Franklin is named for Benjamin Franklin, who was a signer of the Declaration of Independence and who lived from 1706 to 1790.
Surrounding County Courthouses:
Independent City 
Created: 1961
Courthouse – Franklin
Location: 1020 Pretlow Street / Morton Street
Built: Unknown
Style: Modern
Architect: Unknown
Contractor: Unknown
Description: The building faces west and is a one story red colored brick and concrete structure. The building is located on landscaped grounds to the south of the center of Franklin. On the west side is a brick wall with rectangular windows which section joins the north and south sections which have green colored hipped roofs. The south section has a recessed porch as the entrance to the Franklin Combined Courts. The building houses the General District Court and Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court of the 5th Judicial Circuit. On the north side is the Franklin Police Department.
County Courthouse – Courtland
The Circuit Court is housed in the Southampton County Courthouse in Courtland.
See: The 5th Judicial Circuit includes Isle of Wight County, Southampton County and Suffolk.
History: The independent city was created in 1961. The first and present courthouse was constructed after 1961.