Freeport — 125 years and still going strong

Village marks incorporation with yearlong celebration

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Freeport Mayor Robert Kennedy checked out the new 125th anniversary village logo after its unveiling at a news conference on Tuesday.
Freeport Mayor Robert Kennedy checked out the new 125th anniversary village logo after its unveiling at a news conference on Tuesday.
Davy Crockett/Herald Leader

The vintage siren atop the 1906 fire truck wailed as firefighters and police officers lined up in front of Ladder Company No. 1, Freeport’s first firehouse, on Church Street, on the morning of Oct. 17. Then Mayor Robert Kennedy unveiled a new 125th anniversary village seal, in red, and white to commemorate Freeport’s incorporation.

“This is a momentous occasion,” Kennedy said. “We’ll be celebrating different events all year and paying respect to our past. We’ll be honoring those who came before us and offering tribute to those who served and protect us every day.”

On display at the firehouse were an antique fire truck and police car. The Village of Freeport incorporated in 1892, the third community to do so in what would later become Nassau County. It is now the second largest village in New York state. 

“The history of Freeport is one of independence, self-reliance and local control,” Kennedy said.

To mark the anniversary, the village will host an array of events. The Freeport Memorial Library is the midst of a series of lectures and workshops on village history. The next one is scheduled for Oct. 25. The Fall Festival will start on Oct. 29 with a parade at Richmond Street and Woodcleft Avenue, celebrating the village’s traditions.

“As we celebrate our 125th anniversary, Freeport will have many events highlighting its birthday,” Kennedy said. “We invite all of the elected officials, staff, residents and visitors to join us in the events in the following year.”

The new seal will be displayed throughout the village in the coming weeks.