<p>In 1884, coal mining began in the Green River Gorge in south central King County. Within a year, the first 7,000 tons of coal were shipped to the Seattle waterfront. Franklin and other small towns grew up around the mines. The Franklin mine reached peak production in 1900 but declined after World War I ended in 1918. By 1930, Franklin was nearly a ghost town. The Franklin mine site is now part of Green River Gorge State Park.
This photo, taken around 1890, shows a train at the Franklin depot. Small houses, probably owned by the coal company, line the steep hillside.</p>
<p>Original photograph: ca. 1890. Copied after 1975 by the Museum of History and Industry.</p>
<ul><li>Subjects (LCTGM): Cities &amp; towns; Railroads</li></ul>
<div class="fn value">
Unknown author<span style="display: none;">Unknown author</span></div>
circa 1890 <div style="display: none;">date QS:P571,+1890-00-00T00:00:00Z/9,P1480,Q5727902</div>
<a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://digitalcollections.lib.washington.edu/digital/collection/imlsmohai/search">Museum of History and Industry</a>