Franklin County is located along the Tennessee-Alabama border in what has been traditionally called "Middle" Tennessee. The county seat is Winchester. Winchester is about 90 miles from Nashville, about 60 miles from Chattanooga, and about 45 miles from Huntsville, AL. Other incorporated towns in the county include Huntland, Decherd, Estill Springs, and Cowan. Developed areas include Sewanee, St. Andrews, Sherwood, Belvedere, Broadview, Centennial, and the Rock Creek area. There are several scenic sub-divisions bordering Tims Ford Lake. Covering about 543 square miles, Franklin County's 1996 population is about 35,800.
Long known as a quiet farming area home to the University of the South in Sewanee , the area began to experience development and growth following World War II. The regional influence of the Tennessee Valley Authority, the AEDC wind tunnel test facility nearby in Tullahoma, and the NASA facilities at Huntsville, AL generated technical jobs in the area. The local population diversified as scientists and engineers brought their families to the area. Strong international interest in the aero-space industry and in the business climate of Tennessee has attracted people of Asian and Middle Eastern background to the area. The labor needs of the local landscape nursery industry has attracted a growing Hispanic population to the area.
Franklin County is near the center of a strong area of regional development which reaches from near Huntsville, Alabama to Murfreesboro, Tennessee. The result is a surprisingly cosmopolitan population which supports restaurants offering a varied cuisine, diverse cultural opportunities, and sophisticated shopping opportunities.
Increasing Japanese investment in Tennessee culminated in the construction of a major Nissan assembly facility near Decherd scheduled to open in 1997. The development of two major lake reservoirs on the Elk River--Woods Reservoir and Tims Ford Reservoir--have sparked residential, retirement, and tourist development. The bass fishing on Tims Ford Reservoir attracts anglers from New York to Michigan. The pleasant climate, scenic rural views, ease of access to other areas, and comfortable lifestyle makes Franklin County an attractive area for families.