Editing Freedom, New York

{{distinguish|text=[[LaGrange, New York|the town of LaGrange, formerly Freedom, in Dutchess County]]}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2024}}
{{Infobox settlement
|official_name            = Freedom, New York
|settlement_type          = [[Administrative divisions of New York#Town|Town]]
|nickname                 = 
|motto                    =

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|imagesize                = 
|image_caption            = 
|image_flag               = 
|image_seal               =

<!-- Maps -->
|pushpin_map              = New York#USA
|pushpin_label            = Freedom
|pushpin_label_position   = bottom <!-- the position of the pushpin label: left, right, top, bottom, none -->
|pushpin_map_caption      = 
|pushpin_mapsize          = 
|image_map                = 
|mapsize                  = 
|map_caption              = 
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|map_caption1             =

<!-- Location -->
|subdivision_type         = [[List of sovereign states|Country]]
|subdivision_name         = United States
|subdivision_type1        = [[U.S. state|State]]
|subdivision_name1        = [[New York (state)|New York]]
|subdivision_type2        = [[List of counties in New York|County]]
|subdivision_name2        = [[Cattaraugus County, New York|Cattaraugus]]
|government_footnotes     = 
|government_type          = [[Town Council]]
|leader_title             = [[Town Supervisor]]
|leader_name              = Barbara D. George ([[United States Democratic Party|D]])
| leader_title1           = [[Town Council]]
| leader_name1            = {{Collapsible list
 |title       = Members' List
 |frame_style = border:none; padding: 0;
 |title_style = <!-- (optional) -->
 |list_style  = text-align:left;display:none;
 |1           = • Ann Marie Dixon ([[United States Republican Party|R]])
 |2           = • Jeffrey A. Peterson ([[United States Democratic Party|D]])
 |3           = • Barbara A. Baker ([[United States Democratic Party|D]], [[United States Republican Party|R]])
 |4           = • Charles M. Vince ([[United States Democratic Party|D]])
}}
|established_title        = 
|established_date         =

<!-- Area -->
|unit_pref                = Imperial
|area_footnotes           = <ref name="CenPopGazetteer2016">{{cite web|title=2016 U.S. Gazetteer Files|url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/2016_Gazetteer/2016_gaz_place_36.txt|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=July 4, 2017}}</ref>
|area_magnitude           = 
|area_total_km2           = 105.34
|area_land_km2            = 104.50
|area_water_km2           = 0.84
|area_total_sq_mi         = 40.67
|area_land_sq_mi          = 40.35
|area_water_sq_mi         = 0.33

<!-- Population -->
|population_as_of         = [[2020 United States census|2020]]
|population_footnotes     = <ref name="USCensusEst2020-2021">{{cite web |title=City and Town Population Totals: 2020-2021 |url=https://www.census.gov/data/tables/time-series/demo/popest/2020s-total-cities-and-towns.html |website=Census.gov |publisher=US Census Bureau |access-date=July 5, 2022}}</ref>
|population_total         = 2405
|population_density_km2   = 22.18
|population_density_sq_mi = 57.45

<!-- General information -->
|timezone                 = [[North American Eastern Time Zone|Eastern (EST)]]
|utc_offset               = -5
|timezone_DST             = EDT
|utc_offset_DST           = -4
|elevation_footnotes      = 
|elevation_m              = 514
|elevation_ft             = 1686
|coordinates              = {{coord|42|28|24|N|78|21|53|W|region:US-NY|display=inline}}
|postal_code_type         = [[ZIP Code]]s
|postal_code              = {{ubl|14065 (Freedom)|14009 ([[Arcade (village), New York|Arcade]])|14042 ([[Delevan, New York|Delevan]])|14060&nbsp;([[Farmersville Station, New York|Farmersville&nbsp;Station]])|14133 ([[Sandusky, New York|Sandusky]])}}
|area_code                = [[Area code 716|716]]
|blank_name               = [[Federal Information Processing Standards|FIPS code]]
|blank_info               = 36-009-27441
|blank1_name              = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS]] feature ID
|blank1_info              = 0978973
|website                  = {{URL|freedomny.org}}
|footnotes                = 
|pop_est_as_of = 2021
|pop_est_footnotes = <ref name="USCensusEst2020-2021"/>
|population_est = 2244
}}

'''Freedom''' is a [[Administrative divisions of New York#Town|town]] in [[Cattaraugus County, New York|Cattaraugus County]], [[New York (state)|New York]], United States. The population was 2,244 at the 2021 census.<ref name="USCensusEst2020-2021"/> The town is in the northeast corner of Cattaraugus County.

== History ==
The first settlers arrived in December 1811.<ref>Nease, Gary (December 19, 2011). [http://www.wpig.com/common/more.php?m=15&r=2&item_id=63 Freedom turns 200] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120422161016/http://www.wpig.com/common/more.php?m=15&r=2&item_id=63 |date=April 22, 2012 }}. ''WPIG''. Retrieved December 19, 2011.</ref> Historians have found no specific reason why the town was named Freedom.<ref>[http://www.oleantimesherald.com/news/state-and-union-freedom-and-independence/article_05153eba-5ebe-11e7-981a-a7bac69ced2f.html State and Union: Freedom and Independence]. ''Olean Times Herald'' (July 2, 2017). Retrieved July 4, 2017.</ref>
  
The Town of Freedom was founded in 1820, composed of land from the "Town of Ischua" (now [[Franklinville (town), New York|Franklinville]]). The northern portion of Freedom was transferred to [[Arcade, New York|Arcade]] in [[Wyoming County, New York|Wyoming County]] in 1841. Part of Freedom became the town of [[Yorkshire (town), New York|Yorkshire]] in 1844.

