Community Update
Freeport, IL · October 31, 2026
Freeport Community Update
Holiday 2026 · for neighbors around Jefferson Street
The holidays in Freeport start with a luminary walk at Oakdale, a craft sale inside the Taylor House a block from Jefferson Street, and the Mistletoe Walk downtown. Below is what's on the calendar, where to eat and the free local perks worth using. Further down: what 29 E Jefferson St sold for this fall, and what nearby homes have sold for since.
- What's onOakdale After Dark, the Taylor House craft sale, the Mistletoe Walk and Santa in the Park
- Sold29 E Jefferson St sold in under 60 days, for $72,000
- The numbersThe median listing price in 61032: about $176,000
Things to do in Freeport this holiday season
- Fri, Nov 6Oakdale After Dark. 4:30 to 7:30 p.m. at Oakdale Nature Preserve, 4433 S Cranes Grove Rd. Walk the paved trail by luminary light, then sit by the campfire and stargaze. Hot chocolate is for sale. + Add to calendar
- Nov 20 to 22Holiday Craft and Gift Sale at the Taylor House. Handmade gifts inside the 1857 Taylor House, about a block from Jefferson St at 1440 S Carroll Ave. Friday and Saturday 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Sunday 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Proceeds support the Stephenson County Historical Society. + Add to calendar
- Sat, Nov 21Mistletoe Walk and the city tree lighting. Downtown Freeport from noon: horse-drawn carriage rides, photos with Santa and Mrs. Claus, live reindeer, free s'mores, living window displays, then the tree lighting at the Stephenson County Courthouse, 15 N Galena Ave. Check greaterfreeport.com for the lighting time. Free. + Add to calendar
- Fri, Dec 11Santa in the Park. 5 to 7 p.m. at Krape Park, 1799 S Park Blvd. Write and mail a letter to Santa, then meet him, with a holiday craft, refreshments and a selfie photo booth. Free. + Add to calendar
- Sat, Dec 12Dash, Jingle and Mingle holiday fun run. An untimed run, walk or stroll through Krape Park in your ugliest sweater, starting at 10 a.m. (check-in from 9:15), with Santa, photos and an ornament craft afterward. The paved route is stroller-friendly. Registration required, ages 5 and up. + Add to calendar
- Tue, Dec 22Holiday PJ Party at the Freeport Art Museum. 4 to 6 p.m. at 121 N Harlem Ave. Come in pajamas for a holiday craft, a scavenger hunt and time to explore the museum. All ages; RSVP through the museum. Free. + Add to calendar
Where to eat in Freeport
Six local favorites around town, starting with Brian's pick. Tap a name for directions.
- Riverside 71669 Willard Dr · Brian's pick: family dining with breakfast all day, steaks and fish
- Mort's Bar & Grill114 S Chicago Ave · a historic downtown bar and grill
- The Great Debate1 E Spring St · American food and cocktails in the Wagner House
- Cimino's Little Italy421 Challenge St · Italian and pizza
- La Patrona Mexican Cantina & Grill1725 S Ihm Blvd · Mexican
- Coffee & Crumbs Bakery1022 Riverside Dr · bakery and coffee
Perks worth using
A free library card does a lot. A Freeport Public Library card gets you free ebooks, audiobooks and streaming through Libby, hoopla and Kanopy, plus tech help and a notary. 100 E Douglas St, 815-233-3000.
The Freeport Art Museum is free. Admission costs nothing, and the museum runs free family nights like the December 22 Holiday PJ Party. 121 N Harlem Ave.
The Jane Addams Trail starts downtown. From Tutty's Crossing trailhead on the Pecatonica River, 250 E Stephenson St, the trail runs 17 miles north to the Wisconsin line, where it joins the Badger Trail.
Krape Park and Oakdale. Krape Park has an illuminated waterfall, an antique carousel and walking paths along Yellow Creek. Oakdale Nature Preserve has 133 acres and more than 4 miles of trails, open daily from dawn to 10:30 p.m.
Events: Freeport Park District, Freeport Art Museum, Stephenson County Historical Society and the Journal-Standard, checked October 31, 2026. Restaurants: each restaurant's own website or listing. Perks: Freeport Public Library, Freeport Art Museum and the Greater Freeport Partnership. Dates and hours can change, so check before you go.
What a Jefferson Street sale tells you about your home
29 E Jefferson St, a three-bedroom, two-story home built in 1912, closed on September 30, 2026 for $72,000. Here's what sold, what nearby homes have sold for since, and what it can and can't tell you about your own home.
Sold for $72,000In under 60 days: 47 days after it was listed, about 4% under the $75,000 asking price.
What it means for the Jefferson Street area
Ten single-family homes within about three-quarters of a mile sold in October 2026, from $18,000 to $121,000. That's a wide range, and condition explains much of it: a home that's move-in ready and a home that needs work can sit on the same block.
A few things make this part of Freeport easy to live in:
- The 1857 Taylor House museum and arboretum is about a block away.
- Downtown, with the Lincoln-Douglas Debate Square and the Tutty's Crossing trailhead, is about a mile north.
- Homes here are served by Freeport School District 145.
For owners nearby, this sale matters in a practical way. When appraisers and buyers size up a home, they lean on recent sales of similar homes close by. 29 E Jefferson St and the sales after it are reference points for the homes around them.
