01/17/08

About Franklin, North Carolina . . .

Welcome to the beautiful Great Smokey Mountain region of Western North Carolina.

Franklin, which is county seat to Macon County, is truly the best kept secret of the North Carolina Mountains.  The year-round population in Macon County is nearly 35,000, but that number swells to over 75,000 in the summer months.  Because of the influx of diverse people in to the area, Franklin has become a sort of melting pot for diverse cultures.  This is the primary reason why Franklin is such a tolerant and accepting place.

Located at approximately 2,300 foot elevation and in the heart of the Little Tennessee River Valley, Franklin is protected to the east and west by the Cowee and Nantahala ranges of the Appalachians.  More than 60 percent of Macon County is national forest which ensures that Franklin will remain low density and never become overdeveloped like, say Asheville.

Visitors commonly refer to our region as a diamond in the rough, and it’s not because more varieties of gems come out of the Franklin area than anywhere else in the world.  It is because of the small town experience of Franklin.  The people are so friendly in the Appalachian Mountains.  There’s also a great sense of community here – both gay and straight.  Franklin is a place where a person that wants to can really make a difference.

The winters in Franklin are much milder than in the higher elevations.  We only get a minimal amount of snowfall and the average temperatures in January are in the 40’s.  Summers are also mild with average temperatures in August in the 70’s. Humidity is also low with the annual average of 70 percent.

Franklin is quickly becoming a popular destination for the GLBT community, particularly for couples.  There's not much to offer in the way of bars or dance clubs.  What people keep coming back for is the simple way of life, the low-density natural beauty and the tolerant and friendly people.  There are a number of gay-owned businesses in the area.  Dozens of gay couples call Franklin their second-home and even more have come to call the area their home for retirement.

Franklin is ideally located within an easy drive to a number of cultural and metropolitan centers.  Only two-hours away are Atlanta, GA, Knoxville, TN or Greenville, SC.  Just a little over an hour is Gatlinburg, TN or Asheville, NC (which is affectionately referred to as the Little San Francisco of the South).  Less than an hour away are the casinos at Cherokee, Lake Chatuge, Highlands, Cashiers and so much much more.

With over 60 percent of Macon County being national forest there is a multitude of outdoor recreational opportunities.  Some of the more popular activities include whitewater rafting, canoeing/kayaking, fishing, water skiing, snow skiing, horseback riding, hiking, exploring the area’s many waterfalls, bicycling, motor biking, camping, RVing, gem mining, and the list goes on.

Some other activities popular in the area include fine dining, shopping, gambling, antiquing, going to the local museums, Pick’n-On-The-Square or just watching some movies at the local theatre.

The gay and lesbian community in and around Franklin is so much larger than I thought when I moved here from Central Florida.  There are literally family everywhere in the mountains here.  In the last five years more and more gays and lesbians have not only moved to the area but also have felt more comfortable being 100% themselves.  One of the nicest things about the gay community in Franklin is that you can choose to be as involved or uninvolved as you want to be.

In the summer months especially, it seems like somebody’s always having a dinner or other type of get together.  Socializing takes place in smaller more intimate and personal groups, usually in the homes of the hosts.  You get to know people here more personally and that has really been very gratifying to me and my partner.  We came from Central Florida where we were unable to make close ties in the community like we have in Franklin – both in the gay and straight communities.

If this sounds like a setting or lifestyle that you or someone you know would like to learn more about, please email us Info@GayFranklin.com.  We are always eager to introduce outsiders to our uniquely addictive quality of life.  And, if you’re like us, once you visit Franklin it will only be a matter of time until you find a way to call it home!