to a substance called pearlash. These were transported to Fort Covington, at the junction of the Big and Little Salmon rivers. The waters from there to the St. Lawrence were navigable, thus the products found their way through Canada to many parts of the world.
Isolation was the county's chief problem. In the early days, Fort Covington was the most prosperous and busy town in the county due to its position on the navigable waters. Lack of transportation farther south in the county made the settlers dependent on their own initiative. The outcropping of iron ore in those areas not only paved the way for a new industry, but it helped the settlers to supplement their wooden tools with those made from their own dug ore. From this there sprang up blacksmith shops that turned out plowshares, scythes, stoves and other useful items. Malone remained the county seat and grew rapidly in mid-century.
With the coming of the railroads also came the possibility of penetrating the "Dark Forest of the Adirondacks." The enormous supply of virgin timber brought fortunes to many and was the cause of many towns springing up. Of these St. Regis Falls, Tupper Lake, and Santa Clara have withstood the changing times. Others are now "Ghost Towns," with only the ruins of the foundations to show that there was once a thriving community.
Hop growing was an important crop, especially around Malone. Some of the old maps show Malone almost surrounded by hop fields. The crop declined due to cost of labor and care, until about 1955, when the records show that there were only a few scattered crops. The last grower in Franklin County was Earle Looker of Whippleville. At present there is not one crop in the county. Dairying was slow to get started in the county but with the coming of the Rutland Railroad with its refrigeration cars many small butter and cheese factories sprang up. Of these, there remains only the McCadam Cheese plant in Chateaugay.
In the early 1800s, sportsmen found that the Adirondack region was one of the most healthful places to live. In Saranac Lake during the 1880s, Dr. Edward Trudeau developed the most effective treatment for tuberculosis and went on to discover the cause of the disease. The Trudeau Sanatorium was for many years a major center for treatment for rich and poor alike.
Today, Franklin County contains a lively mix of farming, lumbering, recreational tourism and commercial enterprise. Because of its location, it remains strategically located to provide safe and beautiful environments for family life as well as spectacular vacation opportunities year round.