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History · Freedom

Freedom’s post office opened in 1901, and 29% of its homes were built before 1940

Below: maps from 1970 on and the census since 1930.

1901first post office
0on the National Register
29%homes built before 1940
Add an old photoShare a memory
Photo: Jaboyce · CC BY-SA 4.0
Quick answers

How Freedom began

When was Freedom founded?

1901

The Freedom post office opened in 1901, the earliest record of the town by name.

First census: 350 in 19302020 census: 174125 years
Founding year: the first Freedom post office (Blevins & Helbock, CC0).The full story ↓

What stands out about Freedom’s past

Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.

A history waiting to be writtenNo old photos of Freedom are in the public archives yet. The rest are in attics and albums.Old housesHalf of Freedom’s homes were built before 1957.
★ What stands out · Help out

Start Freedom’s collection

The first neighbors to add old photos shape how Freedom’s history is told.

Decades since 1900 with photos
00s10s20s30s40s50s60s70s80s90s
0 of 10 decades. The empty ones are waiting for someone’s album.
Share a family photoSign in to add one+10
The story

How Freedom came to be

From Wikipedia’s history of Freedom.

Read it all →

On September 13 and 14, 1878, the Battle of Turkey Springs was fought approximately ten miles northeast of present-day Freedom. It was the last known encounter between the United States Cavalry and American Indians in Oklahoma.

Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

By decade

Freedom, decade by decade

Today5 recent
Sign pointing to Enid, Freedom, and Alabaster Caverns along highway 4122021Sign pointing to Enid, Freedom, and Alabaster Caverns…The Station in2011The Station inDowntown2011DowntownCimmaron Cowboys Museum2011Cimmaron Cowboys MuseumCatlemans Cafe and Water Tower2011Catlemans Cafe and Water Tower
On the map

Freedom on the map, 1970 to 1985

Every edition of the U.S. Geological Survey’s map of Freedom. Tap a year, or press play to watch the town change.

Freedom on the 1970 USGS mapFreedom on the 1985 USGS map1970Freedom sheet · 1:24,000

U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (public domain), via Esri’s collection of the scans. The red ring marks the center of Freedom.

People over time

Freedom, census by census

010020030040019401960198020002020Peak: 364

Between 174 and 364 people in every census since 1930.

10 censuses, 1930–2020.

U.S. Census Bureau decennial counts, from the census table on Freedom’s Wikipedia page.

Famous people

Famous people close to Freedom

Nobody well known was born in Freedom itself, so here are the best known from just nearby.

See all →
J
James WorkmanAmerican rower · b. 1908
Troy RuttmanAmerican racing driver · b. 1930
Jack GingUnited States actor and sportsman · b. 1931
Wayne GlasgowAmerican basketball player · b. 1926
Olin Earl TeagueAmerican politician · b. 1910
Bob FenimoreAmerican football player · b. 1925

Questions about Freedom’s history

What year was Freedom founded?

The Freedom post office opened in 1901, the earliest record of the town by name (U.S. post office records).

Memory lane

What the archives can’t tell you, neighbors can.

Town Square →
Start a conversation
Sources

Where this page comes from

Founding dates: Wikidata, Wikipedia, the U.S. post office records of Blevins & Helbock (CC0) and the Census. Homes by year built: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register of Historic Places: National Park Service (list of May 22, 2026). Old photos, postcards and papers: Wikimedia Commons, the Library of Congress and other public archives, credited on each item’s page. Maps: U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (via Esri) and Sanborn fire-insurance maps (Library of Congress). History text and census tables: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0). Places that used to be: USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021). How TownRatings grades history →

From Wikimedia Commons (5), Wikipedia, U.S. Geological Survey historical maps, U.S. Census counts (via Wikipedia), the US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock) and the USGS Geographic Names Information System. Archive images are copied here with their credits and licenses, shown on each photo’s page. Refreshed monthly.