[[Salem Welsh Church]] is listed on the [[National Register of Historic Places]].<ref name="nris">{{NRISref|2009a}}</ref>

==Geography==
According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the town has a total area of {{convert|107.0|km2|order=flip}}, of which {{convert|106.2|km2|order=flip}} is land and {{convert|0.9|km2|order=flip}}, or 0.80%, is water.<ref name="Census 2010">{{cite web| url=http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_DP/G001/0600000US3600927441| archive-url=https://archive.today/20200212162857/http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_DP/G001/0600000US3600927441| url-status=dead| archive-date=February 12, 2020| title=Geographic Identifiers: 2010 Demographic Profile Data (G001): Freedom town, Cattaraugus County, New York| publisher=U.S. Census Bureau, American Factfinder| access-date=October 24, 2014}}</ref>

The north town line is the border of [[Wyoming County, New York|Wyoming County]], and the east town line is the border of [[Allegany County, New York|Allegany County]].

[[New York State Route 98]] is a major north–south highway through the town, and [[New York State Route 243]] begins at the southeast town line.

=== Adjacent towns and areas ===
To the east is the town of [[Centerville, New York|Centerville]] in Allegany County, and to the west are the towns of [[Yorkshire (town), New York|Yorkshire]] and [[Machias, New York|Machias]]. The north town line is formed with the town of [[Arcade (town), New York|Arcade]] in Wyoming County. The town of [[Farmersville, New York|Farmersville]] is on the south.

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|1830= 1505
|1840= 1831
|1850= 1652
|1860= 1424
|1870= 1371
|1880= 1312
|1890= 1251
|1900= 1209
|1910= 1159
|1920= 1016
|1930= 863
|1940= 947
|1950= 1031
|1960= 1059
|1970= 1355
|1980= 1840
|1990= 2018
|2000= 2493
|2010= 2405
|2020= 2267
|estyear=2021
|estimate=2244
|estref=<ref name="USCensusEst2020-2021"/>
|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census<ref name="DecennialCensus">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html|title=Census of Population and Housing|publisher=Census.gov|access-date=June 4, 2015}}</ref>
}}
As of the [[census]]<ref name="GR2">{{cite web |url=https://www.census.gov |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]] |access-date=January 31, 2008 |title=U.S. Census website }}</ref> of 2000, there were 2,493 people, 871 households, and 680 families residing in the town.  The population density was {{convert|61.8|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}.  There were 1,033 housing units at an average density of {{convert|25.6|/sqmi|/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}.  The racial makeup of the town was 98.88% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 0.16% [[African American (U.S. Census)|African American]], 0.08% [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]], 0.08% [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]], 0.08% from [[Race (United States Census)|other races]], and 0.72% from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] of any race were 0.76% of the population.

There were 871 households, out of which 39.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 63.5% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 7.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 21.9% were non-families. 16.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 6.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.  The average household size was 2.86 and the average family size was 3.20.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 29.5% under the age of 18, 8.0% from 18 to 24, 30.0% from 25 to 44, 23.0% from 45 to 64, and 9.5% who were 65 years of age or older.  The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females, there were 103.3 males.  For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 103.9 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $34,654, and the median income for a family was $36,061. Males had a median income of $27,380 versus $22,188 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the town was $14,145.  About 12.2% of families and 11.3% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 10.3% of those under age 18 and 18.5% of those age 65 or over.

==Notable people==
*[[Daniel F. Bakeman]], last surviving veteran of the [[American Revolutionary War]] and party to the longest marriage on record
*[[Idwal H. Edwards]], commander of [[United States Air Forces in Europe - Air Forces Africa|United States Air Force in Europe]]

==Communities and locations in Freedom ==
*'''Camp Scouthaven''' &ndash; A [[Greater Niagara Frontier Council]] camp south of Freedom.
*'''Crystal Lake''' &ndash; A small lake adjacent to NY-98, south of Freedom village.
*'''Elton''' &ndash; a [[hamlet (place)|hamlet]] in the southwest corner of the town. It was previously called "Coles Settlement," after early pioneers, and later "Chelsea,"  the name that appears on maps in 1836 and 1840.
*'''Elton Station''' &ndash; A location south of Elton village.
*'''Fairview''' &ndash; A hamlet at the southeast corner of the town by the western terminus of NY Route 243.
*'''Freedom''' &ndash; The hamlet of Freedom is in the eastern part of town.
*'''[[Sandusky, New York|Sandusky]]''' &ndash; a hamlet on Clear Creek near the northern town line on NY Route 98.  The settlement was first occupied around 1824 by the construction of a tavern.

==References==
{{portal|New York (state)}}
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* [http://freedomny.org/ Town of Freedom official website]
* [http://www.rootsweb.com/%7Enycattar/1879history/freedom.htm  Early history of Freedom, NY]

{{Cattaraugus County, New York}}

{{Coord|42|29|05|N|78|19|52|W|type:city_region:US-NY|display=title}}

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[[Category:Towns in Cattaraugus County, New York]]
[[Category:Towns in New York (state)]]
[[Category:1820 establishments in New York (state)]]