[2] The neighborhood was originally predominantly German and Irish, with many first and second generation emigrants from Southern and Eastern Europe, among other regions.

The community remains robustly active through a social media page, "Tioga-Nicetown-Franklinville (Philly neighborhood Philadelphia)" as of January 2025.

[4] The land was owned by Coleman Fisher, whose large house in the middle of Venango Street was moved in the early 20th century.

"[9] Franklinville was called "Franklin" on maps in 1860 and 1868, with Nicetown to the northeast, Feltonville to the north, Rising Sun to the southwest, Coopersville to the east-southeast.

"[12] The North Pennsylvania Railroad was the first to lay track through the area in 1854 to Jenkintown, opening the line the following year.

E. H. Rosenberger was the editor and publisher with its offices at 642 Tioga St. Irish emigrant Michael Carolan moved to Franklinville with Irish-born wife Annie May Larner and their children (most born near Willow Grove and Fitzwatertown in Montgomery County) in about 1890 where he set up a blacksmith and horseshoeing shop at 530 Rising Sun Avenue.

[15] He arrived in New York City in 1847 aboard the Patrick Henry, which brought refugees of the Great Hunger from Ireland via the Clarence Dock in Liverpool.

The Franklinville Consolidated School was organized in 1856 at the Franklin Baptist Church on Rising Sun Lane and the North Pennsylvania Railroad.

Services were held by priests from Old St. Joseph's and those traveling to and from Philadelphia at the home of John Michael Browne (1703-1750), of Tuam, Ireland, who came from the West Indies in 1742 and purchased acreage in what would become Franklinville.

After Browne's death, services were held, until 1780, at the home of Paul Miller, a sexton at Old St. Joseph's, near today's Eighth St. and W. Hunting Park Ave.[18]The New Cathedral Cemetery, today with about 38 acres, opened in 1868 on land originally owned by Browne that he wanted to become a burial ground.

The Christ Church (Episcopal) cornerstone was laid at the northwest corner of Sixth and Venango on April 17, 1876.

An Italian parish formed and erected a church, Our Lady of Pompeii, on the southern edge of Franklinville in 1914.