Community Spotlight: New Franklin is a bedroom community on the busy Portage Lakes
Franklin Township ended years of fighting off annexation attempts from neighboring cities by incorporating. In 2006, the city of New Franklin was born, a move that protected its borders.
Today, the city remains a bedroom community — a mix of quiet residential neighborhoods and busy outdoor activity where Portage Lakes State Park overlaps.
It’s also rich in 19th century history. It hosted important boat locks along the Ohio & Erie Canal. It had an era as a thriving mining community. And it was a key point along the Underground Railroad, helping escaped slaves to freedom.
Location
In southwest Summit County, bordered by Barberton, Norton, Clinton, Green and the townships of Coventry, Chippewa and Lawrence.
Highlights
• Part of the township was surveyed in 1800, but the part west of the Tuscarawas River was not because it still belonged to Native Americans. It wasn’t until the Treaty of Fort Industry in 1805 that the rest of the land became part of the United States.
• A lot of folks still call parts of New Franklin “Manchester” because that was one of the hamlets in the area, formed in 1815. The name Manchester lives on in the local school district. Other small crossroads from that era were called Savannah, Orradeen and Pumroy, but those names are largely forgotten.
• New Franklin was once known for — of all things — peaches. Almost every early settler to the new land set out a peach orchard, most of which were used for the making of peach brandy or dried and shipped east. Peach orchards remained a feature in the area until the 1930s.
• The township was home to legendary baseball great George Sisler (1893-1973), who was in the first class inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame when it opened in 1939. Sisler played for the St. Louis Browns, Washington Senators and Boston Braves.
Attractions
Please note: As the area recovers from the COVID pandemic, many businesses are altering their hours of operation. Be aware that the information reported in this list may change.
• Portage Lakes State Park offers a variety of activities in its 411 acres. Use the entrance at 5031 Manchester Road to get to the swimming beach, shelters, picnic tables, hiking trails, boat ramps, fishing sites and dog park. The park also has a beautifully wooded 18-hole disc golf course. Take your own discs.
• New Franklin is one of the few areas in Summit County where you can go boating. Don’t have your own boat? No problem. Rent a pontoon, kayak or stand-up paddle board at one of two sites in New Franklin. Visit Dusty’s Landing II at dustyslanding.com or call 330-644-3220. And check out Pier 619 at pier619.com or call 330-644-9704.
• The Astronomy Club of Akron’s observatory is based inside Portage Lakes State Park, and club volunteers host events from March through October. The next one is July 23, where visitors can get a glimpse of nebulas, clusters and star clouds, weather permitting. Sometimes, the group plans unscheduled events. Sign up at www.acaoh.org to get a monthly newsletter and make sure you don’t miss a thing.
• Manchester Garden Center, 5490 Manchester Road, features the usual assortment of growing things as well as birdseed, yard ornaments and sculptures. The family-owned center is usually open Monday through Saturday from around 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., but hours may be adjusted depending on seasonal interest, so call before you go: 330-882-4493.
• A classic option for lakeside dining is Upper Deck Bar & Grill, 357 W. Turkeyfoot Lake Road. It opens daily at 11 a.m. and has outdoor seating. Upper Deck is in a nearly 200-year-old building and at times offers live music. It’s also accessible by boat. Visit www.upperdecklakes.com.
• Right next door to the Upper Deck is the Blue Iguana, offering Mexican fare and cocktails seven days a week. Located at 401 W. Turkeyfoot Lake Road, it is also accessible by boat. Check out www.blueiguanatequilabar.com for a full menu.
• Dano’s Lakeside Pub opens at noon seven days a week and can be visited by car or boat. It’s at 4856 Coleman Drive, the site of the former Howie’s on the Lake, which had been a fixture for nearly a century. But Dano’s is not a newcomer to the area. It sat on Miller Lake for 25 years before a fire facilitated the move to its new location in 2018. Learn more at www.danosportagelakes.com.
• The city-owned Tudor House, at 655 Latham Lane, can be rented for weddings and banquets. The 20-room, 2½-story brick-and-stucco mansion built in 1929 sits on 6 acres next to Portage Lakes State Park with 335 feet of frontage on the west shore of Turkeyfoot Lake. Visit www.tudorhouseonportagelakes.com.
• Ohio & Erie Canal Towpath Trail winds through New Franklin with two trailheads featuring restrooms, beautiful scenery, and historic canal locks. Start your hike at 2445 Vanderhoof Road or 2328 Center Road. Find a map and activity details at www.summitmetroparks.org.
About
Population: 14,100
Education: The city is served by four public school districts: Coventry Local, Norton City, Northwest Local and Manchester Local.
Website: newfranklin.org
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Community Spotlight: New Franklin is a bedroom community on the busy Portage Lakes
