Franklin's Boulevard runs down Main Street from Iberia Street on the west to Clark Street on the east.  We are inordinately proud of our Boulevard, and especially  our trademark Lamp Posts. The eastern section of the Boulevard is practically lined on both sides by Oaks, creating an Oak Ally that is simply wonderful.  Along with the oaks are many beautiful and elegant homes, reminiscent of an earlier time.  The combined effect is breathtaking, especially in the early summer when the magnolia are in bloom.  Erected in 1915, the cast iron street lamps have illuminated at least part of the Boulevard for  over 80 years.  Intricate designs worked into the posts indicate a pride that we still feel today.  A part of the design of the original, the words "Do Not Hitch" reminded our ancestors not to hitch their horses to these beauties.  These words can still be seen on the original lamp posts, which have been lovingly restored. Main Street itself is a section of what was once Hwy. 90, and prior to that known as the Old Spanish Trail.  Now known as Hwy. 182, it is part of the Scenic Byways system. There are many beautiful and historic sites to see along the Old Spanish Trail, but my favorite is the Franklin Boulevard. The picture above, which depicts the eastern part of the boulevard around the year 1937, shows the lamp posts painted black.  I don't know if that was the original color or not, but apparently, for a period of time, all of the street lamps were painted black, as evidenced by the photo on the right.      This Photo is of the central section of the boulevard, near Commercial Street.  It is a photo of a parade in progress.  Judging from the cars, the time frame seems to be 1930's .  Prior to 1948 the street lamps had been painted the familiar white that they are today.  This photo of downtown Franklin was taken in April of 1948.  Just a block east of the location of the earlier photo, in the distance we can see the same lamp posts in the earlier photo.  They are all painted white.   The transformation from black to white may have occurred in the early '40's, judging from other photo's.  It's hard to tell.  At any rate, the lamp posts were white before 1948, and remain white to this day.  In the late 1960's and 1970's, the whole country seemed to be on a 'progress' trip.  Many of the older more elegant structures were torn down to be replaced by ugly steel and concrete building or even parking lots.  Franklin was not immune to this trend.  Sometimes during this period, the beautiful cast iron Street Lamps that had softly illuminated downtown Franklin for over 50 years were taken down and replaced by horrid modern Street Lights.  Thankfully, the eastern most sections of the boulevard, in the historic district, were spared.  Even more fortuitous, the lamp posts that had been taken down were stored, probably to use as replacement parts for the few that remained standing. In the early '80's a movement was on to save our historical sites.  Downtown Franklin, brightly lit by modern street lights, was dying.  The long awaited 'new' highway 90 had bypassed Franklin, leaving her somewhat out of the loop.  In an effort to revitalize the downtown area and to recapture some of what we had lost, the old lamp posts were brought out of storage.  The Boy Scouts and others worked hard to restore them to their former beauty.  Eventually it was the big modern street lights that were put into storage while the grand old ladies of Franklin took back their rightful place.