Neighborhood facts: Wikipedia, "Oscar Taylor House" and "Freeport, Illinois"; Greater Freeport Partnership. Sale and nearby sales: MLS data as shown on Realtor.com and Zillow, accessed October 31, 2026.
What happened
29 E Jefferson St came to market on August 14, 2026 at $75,000, listed as a home with classic character that needed some TLC, and closed on September 30 at $72,000. Brian Borchardt of A-1 Agency represented both the buyer and the seller.
The house
| Bedrooms / baths | 3 bed / 1 full and 1 half bath |
|---|---|
| Living area | 2,834 sq ft, two stories, full basement |
| Lot | 6,098 sq ft, fenced backyard |
| Built | 1912, single-family, detached garage |
| Status | Sold September 30, 2026 · MLS #202604873 · map |
Live near Jefferson Street? Brian can match this update to your home. Call 815-238-2015 or email a-1agency@msn.com.
What nearby homes sold for
Single-family sales within about three-quarters of a mile of 29 E Jefferson St, October 2026, newest first.
| Address | Sold for | Closed | Home |
|---|---|---|---|
| 29 E Jefferson St | $72,000 | Sep 30, 2026 | 3 bd · 1.5 ba · 2,834 sq ft |
| 1119 S Maple Ave | $96,900 | Oct 30, 2026 | 3 bd · 1 ba · 1,344 sq ft |
| 203 E Jefferson St | $65,000 | Oct 28, 2026 | 4 bd · 2 ba · 1,982 sq ft |
| 633 Youngs Ln | $115,000 | Oct 21, 2026 | 2 bd · 1 ba · 816 sq ft |
| 1216 S Rotzler Ave | $25,000 | Oct 20, 2026 | 4 bd · 1 ba · 1,344 sq ft |
| 1247 S Chicago Ave | $50,000 | Oct 16, 2026 | 5 bd · 1 ba · 1,600 sq ft |
| 810 S State Ave | $18,000 | Oct 16, 2026 | 2 bd · 1 ba · 1,386 sq ft |
| 455 S State Ave | $32,000 | Oct 14, 2026 | 3 bd · 1 ba · 1,440 sq ft |
| 704 S Carroll Ave | $65,000 | Oct 12, 2026 | 5 bd · 2 ba · 1,484 sq ft |
| 1218 S State Ave | $118,000 | Oct 2, 2026 | 3 bd · 2 ba · 1,512 sq ft |
| 1905 S Walnut Rd | $121,000 | Oct 2, 2026 | 3 bd · 1 ba · 1,296 sq ft |
Sold prices, dates and home details: MLS data as shown on Zillow, accessed October 31, 2026. Deemed reliable but not guaranteed.
Same size, different result: 1216 S Rotzler Ave and 1119 S Maple Ave, both 1,344 sq ft, sold for $25,000 and $96,900.Condition, updates and the lot matter as much as square footage.
What this may mean for your home
One sale doesn't set the value of every home in Freeport. But closed sales show what buyers have actually paid recently, and how much a home's condition matters.
- Nearby single-family homes sold between $18,000 and $121,000 in October.
- Condition, updates and the lot drive the number. One sale is not your value.
61032 home sales by the numbers
In the 61032 ZIP code, the median listing price was $175,925, up about 23% from a year ago. Homes spent a median of 50 days on the market, and 166 homes were for sale, about 22% more than a year ago.
Homes sold for about 100% of their asking price. Well-priced homes are selling for what sellers ask, even with more homes on the market.
Listing price, days on market, inventory and sale-to-list: Realtor.com, 61032 market data through September 2026.
Online estimates are a starting point, but they can't see your updates, your basement or your yard. Closed sales on and around Jefferson Street give you real numbers to compare against, whether you're planning to stay for years or just like knowing where you stand.
Curious how your home compares?
Share your address and a few details, and Brian will match this update to your property. It takes about a minute, with no obligation.
Call 815-238-2015
Email a-1agency@msn.com
Freeport questions, answered
What's there to do in Freeport this holiday season?
Oakdale After Dark (November 6), the Holiday Craft and Gift Sale at the Taylor House (November 20 to 22), the Mistletoe Walk and city tree lighting downtown (November 21, free), Santa in the Park at Krape Park (December 11, free), the Dash, Jingle and Mingle fun run (December 12) and a free Holiday PJ Party at the Freeport Art Museum (December 22).
What are homes selling for near Jefferson St in Freeport?
Ten single-family homes within about three-quarters of a mile sold in October 2026, from $18,000 to $121,000. 29 E Jefferson St sold for $72,000 on September 30, 2026.
How long are homes taking to sell in 61032?
Per Realtor.com, with data through September 2026, the median was 50 days on market, and homes sold for about 100% of their asking price.
What is the Taylor House?
The Oscar Taylor House at 1440 S Carroll Ave is an 1857 Italianate stone mansion that was a station on the Underground Railroad. It's on the National Register of Historic Places and is home to the Stephenson County Historical Society museum and arboretum.
Why is Freeport called Pretzel City?
A German immigrant, John Billerbeck, opened a bakery in 1869 that handed out so many pretzels the local paper gave Freeport the nickname.
Where did the Lincoln-Douglas debate happen in Freeport?
The second Lincoln-Douglas debate was held in Freeport on August 27, 1858, before about 15,000 people. The site is now the Lincoln-Douglas Debate Square at 114 E Douglas St, with bronze statues of both men.
