Guest, Sign inJoin

Post to Freeburg

We’ll email a one-tap link to publish your post. No password, and nothing is public until you click it.
Already a member? Sign in
–Not graded
History · Freeburg

Freeburg dates to 1796, and 42% of its homes were built before 1940

1796founded
0on the National Register
42%homes built before 1940
4famous people
Add an old photoShare a memory
Photo: Ruhrfisch · CC BY-SA 4.0
Quick answers

How Freeburg began

When was Freeburg founded?

1796

Freeburg dates its founding to 1796 (Wikidata). Its post office opened in 1818.

2020 census: 557230 years
Founding year: Wikidata. First post office: 1818.The full story ↓

What stands out about Freeburg’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 Freeburg are in the public archives yet. The rest are in attics and albums.Deep rootsEstablished in 1796: 230 years of Freeburg.Old housesHalf of Freeburg’s homes were built before 1955.
★ What stands out · Help out

Start Freeburg’s collection

The first neighbors to add old photos shape how Freeburg’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
Timeline

Freeburg, 1796 to 1890

Woven from the archive, old maps, post office records, the National Register and the people born here.

  1. 18th century
  2. 1796
    FoundingFreeburg is established
  3. 19th century
  4. 1818Post officeThe Freeburg post office opens
  5. 1865Born herePeter O. Knight is born here
  6. 1869Born hereFrank Motz is born here
  7. 1874Born hereWilliam L. Dill is born here
  8. 1890Born hereRalph Mitterling is born here
The story

How Freeburg came to be

From Wikipedia’s history of Freeburg.

Read it all →

Andrew Straub circa 1796 laid out the village of Freeburg, Snyder County, which at first was known as 'Straubstown', but later changed to Freeburg. He donated a plot of land to form a church and graveyard. The graveyard is called the Evergreen Cemetery.

Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

By decade

Freeburg, decade by decade

Today6 recent
Freeburg, Pennsylvania 42013Freeburg, Pennsylvania 4Freeburg, Pennsylvania 32013Freeburg, Pennsylvania 3Freeburg, Pennsylvania 22013Freeburg, Pennsylvania 2Freeburg, Pennsylvania 12013Freeburg, Pennsylvania 1Pennsylvania State Route 352009Pennsylvania State Route 35Pennsylvania State Route 352009Pennsylvania State Route 35
Famous people

4 famous people were born in Freeburg

Writers, athletes, leaders and more, ranked by how widely they’re known.

See all →
W
William L. DillAmerican politician · b. 1874
F
Frank MotzAmerican baseball player · b. 1869
P
Peter O. KnightAmerican politician and lawyer · b. 1865
Ralph MitterlingAmerican football, basketball, and baseball pla… · b. 1890

Questions about Freeburg’s history

What year was Freeburg founded?

In 1796, according to Wikidata. Freeburg’s post office opened in 1818.

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 (6), Wikipedia, Wikidata and Wikipedia for famous people, 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.