Freeborn, Minnesota facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Freeborn
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Location of Freeborn, Minnesota
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| Country | United States |
| State | Minnesota |
| County | Freeborn |
| Area | |
| • Total | 0.18 sq mi (0.47 km2) |
| • Land | 0.18 sq mi (0.47 km2) |
| • Water | 0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2) |
| Elevation | 1,237 ft (377 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 264 |
| • Density | 1,442.62/sq mi (556.38/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (Central (CST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) |
| ZIP code |
56032
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| Area code(s) | 507 |
| FIPS code | 27-22526 |
| GNIS feature ID | 2394819 |
Freeborn is a small city in Freeborn County, Minnesota, United States. In 2020, about 264 people lived there. The city, its county, and a nearby lake are all named after William Freeborn. He was an important person in Minnesota's early government.
Contents
A Look Back at Freeborn's History
Freeborn was first planned out in 1857. It officially became a city in 1949. The city, the surrounding area, and Freeborn Lake are all named after William Freeborn. He was a member of Minnesota's government a long time ago. A post office has been open in Freeborn since 1857. It has helped people send mail for over 160 years!
Where is Freeborn Located?
Freeborn is a small city, covering about 0.47 square kilometers (0.18 square miles) of land. It is located in the far northwest part of Freeborn County. The city is about 15 miles northwest of Albert Lea, which is the county seat.
Freeborn is found where three county highways meet. County Highway 29 runs east and west. County Highway 6 runs north and south along the western edge of town. County Highway 10 starts at County 29 and goes north.
People Living in Freeborn
| Historical population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1880 | 72 | — | |
| 1890 | 89 | 23.6% | |
| 1960 | 314 | — | |
| 1970 | 296 | −5.7% | |
| 1980 | 323 | 9.1% | |
| 1990 | 301 | −6.8% | |
| 2000 | 305 | 1.3% | |
| 2010 | 297 | −2.6% | |
| 2020 | 264 | −11.1% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
Freeborn's Population in 2010
In 2010, there were 297 people living in Freeborn. These people lived in 120 different homes. About 84 of these were families. Most people living in Freeborn were White (98.3%). A small number (3.7%) were of Hispanic or Latino background.
Out of the 120 homes, 43 (about 36%) had children under 18 living there. Most homes (54.2%) were married couples living together. About 25% of all homes were individuals living alone. The average home had about 2.48 people. The average family had about 2.95 people.
The average age of people in Freeborn was 38.9 years old. About 25% of residents were under 18 years old. About 15.5% were 65 years or older. There were slightly more males (50.8%) than females (49.2%) in the city.
Local News: The Freeborn Frisbee
Freeborn has its own small newspaper called 'The Freeborn Frisbee'. It comes out four times a year as a newsletter. It started in 1998. The paper shares interesting articles and stories about local people and Freeborn's history.
Some regular parts of the paper include "A View from the Point." This is an essay about observations near Hanson's Point on Freeborn Lake. Another part is "From the Mayor's Desk," which talks about city council news. Bonnie Schuster, a local resident and historian, produces and edits The Frisbee.
Preserving Freeborn's History
The Freeborn Area Heritage Society is a group that works to save and celebrate Freeborn's history. They take care of the old District 15 School. This was a one-room schoolhouse built in 1858. It was moved to a city park in 2006 and reopened in 2007. The Society restored the building. It is now filled with old classroom items and exhibits. These show what school was like between 1858 and 1937.
Right next to the school is a new Museum building. It has many community and local items on display. The Museum's two most special items are the Freeborn Fire Department's old 1946 fire truck. The other is a carefully restored 1928 Model T Ford car. This car was bought new from a Freeborn car dealer that year. The Model T stayed with the original owner's family for over 80 years. It was then given to the community. Both the car and the fire truck are always on display at the Museum.
The Museum also has records, yearbooks, and items from the old Freeborn High School. The high school closed in 1987. It also features items from the school's sports teams, the Freeborn Yeomen. This nickname was special to Freeborn. No other high school in America is known to have had the Yeomen mascot! The school colors were orange and black. There are also trophies from the school's many successful sports teams.
FFA Corn Drive: Helping Others
The FFA Corn Drives for Camp Courage started in 1964. They began with the Freeborn High School Chapter of the Future Farmers of America (FFA). In the first Corn Drive, FFA members walked through farm fields after harvest. They picked up corn ears left behind by machines. This corn was sold, and the money went to Camp Courage. Camp Courage was a summer camp in northern Minnesota for children with special needs. The first Corn Drive raised $87!
Lee Asche, a Freeborn High School teacher and FFA advisor, helped start this project. He also helped it grow across the state. In 2007, Mr. Asche was honored for his kind spirit and charity work. He was the honorary Grand Marshal of the Freeborn Area Sesquicentennial parade.
Because of Lee Asche's efforts, many FFA chapters across Minnesota still raise money. They do this through their own Corn Drives. Farmers often donate corn or money. Nearly 60 years after the first Corn Drive, funds still go to the group that took over from Camp Courage. It is now known as True Friends.
