At 922 square miles, Franklin County, Missouri, is one of the largest counties in Missouri. In 1818, it was organized and separated from neighboring St. Louis County, and named after Benjamin Franklin.

By an act of the State Legislature on Jan. 22, 1825, the City of Union was established as the county seat. The city’s name was chosen to express the coming together of people and ideas. In the past 20 years, Union has grown from a sleepy Missouri farm town to a bustling bedroom community of nearby St. Louis. The city’s population is about 8,000, and home to East Central College and its 3,500 students. In a nationwide survey released in 2001, Union was ranked “One of the Top 10 Best Small Towns in the United States” and was the only Missouri community on the list.

Today, Union is home to more than 300 successful businesses are now based in Union. Some of the city’s largest employers are manufacturing firms such as the Esselte Pendaflex Corporation and Transaction Technology/Coinco. Other major employers are the Franklin County Government, Union R-XI School District, and East Central College.

Major rivers and streams in the area include the Missouri, the Meramec, the Bourbeuse, and the St. Johns and Boeuf creeks. Native American Indians and early explorers and settlers named these waterways. Robertsville State Park, named after one-time landowner Edward James Roberts, is 1,225 acres, and popular for canoeing and fishing in the adjoining Meramec River.

In addition to Union and Roberstville, other cities and towns in Franklin County include Beaufort, Berger, Catawissa, Gerald, Gray Summit, Labadie, Leslie, Lonedell, Luebbering, New Haven, Pacific, Saint Clair, Sullivan, Villa Ridge, and Washington.