Category:Franklin Elementary School, Allentown, Pennsylvania

Franklin Elementary was first erected in 1888, at 218 North 14th Street. This was only 18 years after Allentown expanded it's western boundary from 12th to 17th Streets. Originally, it was a four-room neighborhood school, but in 1894 an addition was added to it, which doubled the capacity to eight classrooms. In 1906, a second addition was added, increasing the number of classrooms to twelve.

When built, the school was one of the finest in Allentown. In 1909 dollars, it cost $34,198 to build the second addition alone. In 1949, the entire school was renovated, costing $52,393. Between the 1930s and 1950s, Franklin was also used by the ASD for "gifted" students, providing advanced classes for those students.

However, by the mid-1960's the cost of maintaining the 75+ year old structure was growing higher and higher. A review in 1965 by the School District indicated the building needed heating and electrical alternations, to the cost of about $100,000. In 1966, the Allentown School Board voted to close the school, and the last graduating class left Franklin on June 16th, 1967.

In 1967, the school was torn down and the lot was paved over with asphalt. In July 1970, the lot was partially redeveloped into the Franklin Park Playground.