My husband and I moved to Franklin six years ago, site unseen. For us, it was a leap of faith as we moved to a different area of the country, launched a brand-new business and sent our kids to public school for the first time. We found Franklin to be as charming as we’d hoped - I call it my personal snow globe - and immediately immersed ourselves in becoming active in the community.
Fast forward to early July 2023 when my husband came home and quipped, “Do you know anybody who would want to run the post office at Five Points?” Without hesitation, I raised my hand!
The Five Points Postal Unit was the original post office for the City of Franklin. Built in 1924, it served as the only post office for over 65 years. When a new post office was built on Oak Meadow Drive in 1991, the original building became home to other organizations and its status as a contract postal unit (CPU) began the following year.
As a CPU, Five Points works alongside the United States Post Office offering retail services and post office boxes to support the main office. At one time, there were thousands of CPUs in the country; now there are only a handful and Franklin’s 37065 is one of the few.
When I learned that the CPU had closed, perhaps permanently, I knew we couldn’t let that happen. There was nearly 100 years of history there that continues to play an important role in our community.
We had heard the application process was long and arduous. Some who had previously considered applying, got bogged down in the process and dropped out. Undaunted, we proceeded only to be told they were no longer accepting applications. However, about three weeks later we received an email that officially began the process. Our paperwork was submitted July 28. And we waited. Four weeks passed without a word. There was no indication that anything was moving. Numerous calls were made and emails sent. Silence.
Eventually, Mayor Ken Moore and his office started making calls and asking questions. We engaged Patti Carroll from Congressman Mark Green’s office to figure out our next steps. Congressional inquiries were initiated by us, Mayor Moore, as well as Congressman Green’s office. We started to see small signs of progress but still nothing concrete to indicate when we would hear anything definitive.
Daily phone calls and emails to USPS ensued. Calls and emails from Franklin citizens flooded the Congressman’s office. More traction was gained. Finally, nearly eight weeks after initially submitting our application, we were awarded the contract as the new operators.
It’s funny to think that a post office could muster up as much excitement in us as it has. It’s about more than the logistics of a city of 85,000 people needing an additional postal facility. A post office in historic Franklin is a representation of the heart of Franklin. It’s an homage to past generations and a stronghold for future ones. It offers Franklin citizens a place to gather and reconnect. It allows those who have had the same post office box in their family for generations to remain connected to that legacy. This post office contributes to Franklin’s uniqueness and small-town charm by offering a zip code, 37065, for those who participate in utilizing a box.
We see it as a place where our community is celebrated and cared for. We plan to offer a variety of retail options in the future and hope to showcase the work of local artisans. Our love for Franklin motivated us to take this step to preserve the very thing we love about it: a growing city that retains small-town qualities of community and charm.