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Franklin Council forms commission to preserve rich mining history
New Jersey Herald
FRANKLIN The Borough Council approved a Historic Preservation Commission on Tuesday, but not without first expressing concerns over the rights of owners to manage their own properties.
The vote was three in favor of the commission with a no from Councilman Concetto Formica. Councilman Steven Skellenger abstained and Councilman Joe Limon was absent.
The commission was proposed by Mayor John Sowden as a way to focus on the borough s history as the center of mining in northwestern New Jersey.
The council s concerns during a lengthy discussion included what powers the five-member commission would be given. Would they have the power to require certain buildings to be painted certain colors?
New Jersey Herald
FRANKLIN The borough is looking to establish a Historic Preservation Commission to spotlight its rich mining history in the hopes it will attract tourists.
The Council will hold a public hearing and possibly a vote to establish the five-member panel - with two alternate members, at Tuesday s meeting.
Establishing such a commission may open up grant opportunities to the borough, said Mayor John Sowden. The grants may help hire experts in the field of historic preservation.
The mayor would appoint residents to the four-year terms on the commission, with at least one knowledgeable in building design and construction or in architectural history and another knowledgeable or have a demonstrated interest in local history.
History to bolster Franklin’s resurgence
Franklin. The borough’s once-booming downtown is ready to flourish once again. Eddie Mindlin (now 94) with his mother on Main Street around 85 years ago Eddie Mindlin today with Chief Fred Babcock on the left, and Franklin Borough s Town Historian, Phil Crabb, on the right The Zinc Company The underground room (you can see the surface sunlight in the upper right) where the miners got on and off the Man Cages
Franklin was once home to a booming mining business underground while on the surface, a tight-knit, multi-cultural community bustled on Main Street and at its beloved Neighborhood House. Now, Franklin-loving folks are coming together to revive its history and renovate its downtown.