The History of Franklin Court

On the site now known as Franklin Court once stood the home of Benjamin Franklin, who in his later years also built three Market Street houses and a Print Shop for his printer-publisher grandson, Benjamin Franklin Bache. Franklin first saw the site at age 17 while lodging with the family of his future wife, Deborah Read, in a small house at the front of the lot. After they came together, Benjamin and Deborah inherited and acquired neighboring properties. By the early 1760's, Franklin contracted with master carpenter Robert Smith to build a large house in a quiet garden deep in the middle of the block. Franklin left for England while the house was under construction during 1763-65. Before he could return to his new home, Deborah died. When Franklin returned in 1775, his daughter Sarah and her husband, Richard Bache, had moved into the house and filled it with grandchildren, but Franklin soon found the house too small and, at age 81, added an extension.

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania · United States