As a longtime architecture and history geek, I relish old buildings, quaint downtowns, and buildings that, at a glance (and with a little imagination), can transport you back in time. So, I’m excited to announce the Downtown Historic Walking Tour has launched! A subcommittee of the Design & Placemaking Committee has been hard at work compiling information to create a self-guided Downtown Historic Walking Tour. The tour is designed to highlight buildings that have a long history within our community. Narratives explain the buildings’ construction timeline, previous tenants and businesses that occupied the building, and draw attention to unique architectural features. A goal of the tour is to make pieces of Freeport’s history that are represented in these beautiful buildings more accessible to all audiences. A better understanding of the history gives one a greater connection and sense of ‘place’.
The tour is utilizing a free online platform, theclio.com, for each building’s post. Each tour stop will have a sign in the storefront window with the historic tour logo and QR code that will take the viewer directly to the listing on theclio.com. You can also access the tour by visiting theclio.com and search by city or the title of the tour. We continue to work with building owners to develop their building’s historical narrative and timeline. You can view an example entry of 14 W. Stephenson. Currently, we have three downtown addresses that have completed their entry on theclio.com. More entries will follow.
If you are interested in having your building listed on the tour, please fill out this form on our website or contact me directly.
Andrea Schultz Winter is the Development Director for the Greater Freeport Partnership and likes historical architecture so much she holds a master’s degree in architecture with an emphasis in historic preservation from the University of Illinois. She can be reached at awinter@greaterfreeport.com or 815-233-1354.
