The town developed around a 1,000-year old platform mound, the center here of the large historic Cherokee town of Nikwasi, and their indigenous ancestors. They were forced to cede their land to the United States in 1819. The site was privately owned for more than 100 years. Franklin bought the site in 1946 to preserve the mound, and it was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1980. The federally recognized Eastern Band of Cherokee is working with the town on the non-profit Nikwasi Initiative, to manage the mound and form a corridor related to historic Cherokee sites in the area, including Too-Cowee on the other side of the river.