The small village of Freeport, Michigan is in the southern part of the Lower Peninsula.
Spanning Irving and Carlton townships, Freeport is in northern Barry County, where it borders on Bowne and Campbell townships, in Kent and Ionia counties, respectively. The center of Grand Rapids is about thirty miles to the northwest. Cities and villages within twenty miles of Freeport include Clarksville, Hastings, Lake Odessa, Woodland, Caledonia, Middleville, Lowell, Sunfield, and Saranac.
The village is situated on the North Branch of the Thornapple River, which flows northwesterly through northeast Freeport.
The area that became Freeport was settled in the early 1850s. I don't know who the first settlers were, but a school, known as the Fish School, was opened there in 1854. In 1856, William Yule purchased four hundred acres in the area, selling most of it to a Mr. Hinckley, who sold it to John Roush, Senior.
Roush's sons, Samuel and Michael S. Roush, platted the town of Freeport in 1874, anticipating the arrival of the railroad, although the railroad didn't actually arrive until fifteen years later. At the time that the town was platted, the town had a sawmill, a general store, and a drugstore. With the promise of a railroad, churches were built and organizations were formed, along with a gristmill, a handle factory, two plane mills, a woodworking factory, and other shops and mercantile businesses. The town also had three churches, an opera house, a school, and a newspaper. In 1889, the Lowell & Hastings Railroad finally came through, extending its tracks through Freeport and establishing a station there.
Named for Freeport, Ohio, the hometown of the Roush family, Freeport was incorporated as a village in 1907. When automobiles came to dominate transportation options, the importance of the railroad declined. As Freeport was not along the route of any major highways, it declined for a couple of decades in the early 1900s. Never a large town, Freeport's peak population was 501 in 1970, which is roughly its population today.
The focus of this category is on the village of Freeport, Michigan. Appropriate topics include online resources representing the village itself, as well as any businesses, schools, churches, organizations, attractions, and events within the village.
Recommended Resources
Specializing in the sales and servicing of Volkswagen vehicles, the VW dealership is located on Division Street in Freeport, Michigan. Its location is shown on a map, the hours of operation are posted, and contacts are included. Available automobiles are listed, with details on each, such as mileage, links to CarFax reports, and asking prices. Possible trade-ins may be valued online, and the business includes a car-finder service, which may be accessed through an online form.
https://www.bloughauto.com/
Located in Freeport, Michigan, the library is a member of the Lakeland Library Cooperative, the Michigan e-Library, so that its patrons have access to the audiobooks, e-books, and other electronic resources, as well as other online resources that are highlighted here. Its location, hours of operation, phone number, fax number, and an email address are given, and the library catalog may be accessed online, and a library app may also be downloaded and installed.
https://www.freeportdl.michlibrary.org/
Providing a PK-12th-grade curriculum, FPS is a public school district operating the Archer Street School, Bayview Avenue School of Arts & Sciences, Caroline G. Atkinson Intermediate School, Columbus Avenue School, Leo F. Giblyn School, New Visions School of Discovery and Exploration, J.W. Dodd Middle School, and Freeport High School, each of which is featured, with descriptions, locations, contacts, schedules, and announcements. Course guides and district contacts are included.
http://www.freeportschools.org/
Incorporated in 1907, the Village of Freeport is in Barry County. Residents may make payments on utilities, taxes, and permit applications through the official municipal website, which includes a municipal calendar, council agendas and minutes, and a village newsletter. A brief history of the village is presented, various forms are available for downloading, and a guide to local businesses, municipal parks, and recreational programs and opportunities are put forth.
https://freeportmichigan.org/
Formed in 2017, the Christian church meets on Sunday afternoons at the Village Community Center in Freeport, Michigan, with some members meeting for Bible study on Wednesday evenings, as well as a Wednesday morning women's Bible study. Meeting locations and times are published on the site, an introduction to the pastor is presented, and telephone numbers, an email address, and a contact form are included. Sermon audio files may be downloaded.
https://freeportgatheringplace.com/
Founded in 2016, the hardware store is situated on Division Street in Freeport, Michigan. Its store hours are published on the site, along with a telephone number and contact form. Offering key cutting services, chain saw sharpening, pipe cutting, and threading, and window and screen repair services, the store carries a full selection of tools and other hardware items. Monthly specials are highlighted on the site, and news and announcements are posted.
https://www.villagehardwareandsupply.com/
