Editing Freedom, Pennsylvania

{{short description|Borough in Pennsylvania, US}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2023}}
{{Infobox settlement
| name                     = Freedom, Pennsylvania
| other_name               = 
| native_name              = 
| nickname                 = 
| settlement_type          = [[Borough]]
| motto                    = Yours, Mine, Ours
| image_skyline            = Tenth down from Sixth in Freedom.jpg
| imagesize                = 250px
| image_caption            = Typical scene on one of the borough's steep streets, with the [[Conway Yard]] and the [[Ohio River]] visible in the distance
| image_flag               = 
| flag_size                = 
| image_seal               = 
| seal_size                = 
| image_shield             = 
| shield_size              = 
| image_blank_emblem       = 
| blank_emblem_size        = 
| image_map                = Beaver County Pennsylvania incorporated and unincorporated areas Freedom highlighted.svg
| mapsize                  = 260px
| map_caption              = Location in Beaver County, Pennsylvania
| pushpin_map              = Pennsylvania#USA
| pushpin_label            = Freedom
| pushpin_relief           = yes
<!-- Location ------------------>
| subdivision_type         = [[List of sovereign states|Country]]
| subdivision_name         = United States
| subdivision_type1        = [[U.S. state|State]]
| subdivision_name1        = [[Pennsylvania]]
| subdivision_type2        = [[List of counties in Pennsylvania|County]]
| subdivision_name2        = [[Beaver County, Pennsylvania|Beaver]]
| government_footnotes     = 
| government_type          = Borough Council
| leader_title             = Mayor
| leader_name              = Nadine Padezanin
| leader_title1            = 
| leader_name1             = 
| leader_title2            = 
| leader_name2             = 
| leader_title3            = 
| leader_name3             = 
| leader_title4            = 
| leader_name4             = 
| established_title        = Settled
| established_date         = 1832
| established_title1       = Incorporated
| established_date1        = 1838
| area_magnitude           = 
| unit_pref                = Imperial
| area_footnotes           = <ref>{{cite web|title=ArcGIS REST Services Directory|url=https://tigerweb.geo.census.gov/arcgis/rest/services/TIGERweb/Places_CouSub_ConCity_SubMCD/MapServer/5/query?where=STATE='42'&outFields=NAME,STATE,PLACE,AREALAND,AREAWATER,LSADC,CENTLAT,CENTLON&orderByFields=PLACE&returnGeometry=false&returnTrueCurves=false&f=json|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=October 12, 2022}}</ref>
| area_total_km2           = 1.91
| area_land_km2            = 1.56
| area_water_km2           = 0.35
| area_total_sq_mi         = 0.74
| area_land_sq_mi          = 0.60
| area_water_sq_mi         = 0.13
| area_water_percent       = 
| population_as_of         = [[2020 United States census|2020]]
| population_footnotes     = <ref name="USCensusDecennial2020CenPopScriptOnly"/>
| population_note          = 
| population_total         = 1496
| population_density_km2   = 956.56
| population_density_sq_mi = 2476.82
| timezone                 = [[North American Eastern Time Zone|Eastern (EST)]]
| utc_offset               = -5
| timezone_DST             = EDT
| utc_offset_DST           = -4
| coordinates              = {{coord|40|41|04|N|80|15|06|W|region:US_type:city|display=inline,title}}
| elevation_footnotes      = 
| elevation_m              = 
| elevation_ft             = 827
| postal_code_type         = [[Zip code]]
| postal_code              = 15042
| area_code                = [[Area code 724|724]], [[Area code 878|878]]
| website                  = {{URL|http://www.freedomborough.org/}}
| footnotes                = 
| pop_est_as_of            = 
| pop_est_footnotes        = 
| population_est           = 
| blank_name               = [[Federal Information Processing Standards|FIPS]] code
| blank_info               = 42-27712
}}
'''Freedom''' is a borough in [[Beaver County, Pennsylvania]], United States, along the [[Ohio River]]. The population was 1,496 at the [[2020 United States census|2020 census]].<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 19, 2022}}</ref> It is located {{convert|25|mi}} northwest of [[Pittsburgh]] and is part of the [[Pittsburgh metropolitan area]]. Originally founded as a steamboat building town, chief industries later included the production of [[Pennsylvania oil rush|oil]], caskets, and monuments.

==History==
In 1824, the [[Harmony Society]] returned to Pennsylvania from [[Indiana]]. The society settled in what is now [[Ambridge, Pennsylvania|Ambridge]], five miles (8&nbsp;km) up the [[Ohio River]]. One of the reasons the society left Indiana was because of harassment for their [[Abolitionism in the United States|abolitionist]] activities. Their settlement was in Beaver County, along the Ohio River. There they founded "Ökonomie", now better known as [[Old Economy Village]]. Here, the Society gained worldwide recognition for its religious devotion and economic prosperity. 

The Harmonites were abolitionists, and began placing signs along the Ohio River with one word, "FREEDOM". {{dubious|date=June 2021}} The area of the present-day borough of Freedom began to be called such on maps of the Ohio River used by the steamboat navigators.

===Establishment===
[[File:Captain William Vicary House.jpg|thumb|left|The [[Captain William Vicary House]], a Freedom landmark]]

The community of Freedom was founded in 1832 by Jonathan Betz and Stephen Phillips, co-owners of a steamboat building business. They purchased about {{convert|100|acre|km2}} of land for $2,000.00 from General Abner Lacock. The original village was surveyed and plotted by Simon Meredith. All of the lots, streets and alleys were located with special preference to the steamboat-building business, the only business at the time. Later, an additional {{convert|39|acre|m2}} were purchased from Captain William Vicary for $2,500.00. Vicary himself retained some property in the area, including a stone house; today, [[Captain William Vicary House|the house]] remains a local landmark, and is listed on the [[National Register of Historic Places]].<ref>{{NRISref|2009a}}</ref>

About 150 people first located in Freedom and it grew rapidly. The town was laid out on a Tuesday and by the following Saturday, fourteen houses had been built. In 1833, Freedom contained 40 dwellings, 47 families, and about 320 people. Boat building and distilling were its two main businesses.

