Franklin

Did you know that Franklin was once its own county? Imagine a time before Auckland’s sprawling suburbs. Picture a vast landscape of rolling hills orchards and farmland. That was Franklin. A self-governing entity. Franklin County existed from 1912 to 1989. It had its own council its own chairmen. The first council meeting? That took place in the Pukekohe Mason Hall in 1912. They even built their own council building. Architect L C A Potter designed it. Macpherson & Harvey of Tuakau constructed it in 1914. The county held onto that building until 1972. The Franklin County Council oversaw eight ridings: Awhitu Waiuku Waipipi Mauku Pukekohe Drury Mercer and Hunua. Think of the sheer scale of this area. It covered 620 square miles. That’s over 1600 square kilometers. The area’s economy relied heavily on agriculture and horticulture. Horse breeding and motorsports also played a significant role. The community was thriving. In 1923 Franklin County boasted a population of 9730. They had an impressive network of roads. 183 miles of gravel roads 252 miles of mud roads and 400 miles of tracks. A testament to their efforts to connect this expansive area. Franklin was a vital part of New Zealand’s infrastructure. State Highway 1 and the North Island Main Trunk Railway passed right through. Pukekohe was even the last stop on Auckland’s commuter train line. The Hunua Ranges water reservoirs supplied much of Auckland’s water needs. Gas water electricity and telecommunications infrastructure ran through Franklin too. Now Franklin is part of the larger Auckland region. But the legacy of this self-sufficient county remains strong. It’s a reminder of a time when Franklin stood alone and thrived on its own unique identity. A story etched into the landscape. And a story we continue to share today.