Franklin College Building No. 5
Encyclopedia
The Franklin College Building No. 5 is located along Main Street, or State Route 9, in New Athens
, Ohio
. The building houses the Franklin Museum which is dedicated to preserving the building and its primary function. The college building was placed on the National Register
on May 8, 1987.
Over the course of over 100 years, the college was key in the education of two governors, eight U.S. Senators, and nine U.S. Congressmen
and twenty state legislators
. The college also graduated Titus Basfield, an African-American student and former slave, as well as several prominent women.
The college slowly dwindled until only one building remained, which ceased operations in 1919, due to a decrease in enrollment. The building became affiliated with Muskingum College
in New Concord
from 1919 until 1927. The New Athens School District purchased the building and operated the high school in the building from 1927 to 1971, the middle school from 1971 to 1987, after which it sat vacant. The Franklin Museum purchased the building in 1992 and opened the building as a museum.
of the firm Yost & Packard, and consists of red bricks with white wood trim boards. The main building is shaped like a "U", with the wings facing the street. The recessed main entrance is located in the center of the "U" and is framed by four Corinthian columns supporting an entablature and a pediment. The entablature is emblazoned with a nameplate reading "Franklin Museum". The pediment above contains dentil
molding with a frieze containing "1900". The wooden double doors are topped by a transom light. Above this entrance is a square window with sandstone quions.
The building rests upon rusticated sandstone blocks with small rectangular windows illuminating the bottom floor. The first and second floors contain large rectangular windows with sandstone casings. On either side of the entrance are three double-sashed windows. The wing projections each contain a palladian window on the main floor with three windows above.
The roof is supported by an entablature
and overhangs the structure. Decorative brackets line the entablature along the building. The hipped roof is pierced by three dormer
windows with the central dormer containing a decorative pediment. A drum supporting an open cupola
with eight arches with Doric columns rises from the center of the roof, to either side of the cupola is a large brick chimney.
New Athens, Ohio
New Athens is a village in Harrison County, Ohio, United States. The population was 342 at the 2000 census.During Morgan's Raid, a decisive Union victory in the Civil War in 1863, Confederate Brid. Gen...
, Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
. The building houses the Franklin Museum which is dedicated to preserving the building and its primary function. The college building was placed on the National Register
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
on May 8, 1987.
History
, an abolitionist and Presbyterian Church minister, established Alma College in New Athens in 1818. The primary function of the college was to promote religion and abolitionist beliefs in the area. The college was renamed Franklin College in 1825, but the college kept its original mission. Over the span of operations the college operated out of several buildings around New Athens.Over the course of over 100 years, the college was key in the education of two governors, eight U.S. Senators, and nine U.S. Congressmen
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
and twenty state legislators
Ohio General Assembly
The Ohio General Assembly is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Ohio. It consists of the 99-member Ohio House of Representatives and the 33-member Ohio Senate...
. The college also graduated Titus Basfield, an African-American student and former slave, as well as several prominent women.
The college slowly dwindled until only one building remained, which ceased operations in 1919, due to a decrease in enrollment. The building became affiliated with Muskingum College
Muskingum College
Muskingum University is a private four-year comprehensive college with a strong liberal arts tradition located in New Concord, Ohio, approximately sixty miles east of the state capital of Columbus. Founded in 1837, Muskingum University is affiliated with the Presbyterian Church , although since the...
in New Concord
New Concord, Ohio
New Concord is a village in Muskingum County, Ohio, United States. The population was 2,651 at the 2000 census. New Concord is the home of Muskingum University and is served by a branch of the Muskingum County Library System.-Geography:...
from 1919 until 1927. The New Athens School District purchased the building and operated the high school in the building from 1927 to 1971, the middle school from 1971 to 1987, after which it sat vacant. The Franklin Museum purchased the building in 1992 and opened the building as a museum.
Exterior
The current building, number 5 of the original college layout, sits on a slight hill overlooking Main Street below. The building dates from 1900, after the original log structure burned down in 1899. The building was designed by Joseph W. YostJoseph W. Yost
Joseph W. Yost was a prominent architect from Ohio whose works included many courthouses and public buildings. Yost & Packard was a partnership in which he worked.-Early life:...
of the firm Yost & Packard, and consists of red bricks with white wood trim boards. The main building is shaped like a "U", with the wings facing the street. The recessed main entrance is located in the center of the "U" and is framed by four Corinthian columns supporting an entablature and a pediment. The entablature is emblazoned with a nameplate reading "Franklin Museum". The pediment above contains dentil
Dentil
In classical architecture a dentil is a small block used as a repeating ornament in the bedmould of a cornice.The Roman architect Vitruvius In classical architecture a dentil (from Lat. dens, a tooth) is a small block used as a repeating ornament in the bedmould of a cornice.The Roman architect...
molding with a frieze containing "1900". The wooden double doors are topped by a transom light. Above this entrance is a square window with sandstone quions.
The building rests upon rusticated sandstone blocks with small rectangular windows illuminating the bottom floor. The first and second floors contain large rectangular windows with sandstone casings. On either side of the entrance are three double-sashed windows. The wing projections each contain a palladian window on the main floor with three windows above.
The roof is supported by an entablature
Entablature
An entablature refers to the superstructure of moldings and bands which lie horizontally above columns, resting on their capitals. Entablatures are major elements of classical architecture, and are commonly divided into the architrave , the frieze ,...
and overhangs the structure. Decorative brackets line the entablature along the building. The hipped roof is pierced by three dormer
Dormer
A dormer is a structural element of a building that protrudes from the plane of a sloping roof surface. Dormers are used, either in original construction or as later additions, to create usable space in the roof of a building by adding headroom and usually also by enabling addition of windows.Often...
windows with the central dormer containing a decorative pediment. A drum supporting an open cupola
Cupola
In architecture, a cupola is a small, most-often dome-like, structure on top of a building. Often used to provide a lookout or to admit light and air, it usually crowns a larger roof or dome....
with eight arches with Doric columns rises from the center of the roof, to either side of the cupola is a large brick chimney.
See also
- Franklin College (New Athens, Ohio)Franklin College (New Athens, Ohio)Franklin College was a college in New Athens, Ohio, founded by abolitionist John Walker, a Presbyterian minister. The college was called Alma college from 1818 until 1825, when the name was changed to Franklin College. The college ceased operation in 1919, and became associated with Muskingum...
- William McMillan (college president)William McMillan (college president)William McMillan was elected the fourth president of Jefferson College on September 24, 1817.McMillan was educated at Jefferson College, the institution founded by his uncle, the Rev. John McMillan, graduating with the Jefferson class of 1802, the first class to graduate from the newly chartered...
- John BinghamJohn BinghamJohn Armor Bingham was a Republican congressman from Ohio, America, judge advocate in the trial of the Abraham Lincoln assassination and a prosecutor in the impeachment trials of Andrew Johnson...