Taking a right off East Main Street, just before crossing the bridge into downtown Franklin, you pull onto Lakeside Drive and keep your eyes peeled. You know Currahee Brewing is somewhere around here, but where? It must be behind that large warehouse sitting alongside the Little Tennessee River.

And it’s just in that moment you realize Currahee is the large warehouse looming over you.

The town of Franklin’s website is a great example of a small town going the extra mile to encourage public participation in local government.

The Franklin Board of Aldermen has yet to agree on what it should do with a 13-acre tract it owns just off East Main Street, but two proposals from the public are leaning toward utilizing the green space for public recreational purposes.

For someone who has spent most of her life in Ohio, moving to the mountains of Western North Carolina has been a dream come true for Karen Gorby.

Franklin’s proposed budget prioritizes a number of long-range infrastructure projects without increasing the tax rate.

Kevin Rohrer, a captain with Morrisville Fire and Rescue Department, has been hired as Franklin’s fulltime fire chief to replace former interim chief Warren Cabe.

The town of Franklin has been sitting on about 13 acres of pristine greenway space for about 12 years with no concrete plans for how to utilize it.

Macon County Sheriff’s Office is investigating the death of 22-year-old Hunter Curtis after he was shot and killed by his father on March 26 during a domestic dispute.

Franklin officials thought the controversy over banners would end when the board of aldermen passed an ordinance last year allowing them to be hung over Main Street to promote upcoming events.

Franklin residents have taken it upon themselves to get the word out about the town’s recognition as the “Top Small Town” by Blue Ridge Outdoors magazine. 

SEE ALSO: Franklin focuses on making town more walkable

Since the award was announced in November, the big question has been how to capitalize on the designation and bring more visitors to town. Because the award is given out each year, time is of the essence to spread the good word.