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Franklin County Flag (image courtesy of Washington State Archives) [/caption]
Located within the fork of the Columbia and Snake rivers, Franklin County is the eleventh county in the Secretary of State’s special snapshot series.
Founded in 1883 out of territory from Whitman County, Franklin was named after the famed founding father and statesman, Benjamin Franklin. Franklin occupies 1,265 square miles in Washington’s southeast corner. Its population is about 81,000 people, with the majority living in Pasco, the largest city and county seat. Since 2001, Franklin county has experienced a 59.72 percent increase in population, making it one of the fastest growing counties in the nation.
Nestled in Franklin County is a natural treasure that stands apart from most of Washington’s typical scenery. The Juniper Dunes Wilderness is a complex of sand dunes and scrub land sprawling across 7,140 acres of Franklin County. Juniper Dunes offers residents of Franklin, as well as the rest of Washington and nearby Oregon, a chance to explore a geographic curiosity while getting some recreation time. Who would expect sand dunes when there is no beach? Horseback riding, hiking, hunting, and even dune buggying are all common activities at the park.
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A sunset over the Juniper Dunes (image courtesy of Juniper Dunes blogspot) [/caption]
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