This Tiny Nebraska Town Was Named One Of The Nicest Places In The Country
By Delana Lefevers|Published January 25, 2019
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Delana Lefevers
Author
As a lifelong Nebraskan, Delana loves discovering the many hidden treasures of her state. She has worked as a writer and editor since 2007. Delana's work has been featured on more than a dozen websites and in Nebraska Life Magazine.
We’ve all heard it, and we’ve probably even said it, too: Nebraska has the nicest people in the country. But that’s not just the opinion of Nebraskans. One tiny town has been called one of the 10 nicest places in the country, and we couldn’t agree more.
Franklin is the county seat of Franklin County, located in south-central Nebraska. Its population hovers right around 1,000, which ensures that everyone here knows each other.
"Readers Digest" visited Franklin in 2018 after the town was nominated for the magazine's "Nicest Places in America" contest. What they found there won't be surprising to Nebraska natives, because we see this kind of admirable human spirit every single day.
So what makes Franklin so deserving of such an honor? Quite simply, it's the sense of community that's been cultivated here. In a small town, people have to learn to get along, to make use of what they have, and to ensure that their neighbors always have enough. The people of Franklin do these things in spades.
In 2013, a 12-year-old local boy named Holden Bruce needed life-saving brain surgery that his family's insurance wouldn't cover. The town banded together to raise funds for the family. The people of Franklin are not, on the whole, extremely wealthy, but just about everyone gave something. The result? This tiny community raised $45,000 in one day. It honestly doesn't get nicer than that.
The town has pulled together many times to save businesses to keep their community alive, but the story of the movie theater is one that caught the attention of the "Readers Digest" team.
When the Rose Bowl Theater was in danger of closing, Franklinites decided that they couldn't let this vital part of downtown disappear. Once again, they raised funds. They held bake sales, collected donations from local businesses and organizations, and tirelessly worked to save the theater. In the end, they raised more than $250,000 to renovate the theater. Several families volunteer to operate the now-nonprofit theater, and ticket prices for first-run movies are still just $3.
Franklin’s generosity and sense of community are palpable when you visit. The residents are always raising funds, organizing events, and helping to ensure that everyone in the town is safe and happy. These folks truly care about one another and their community, and it’s one of the sweetest places we’ve ever encountered.
Have you ever visited Franklin? Did you feel the warmth of the community while you were there? Tell us about your experience in the comments!
For more places everyone in Nebraska should visit, take a look at this article from the archives.
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