Freeport, Pennsylvania facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Freeport, Pennsylvania
Borough
Downtown Freeport
Location of Freeport in Armstrong County, Pennsylvania.
Freeport, Pennsylvania Location in Pennsylvania
Country	United States
State	Pennsylvania
County	Armstrong
Settled	1796
Incorporated	1833
Government
• Type	Borough council
Area
• Total	1.30 sq mi (3.36 km2)
• Land	1.27 sq mi (3.29 km2)
• Water	0.03 sq mi (0.07 km2)
Elevation	790 ft (240 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	1,736
• Density	1,366.93/sq mi (527.98/km2)
Time zone	UTC-5 (Eastern (EST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC-4 (EDT)
Zip Code	16229
Area code(s)	724, 878
FIPS code	42-27784

Freeport is a small town, called a "borough," located in Armstrong County, Pennsylvania, in the United States. It sits right next to the Allegheny River in the southwestern part of the county. In 2020, about 1,736 people lived there.

Exploring Freeport's Location

Freeport is found at a specific spot on the map: 40.674337 degrees North and 79.686320 degrees West. This helps people find it exactly.

The town covers a total area of about 3.4 square kilometers (which is about 1.3 square miles). Most of this area, about 3.3 square kilometers (1.27 square miles), is land. A small part, about 0.1 square kilometers (0.03 square miles), is water.

Rivers and Creeks Near Freeport

Two important waterways meet near Freeport. The Kiskiminetas River flows into the Allegheny River just northeast of town. This happens on the eastern side of the Allegheny River.

Also, Buffalo Creek joins the Allegheny River right at Freeport. It enters on the western side of the river.

Understanding Freeport's Population

In 2020, the population of Freeport was 1,736 people. Back in 2000, there were 1,962 people living in the borough.

Most of the people living in Freeport in 2000 were White (98.42%). A small number were African American (0.25%), Asian (0.25%), or from other backgrounds.

The people in Freeport are of different ages. In 2000, about 22.3% of the population was under 18 years old. About 19.4% were 65 years old or older. The average age in Freeport was 39 years.

Learning in Freeport

The Freeport Area School District serves all the students in the borough.

Changes in Freeport Schools

Freeport used to have its own elementary school on High Street. All students from kindergarten to sixth grade went there. In 2005, this school became a Kindergarten Center for the whole school district. This means all kindergarten students from the district came to this one school.

However, in 2014, the Kindergarten Center closed. Kindergarten students then started going to elementary schools in nearby Buffalo and South Buffalo Townships. New or updated elementary school buildings were built between 2011 and 2013. Today, elementary students (grades K-5) from Freeport attend either Buffalo Elementary or South Buffalo Elementary.

Middle school students (grades 6-8) now go to Freeport Middle School. This is a new building that opened in 2015. It is located on the same campus as the high school. Before 2015, the junior high school was located within the town limits on 4th Street, but it closed permanently.

High school students (grades 9-12) attend Freeport Area Senior High School. This school is located on South Pike Road in Buffalo Township.

Freeport Yellow Jackets Sports

The sports teams for Freeport schools are called the Yellow Jackets. For many years, the varsity football home games were played at James Swartz Sr. Memorial Field in Freeport. This field was also used for some baseball and soccer games.

A new stadium was built at the High School campus in Buffalo Township. It opened in the fall of 2016. Now, many sports events are held there. Also, school performances like band and chorus concerts are held in the new Middle School auditorium, which is a large and well-equipped space.

Famous People from Freeport

Many interesting people have come from Freeport, including:

• David Alter, a scientist and inventor
• Red Bowser, a former professional baseball player for the Chicago White Sox
• Bud Carson, a former NFL coach
• Greg Christy, a former professional American football player
• Jeff Christy, a former professional American football player
• Ella M. George, a teacher, lecturer, and social reformer
• Donald R. Lobaugh, a U.S. Army soldier who received the Medal of Honor in World War II
• Timothy Pesci, a Pennsylvania state legislator
• Eric Ravotti, a former NFL player (for the Steelers)
• Don Taylor, an actor and director

Freeport on Television

Freeport was featured in an episode of the NBC television series Revolution. In November 2012, Episode 8 showed a scene where the main characters were ambushed while trying to cross a bridge over the Allegheny River in Freeport. They were turned back and then decided to try crossing another bridge in nearby Ford City, Pennsylvania.

A Look at Freeport's History

The first people settled in the area that is now Freeport in the 1760s. The town got its name from David Todd, who said it would be a "free and open port." Freeport officially became a borough in 1833. It was once an important stop on the old Pennsylvania Canal.

In 1797, William and David Todd sold 27 lots of land that would become Freeport borough. Each lot cost $24. This land was first part of Westmoreland County, but by the time the town was planned, it had become part of Allegheny County.

The area was first called Todd's Town, after the Todd family who founded it. It kept this name until it became a borough in 1833. David Todd's declaration gave the town its name, Freeport. He said that all the land between the houses on Water Street and the river would be free for all landowners. Also, boats, rafts, and other river crafts could land there without paying fees. Because of this, the town has been called Freeport ever since.

Freeport's location on the Allegheny River made it a great place for businesses and trade with Pittsburgh. So, in the 1800s, it had several industries. These included the Lucesco Oil Refinery and the Freeport Brick Company. You can still see parts of these old businesses near the river today. Sometimes, people mistake them for parts of the old Pennsylvania Canal.

Freeport P.O. (Post Office) was shown in the 1876 Atlas of Armstrong County, Pennsylvania. Its early story is told in Robert Walter Smith's 1883 book, History of Armstrong County. A more recent history of Freeport, up to 2018, was written by Steven Gardner.

See also

In Spanish: Freeport (Pensilvania) para niños