Freeport Travel Information
Freeport, population 26,443, has retained its history while
promoting industry and business development. The German river port
settlement grew quickly in the late 1830s and ’40s when it was linked
to Chicago by a stagecoach route. The city, which became known as
“Pretzel City” for its 1860s pretzel industry, sits along the
Pecatonica River and is surrounded by farmland. At
Lincoln-Douglas Debate Square, site of the second debate between
Abraham Lincoln and Stephen Douglas, a statute commemorates the event.
Another statue honoring the debate is in Taylor Park. In the Old River
School Historic District, along the Pecatonica River, visitors can see
some of the oldest homes in the area. A downtown shopping district
featuresclothing, antique, gift and ceramics shops. Many of the nearby
communities have antique stores. Freeport Arts Center hosts six
permanent exhibits including Native American artifacts and 19th
century European paintings, as well as Florentine mosaics. Silver
Creek Museum is dedicated to Americana and agricultural
equipment. The city has more than 770 acres of parks and
preserves and two 18-hole golf courses. The 13-mile Jane Addams
Recreation Trail is open for hiking, biking, snowmobiling and
cross-country skiing from Freeport north to Orangeville. Pecatonica
Prairie Path travels east of Freeport toward Rockford providing 20
miles for hiking and horseback riding. A side trip from Freeport
northwest to Lena, population 2,887, serves up antique, gift, craft,
meat and cheese stores. Here, the Lena Area History Museum displays a
log schoolhouse, farming equipment, barn and general store. From Lena
visitors can explore the area’s landscapes, pioneer sites and
Blackhawk War sites along two trails. The Stagecoach Trail, a scenic
byway following an 1830s stagecoach route to Galena or
Stephenson-Black Hawk Trail, a 13-mile hiking and biking trail. Nearby
Lake Le-Aqua-Na State Park provides camping, a 40-acre lake for ice
skating, fishing, boating, and swimming and hiking, mountain biking,
cross-country skiing, and equestrian trails. Freeport is 29
miles west of Rockford. It is accessible via U.S. Highway 20 and State
Highway 26. Lodging options include hotels and bed and breakfasts.
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