Will Franke Historical Marker

Where Montevallo Road meets Cahaba Road in downtown Mountain Brook, this marker to one of the areas movers and shakers has its place. It reads:
Will Franke (1889 – 1964)
William Frederick Franke was a descendant of the earliest settlers of this area, including the Watkins, Byars and Acton families. He became one of the most important figures int he development of present day Mountain Brook.
In the 1920’s, Franke secured vast areas of land and, working with Jemison Realty, played an important part in developing it into Mountain Brook Estates, Mountain Brook Village, the Country Club of Birmingham and Mountain Brook Club.
Franke was influential in securing Shades Valley’s first telephone lines, sewer system, water system and modern roads.
Franke played a key role in developing Jefferson County’s first school system. He led the passage of county school tax and bond initiatives and organized the county into school districts. The resulting building program produced Shades Cahaba, Mountain Brook, Crestline, McElwain, Edgewood and many other schools.
An instrumental figure in the growth of Canterbury United Methodist Church, Franke held virtually ever church leadership position open to laymen.
Franke was a renowned genealogist and local historian. His research is preserved in the Will H. Franke Collection at Samford University.