Freedom Township, Portage County, Ohio facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Freedom Township
|
|
|---|---|
Historic Freedom Congregational Church at Freedom Center
|
|
Location of Freedom Township in Portage County
|
|
| Country | United States |
| State | Ohio |
| County | Portage |
| Area | |
| • Total | 23.9 sq mi (62.0 km2) |
| • Land | 23.9 sq mi (62.0 km2) |
| • Water | 0.0 sq mi (0.0 km2) |
| Elevation | 1,178 ft (359 m) |
| Population
(2020)
|
|
| • Total | 2,649 |
| • Density | 110.84/sq mi (42.73/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (Eastern (EST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) |
| ZIP code |
44288
|
| Area code(s) | 330 |
| FIPS code | 39-28742 |
| GNIS feature ID | 1086828 |
| Website | https://freedomtwp-pc.org/ |
Freedom Township is a special kind of local area, like a small district, in Portage County, Ohio. It is one of eighteen such townships in the county. According to the 2020 census, about 2,649 people live in Freedom Township.
Contents
Where is Freedom Township Located?
Freedom Township is in the northeastern part of Portage County. It shares its borders with these other townships:
- Hiram Township to the north
- Windham Township to the east
- Paris Township to the southeast
- Charlestown Township to the south
- Ravenna Township to the southwest
- Shalersville Township to the west
- Mantua Township to the northwest
A small piece of the village called Garrettsville is actually part of the far northeast side of Freedom Township.
Area and Special Sites
Freedom Township covers an area of about 24 square miles (62 square kilometers). This area was originally part of the Connecticut Western Reserve. The Ravenna Training and Logistics Site, a large military training area, takes up the southeast corner of the township.
History of Freedom Township
Freedom Township was first settled in 1818. It officially became an organized township in 1825. This made it one of the last townships in Portage County to be set up.
First Settlers and Naming
The very first settler was Charles Paine. He was the son of General Edward Paine, who the city of Painesville, Ohio is named after. It is said that Charles Paine's wife chose the name "Freedom" because she liked the idea of freedom. Before this, the area was sometimes called "North Rootstown." This was because the original owner of the land was Ephraim Root.
Early Post Offices and Communities
A post office named Freedom opened in 1826 at the center of the township. It stayed open until 1903. Later, another post office called Freedom Station was set up in 1864. This one operated until 1957. Freedom Station was an important stop for trains and a place to ship goods on the New York, Pennsylvania and Ohio Railroad.
The small, unincorporated community of Drakesburg is located in the eastern part of the township. You can find it along Ohio State Route 303. Drakesburg is named after Orasumus Drake, a settler who arrived there in 1829.
Other Freedom Townships
Did you know there are other places named Freedom Township in Ohio? You can find them in Henry County and Wood County.
