Downtown Freedom Walking Map

Town History
In 1824, when the Harmony Society returned to Pennsylvania from Indiana, they settled in Ambridge. One of the reasons the sect left Indiana was because of harassment for
their abolitionist activities. After arriving in Beaver County,
they began to place signs along the Ohio River with one word:
“Freedom”. This spot along the river was auspicious due to
its curve and the current’s northern flow—which meant that
runaway slaves from the South would be traveling up the
river. Placing signs along the riverbank let the slaves know
that they had reached freedom in Pennsylvania. (If they were
in Illinois, Indiana or Ohio, slave hunters from Kentucky and
Virginia could legally cross the river and capture them.)
The Borough of Freedom changed dramatically in the
1970s when much of Third Street and the business district
were razed for construction of a four lane state highway
bypass. Many of the town’s historic landmarks were demolished. Vicary House was threatened then saved by public
interest and action by the Beaver County Commissioners—
proving that Freedom (and what it stands for) is something
to be treasured.
Courtesy of Beaver County Bicentennial Atlas
The purpose of the Beaver County Community
Walking Maps project is: 1) to promote health and
exercise among the residents of the various river
towns; 2) to highlight points of interest within each
community; and 3) to promote community pride
among all residents of the county. Through these
maps, we hope people will see Beaver County
as a collection of welcoming neighborhoods, all
connected by common goals of economic progress,
community pride and historical preservation.
the River Towns of Beaver County
ALIQUIPPA BEAVER COUNTY
Beaver
AMBRIDGE
Falls
New Brighton
BEAVER Rt. 51
PA
-76
BEAVER FALLS
Bridgewater
BRIDGEWATER
Beaver
Rochester
FREEDOM
Midland 68
.
t
R
Freedom
r
MIDLAND
Rive
Monaca
Ohio
Ambridge
MONACA
NEW BRIGHTONAliquippa
R
ROCHESTER t. 60
5
In the early 20th Century, Freedom’s chief industries were
oil, caskets and monuments. The Valvoline Oil Company (historically Freedom’s largest employer) was originally known as
Freedom Oil Company.
Walking Maps
.6
Rt
Soon after the establishment of Freedom, retired sea captain William Vicary surveyed a 1,000-acre plot of land south
of Dutchman’s Run, where he built a mansion called Vicary
House. The mansion’s legend still holds an air of romance
and mystery. The captain is said to have hid his fortune in
a secret cache somewhere in the house—to this day, it has
yet to be found. Years ago, walls were unsealed to reveal a
secret “bride’s room”, still decorated as if awaiting a long
lost love. The mansion is listed on the National Register of
Historic Places.
Beaver County river town
River
Beaver
When a group of younger members broke away from the
Harmony Society in the early 1930s, they purchased land
a few miles downstream. Around this time, Freedom was cofounded by Jonathan Betz and Stephen Phillips, owners of
a steamboat building business, when they purchased 100
acres of land. In 1838, the Borough of Freedom was incorporated. The town grew rapidly. It was laid out on a Tuesday and
by the following Saturday, 14 houses were standing. Businesses sprung up as well, including several inns, a foundry,
steam sawmill and an extensive distillery and gristmill. Freedom became a leader in steamboat construction, with more
than 100 steamboats and barges built there.
The Ohio and Beaver rivers have played an important
part in the development of Beaver County, spawning
many unique river towns, each with a personality
and character all its own. Today, each of these
river towns shares a common focus on family
values, hometown pride, economic growth and
historic preservation.
Toll 60
Freedom
This project supported in part
by Pittsburgh 250 Community
Connections and The Sprout Fund.
Cover photo
Alan Freed • www.freedmultimedia.com
Brochure design and layout
Brkich Design • www.BrkichDesign.com
Freedom
Pennsylvania
freedom
Walking map
Points of interest
1
VICARY HOUSE
1235 Third Avenue
2
TUNNEL TO
FISHING AREA
3rd Avenue &
8th Street
3
BOROUGH BUILDING and MEMORIAL
HONOR ROLL AND GAZEBO
901 3rd Avenue
4
FREEDOM AREA
HIGH SCHOOL
1190 Bulldog Drive
1 Mile Route
2 Mile Route
3 Mile Route
Beaver River
Ohio River Blvd
Bulld
og Dr
17th St
1
14th St
vey
R
13th St un Rd
Har
3rd Ave
6th Av
5th Av e
4th Av e
e
16th St
2
12th St
3
11th St
9th St
8th Ave
10th St
4th Ave
3rd Ave
8th St
6th Ave
5th Ave
Mine St
7th St
5th St
4