Insight Into Franklin’s Pre-History

Franklin, Ohio is known for its vast history, woven together by the lives of those who came before. But who was Joy Jones and how did she help uncover the rich tapestry of Franklin's pre-history? Joy Jones was a Middletown journalist and historian. She was highly recognized for her discovery of the "Clark Site" expedition in 1978-1979. Jones documented a series of; projectile points, preforms, and fragments of pottery found along the Great Miami River, and determined these artifacts to be of the late Late Woodland Period (AD 700-1000). The excavation was thoroughly researched, but it unfortunately didn't provide distinctive information needed to suggest which Native American group(s) were the original inhabitants of Franklin, Ohio. Based on the particular artifacts found and their location, it is however, strongly implied that the Native Americans in the area at that time, may have been using these lands primarily as hunting grounds. Thanks to Joy Jones and her research, that paved the way for several archaeological discoveries in the area, we now have a closer understanding into our town's pre-history!