History of Freedom

Freedom was settled in 1794 by the Revolutionary War veteran Stephen Smith.  The plantation was named Smithton in honor of the first homesteader but was then changed to Beaver Hill Plantation and finally Freedom when the town became incorporated during the last war with Great Britain in 1813.

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Like many towns in Waldo County, Freedom once had many sawmills and gristmills.  The town's early residents were proud of their town, its businesses, and, in particular, its wooden sidewalks.  The wooden sidewalks have long since been removed, but some of the old mills and buildings in town are still standing proof of the town's commitment to preserve the past.

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An old dam at the site of one mill in town continues to hold back Sandy Pond, which contains perch, pickerel, and bass. In South Freedom many residents can point to the spot where Smith built the town's first framed house and sawmill and even give directions to Smith's grave site, which was restored a few years ago.

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For more information about the history of Freedom, click the link below for the Freedom Community Historical Society.