Meandering around downtown Franklin, surprises await those who know where to look.
Colorful murals and public art are hidden in alleyways and on blank walls of brick buildings. Houses and buildings designed in Italianate, Art Deco, Arts & Crafts and Victorian styles add flair to downtown neighborhoods.
The city’s many blade signs — extending down the front of local buildings — are hardly inconspicuous. But each one holds delightful secrets that few are privy to.
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Now, with the help of area experts, people can explore some of the city’s hidden treasures.
Festival Country Indiana, the county’s tourism bureau, has created a series of walking tours examining some of the most unique aspects of downtown Franklin. People can find stunning public art, learn about long-buried history, discover the city’s architectural jewels and hear the stories behind downtown’s many blade signs.
The tours are not only designed to point out Franklin’s most popular features, but also to reveal new sides of the area that visitors — and even residents — might not have seen before, said Kenneth Kosky, executive director of Festival County Indiana.
“We want people to learn a little bit more about the community they live in or are visiting. We want them to appreciate what makes our area unique, because every community has its own unique architecture and history,” he said. “We’ve found that when people discover things they didn’t know, they become more engaged and appreciative of the areas they live in or are visiting.”
Festival Country Indiana — the name of Johnson County’s Convention, Visitors and Tourism Commission — has been working since 2016 to promote activities, businesses and attractions throughout the county. The idea for the tours came about as an extension of Festival Country Indiana’s newly opened visitors center, which contains interactive activities and exhibits.
The organization works with partner organizations, such as Mallow Run Winery and the Apple Works in Trafalgar, to not only be an attraction but to offer events such as concerts and live music to further bring visitors in, Kosky said. Since they urge local businesses to include those kinds of activities, it only made sense to implement events into Festival Country Indiana’s own offerings.
“When we opened our doors in downtown Franklin in June, we wanted to not only have dynamic interactive displays inside the visitors center, but also to engage people with the community,” Kosky said. “We wanted to practice what we preach in organizing fun, unique programming, so we’re not just a building, but someone who offers activities and events.”
Organizers have put together four different tours starting this weekend, with each one devoted to a different subject related to downtown Franklin.
The initial tour, scheduled for Friday, focuses on the history of the city. David Pfeiffer, director of the Johnson County Museum of History, will guide participants through the history behind some of Franklin’s famous buildings and businesses.
Along the half-mile-long walk, people will be able find out about the construction of the Johnson County courthouse, the creation and restoration of the Historic Artcraft Theatre and life of The Willard.
Subsequent tours will follow similar formats. On Aug. 21, in conjunction with the planned Ethos Celebration of the Arts festival going on downtown, the tour will root out murals, art installations and more with the help of Patrick Tisdale from the Creative Council of Franklin.
Rob Shilts, the executive director of Franklin Heritage, will take people on a journey through the different architectural styles that can be found downtown on Aug. 28, where many of the buildings and homes constructed in the late 1800s and early 20th century have been refurbished and are still standing.
Finally, the tour on Sept. 4 uncovers the hidden histories and stories behind some of the different blade signs throughout the city, including the one at the Artcraft and Festival Country Indiana’s own specially designed sign.
“We looked around and thought of any possible thing that would be interesting to the public. There are people who are interested in history, there are those who love art. There are people who love architecture but don’t know a lot about it,” Kosky said. “We decided that those would be popular.”
While Festival Country Indiana has only scheduled four tours to this point, they are thinking about others, Kosky said. One idea would be an antiques tour, where people would explore the downtown area’s many vintage and antique stores, while shop owners talk about finding cool items.
“That way, it’s adding value, so you’re not just walking and looking, but you’re learning too,” Kosky said.
A potential Halloween tour, with ghost stories along the route, is another idea.
Though the tours are held outside, masks will be required, per state regulations. But the tours will allow people to be physically distant, and give them something to stay entertained without added risk, Kosky said.
“People are really starved for something to do while staying safe. I think we’re really filling a void there,” Kosky said.
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Franklin Walking Tours
What: Weekly events held every Friday taking participants into some of the unique aspects of downtown Franklin
When: 6 to 7 p.m. Friday, Aug. 21, Aug. 28 and Sept. 4
Where: Each tour starts at the Festival County Indiana visitors center, 66 S. Water St., Franklin
How to sign up: Go to facebook.com/FestCountryIN, and click on the events. A form will be available to sign up for each tour.
Schedule
- Friday: Historical Walking Tour; this tour has reached capacity, though people can sign up to be on the waiting list
- Aug. 21: Art Walking Tour, visit murals, art installations and more in downtown Franklin during this art-themed walking tour. Hosted by Patrick Tisdale of the Creative Council of Franklin.
- Aug. 28: Architectural Walking Tour, join Rob Shilts from Franklin Heritage Inc. to learn about downtown Franklin’s charming and historic architecture.
- Sept. 4: Blade Sign Walking Tour, hear the stories behind the iconic signs throughout downtown.
Though the tours are held outside, masks will be required, per state regulations.
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