Minnesota’s Least Known Famous City – Freeport [WATCH]

Stearns County hosts a town that has famous roots, and many people have no idea that Freeport is the inspiration for one of the most famous tales in Minnesota and beyond.

Those who live in Freeport know all about how special their town is. It's least known by those who live outside of it. If you've ever heard of Lake Wobegon, and tried to find it, the closest you'll ever get to it is Freeport.

Author and radio storyteller, Garrison Keillor, needed a fictional Minnesota town for his "Prairie Home Companion" radio series. The series is about a small town in Minnesota, and the life of the characters residing in this town. He named the town Lake Wobegon. The characters of his radio series were inspired by the people in Freeport.

The small town of Freeport, Minnesota is the inspiration of this place called "Lake Wobegon". When Keillor would describe the location, he'd say -

It's in central Minnesota, near Stearns County, up around Holdingford, not far from St. Rosa and Albany and Freeport, northwest of St. Cloud

(Source: wikipedia)

Freeport is a small town, population of 632 people. Those who live there are proud of their small town, not just for the fame of it, but more for what Freeport is as a whole...hard working people, a safe community, and a great place to live and raise a family. The town's water tower let everybody know they are a friendly place, with a big smiling face painted at the top of it.

The Lake Wobegon credit isn't the only thing that makes Freeport famous. The water tower was featured in the opening scene of episode 4 of the Syfy's Ascension. In the video above, Freeport was featured on the Smithsonian Channel's "Aerial America - Minnesota".

When you're in Freeport, be sure to stop into Charlie's Cafe and the Pioneer Inn and start up some small talk with the regulars. You might just leave with plans to become a resident!