Freeport, Illinois
Freeport is a city of 23,505 people in Stephenson County, Illinois, founded in 1827.
Why visit Freeport
Townapedia lists 10 museums and landmarks, 12 parks and trails, 61 places to eat, 4 places to stay and 3 attractions in and around town.
Highlights include Lindo Theatre, Freeport City Hall, Soldiers' Monument and Park Hills Golf Course.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 82°F; January lows average 11°F, and about 34 inches of snow fall in a normal year.
Weather in Freeport
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Freeport
Freeport is the largest city in Stephenson County, Illinois, United States, and its county seat. The population was 23,973 at the 2020 census. Located along the Pecatonica River, Freeport is known for hosting the second Lincoln–Douglas debate of 1858, and as "Pretzel City, USA", due to a popular German bakery that became known for its prolific pretzel production in the 19th century. Freeport High School's mascot is the Pretzel to honor its heritage.
From the Wikipedia article Freeport, Illinois (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do3
Museums and landmarks10
Freeport City Hall
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.8 mi
Former city hall in Freeport Illinois, United States
West Stephenson Street, Freeport
Soldiers' Monument
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.9 mi
American Civil War memorial in Freeport, Illinois
James Bruce Round Barn
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 2.7 mi
Round barn in Illinois, USA
Oscar Taylor House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.1 mi
Freeport, Illinois, listed on the NRHP in Stephenson County
Stephenson County Courthouse
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.9 mi
Former county courthouse in Freeport, Illinois
Parks, trails and playgrounds12
Restaurants and cafes61
Logan's
Bar and pub · 1.0 mi
1805 South West Avenue, Freeport
Mo-We 09:00-23:00; Th 09:00-01:00; Fr 08:00-01:00; Sa 09:00-01:00;...
Fiesta Cancun
Restaurant · Mexican · 1.4 mi
1735 West Galena Avenue, Freeport
Mo-Su 06:00-15:00
Family Affair Restaurant
Diner · American · 0.4 mi
Mo-Su 06:00-15:00
Mort's
Bar and pub · 0.9 mi
114 South Chicago Avenue, Freeport
Tu-Th 08:00-23:00; Fr-Sa 08:00-02:00; Su 11:00-17:00
49 more on the map.
History
The community was originally called Winneshiek. When it was incorporated, the new municipality took its name from the generosity of Tutty Baker, who was credited with running a "free port" on the Pecatonica River. The name "Winneshiek" was later adopted, and is preserved to this day, by the Freeport Community Theatre Group. In 1837, Stephenson County was formed, and Freeport became its seat of government in 1838. Linked by a stagecoach with Chicago, the community grew rapidly. In 1840, a frame courthouse was erected and the first school was founded. Within two years, Freeport had two newspapers, and in 1853, the two were joined by a third, which was published in German. By then, the community had a population of 2,000.
From the History section of Freeport, Illinois on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where to stay4
Churches and places of worship34
Park Hills Evangelical Free church
Church · Evangelical · 1.4 mi
2525 West Stephenson Street, Freeport
St. John United Church of Christ
Church · United Church Of Christ · 0.9 mi
1010 South Park Boulevard, Freeport
Shopping18
Gas and EV charging10
Schools, colleges and libraries26
Highland Community College Clarence Mitchell Library
Library · 2.0 mi
2998 West Pearl City Road, Freeport
Healthcare4
Map of Freeport
182 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 28°F | 11°F | 1.6 in | 9.7 in |
| Feb | 33°F | 15°F | 1.6 in | 8.5 in |
| Mar | 45°F | 26°F | 2.1 in | 3.8 in |
| Apr | 58°F | 36°F | 3.7 in | 0.8 in |
| May | 70°F | 48°F | 4.4 in | 0.0 in |
| Jun | 79°F | 59°F | 5.3 in | 0.0 in |
| Jul | 82°F | 62°F | 4.2 in | 0.0 in |
| Aug | 81°F | 60°F | 4.2 in | 0.0 in |
| Sep | 74°F | 51°F | 4.1 in | 0.0 in |
| Oct | 62°F | 39°F | 3.0 in | 0.2 in |
| Nov | 46°F | 28°F | 2.4 in | 2.6 in |
| Dec | 33°F | 18°F | 1.8 in | 8.9 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Freeport Waste Wtp (2 mi away), NOAA NCEI.
People and cost of living
American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, U.S. Census Bureau. Estimates have margins of error, larger for small towns.
Disaster history
Stephenson County has had 9 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for snowstorms.
- 2020-03-26: Covid-19 Pandemic (Biological)
- 2020-03-13: Covid-19 (Biological)
- 2019-09-19: Severe Storms And Flooding (Flood)
- 2011-03-17: Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm (Snowstorm)
- 2010-08-19: Severe Storms And Flooding (Severe Storm)
- 2008-03-13: Record Snow And Near Record Snow (Snowstorm)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Albertus Airport (FEP) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 4 miles away.
- Willow Lake 3 mi north, about 5 min by car
- Cedarville 6 mi north, about 10 min by car
- Dakota 9 mi northeast, about 14 min by car
- German Valley 9 mi southeast, about 15 min by car
- Pearl City 10 mi west, about 16 min by car
- Lena 11 mi northwest, about 18 min by car
- Rockford 29 mi east, about 47 min by car
- Dixon 32 mi south, about 51 min by car
- Belvidere 38 mi east, about 1 h by car
- DeKalb 52 mi southeast, about 1 h 30 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB, the NEMICO news database.
Reviews, tips and questions
Loading what members have shared...
Sources and licences
- NCES EDGE (Public domain): public schools
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (Public domain): climate by month
- OpenFEMA (Public domain): disaster declarations
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- U.S. Census Bureau (Public domain): population, income, housing, education, commute
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website, landmarks and historic places
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- Freeport Il Soldiers' Monument10, IvoShandor, CC BY 2.5
- Freeport Il Soldier's Monument8, IvoShandor, CC BY 2.5
- Freeport Il City Hall4, IvoShandor, CC BY 2.5
- Freeport Il Taylor House4, IvoShandor, CC BY 2.5
- Freeport Il Bruce Round Barn7, IvoShandor, CC BY 2.5
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