Mourning Doughboy
Standing at the center of the Franklin Town Common is the town’s World War I memorial, often referred to as the “Mourning Doughboy“. Dedicated in 1929, the monument honors the 423 men from Franklin who served during the First World War, including the 13 who lost their lives. The memorial captures a deeply reflective moment. The bronze soldier stands at rest with his helmet lowered before him and his rifle grounded at his side. This posture conveys the emotional weight carried home from war,
The sculpture is believed to be a casting of My Buddy, a work created by noted sculptor Joseph P. Pollia, an Italian- born artist who became nationally recognized for his war memorials during the 1920s and 1930s. Pollia developed a style that emphasized the inner emotion of soldiers rather than battlefield action. Franklin’s memorial is one of several castings of this design found across the country. Pollia’s work reflected the changing mood that followed World War I, when communities across America sought memorials that acknowledged sacrifice.
The “Mourning Doughboy” represents a memory of an entire generation of young men whose lives were forever changed by the First World War.
Read More From Nancy
Birthplace of Horace Mann
In Franklin, the memory of Horace Mann is preserved in these two different ways. One is the granite marker of his birthplace, while the other is the large public statue located in Horace Mann Square. The birthplace plaque marks where his life began, while the statue honors what Horace Mann became. Standing confidently beside a column of […]
Dean College
Dean College is another institution that reinforces how the town of Franklin identities itself with education. Founded in 1865, shortly after the Civil War, Dean College has been part of Franklin’s landscape for generations and remains one of the landmarks of the town center. The school was originally founded as Dean Academy through the generosity of Dr. Oliver […]
Welcome Sign
One of the things that makes Franklin unique among American towns is proudly displayed on this welcome sign: it is the home of the nation’s first public library. The story begins in 1778 then the town, newly incorporated, chose to name itself after Benjamin Franklin. The citizens asked Franklin for a bell for their town […]