By 1837, Freedom had grown to a population of about 600, and 100 dwellings. New businesses included a foundry, and steam engines manufactured by J. Baker and Company, a large steam sawmill, and an extensive distillery and gristmill owned by J. Stahl and Company. The merchants at that time were: Phillips and McConnell, Stile and Fisher, Phillip Bentel, John Donnan, J. W. Mead, three innkeepers: Samuel Furnier, J. W. Snead, and Thomas G. Kerr and two physicians: Drs. William Smith and T. F. Robinson.

In 1896, the neighboring borough of Saint Clair was absorbed by Freedom. Saint Clair Borough was located in what is currently Freedom's second ward. It was laid out by Captain William Vicary and was often simply called Vicary or Vicary Extension.

==Geography==
Freedom is located at {{coord|40|41|4|N|80|15|6|W|type:city}} (40.684316, −80.251667).<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/geographies/reference-files/time-series/geo/gazetteer-files.html|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=April 23, 2011|date=February 12, 2011|title=US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990}}</ref> Freedom has three borders, including the borough of [[East Rochester, Pennsylvania|East Rochester]] to the northwest, [[New Sewickley Township, Pennsylvania|New Sewickley Township]] to the east and northeast and the borough of [[Conway, Pennsylvania|Conway]] to the south. Freedom also runs adjacent with the borough of [[Monaca, Pennsylvania|Monaca]] across the Ohio River.

According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the borough has a total area of {{convert|0.7|sqmi|km2}}, of which {{convert|0.6|sqmi|km2}} is land and {{convert|0.1|sqmi|km2}} (18.06%) is water.

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|1840= 384
|1850= 524
|1860= 533
|1870= 634
|1880= 623
|1890= 704
|1900= 1783
|1910= 3060
|1920= 3452
|1930= 3227
|1940= 3227
|1950= 3000
|1960= 2895
|1970= 2643
|1980= 2272
|1990= 1897
|2000= 1763
|2010= 1569
|2020= 1496
|estyear=2021
|estimate=1479
|estref=<ref name="USCensusEst2020-2021"/>
|footnote=Sources:<ref>{{cite web|title=Census of Population and Housing|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html|publisher=U.S. Census Bureau|access-date=December 11, 2013}}</ref><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><ref>{{cite web|title=Incorporated Places and Minor Civil Divisions Datasets: Subcounty Resident Population Estimates: April 1, 2010 to July 1, 2012|url=https://www.census.gov/popest/data/cities/totals/2012/SUB-EST2012.html|work=Population Estimates|publisher=U.S. Census Bureau|access-date=December 11, 2013|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130611010502/http://www.census.gov/popest/data/cities/totals/2012/SUB-EST2012.html|archive-date=June 11, 2013}}</ref><ref name="USCensusDecennial2020CenPopScriptOnly">{{cite web|url=https://api.census.gov/data/2020/dec/pl?get=P1_001N,NAME&for=place:*&in=state:42&key=5ccd0821c15d9f4520e2dcc0f8d92b2ec9336108|title=Census Population API|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=October 12, 2022}}</ref>
}}
As of the [[2000 United States census|2000 census]],<ref name="GR2" /> there were 1,763 people, 687 households, and 469 families residing in the borough. The population density was {{convert|2,984.4|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. There were 731 housing units at an average density of {{convert|1,237.4|/sqmi|/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. The [[Race and ethnicity in the United States census|racial makeup]] of the borough was 92.80% White, 5.16% African American, 0.06% Native American, 0.23% Asian, 0.23% from other races, and 1.53% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.74% of the population.

There were 687 households, out of which 32.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 44.0% were married couples living together, 18.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.6% were non-families. 26.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.56 and the average family size was 3.09.

In the borough the population was spread out, with 25.8% under the age of 18, 10.4% from 18 to 24, 29.0% from 25 to 44, 20.8% from 45 to 64, and 14.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 93.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 85.9 males.

The median income for a household in the borough was $30,741, and the median income for a family was $38,000. Males had a median income of $30,303 versus $23,438 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the borough was $16,261. About 12.2% of families and 14.5% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 21.8% of those under age 18 and 8.6% of those age 65 or over.

==Education==
Children in Freedom are served by the [[Freedom Area School District]]. The current schools serving Freedom are:
*Freedom Area Elementary School – grades K–4
*Freedom Area Middle School – grades 5–8
*[[Freedom Area Senior High School]] – grades 9–12

==Notable people==
* [[Dominic DeNucci]], [[professional wrestler]]
* [[Josh Sharpless]], former [[Major League Baseball]] [[relief pitcher]]
* [[John Warhola]], artist, brother of [[Andy Warhol]] who established [[The Andy Warhol Museum]] and the [[Andy Warhol Museum of Modern Art]]

==See also==
[[File:Municipal building at Freedom.jpg|thumb|Municipal building at Freedom]]
* [[List of cities and towns along the Ohio River]]

==References==
<references />

==External links==
* [http://www.freedomborough.org/ Borough of Freedom official website]

{{Beaver County, Pennsylvania}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Pennsylvania populated places on the Ohio River]]
[[Category:Populated places established in 1832]]
[[Category:Boroughs in Beaver County, Pennsylvania]]
[[Category:1832 establishments in Pennsylvania]]