Freedom was a waypoint on the Michigan Central Railroad. Later, the Old Mackinaw Road also passed through town, as it finally met up with the Lake Huron Shore and completed its track to Mackinaw.

Today, of course, there is little left of Freedom. The town had a railway station, post office, store, and school. The yellow building on the east side of the road was probably the store and post office, and the railway station was located just across the road, long since removed. The school has been preserved, however, and is now beautifully restored by the Mackinaw Area Historical Society at their historic village. The former Commodore Restaurant was also at one time a hall and located on the other side of the highway.

The Freedom railroad station also served as a telegraph office. Since the spot was not a major depot, stops were unscheduled and only occurred if picking up or dropping off passengers. The fare from Freedom to Cheboygan was six cents.

A spur off the major railroad line ran from Freedom deep into the woods and was a logging railroad used by the Embury-Martin Lumber Company. Loggers probably used to pass through Freedom with considerable frequency. It seems probable that a saloon also must have existed here at one point for this very reason, but whether or not there was is unknown.

Rumors have persisted over the years about Freedom being a stop on the Underground Railroad. This “railroad” was a way for escaped slaves from the south to make their way to freedom in Canada. Usually traveling at night, stopping off points were called “stations.” Routes of escape in southern Michigan are well documented, but evidence for northern routes is much scantier.

Arguing that Freedom was a stop on the Underground Railroad is a tough act. One account mentions that signal fires would be lit at what is today Point Nipigon, at which time other operators of the Underground Railroad would come over from Bois Blanc Island and ferry the escapees to the island, and then on to Georgian Bay and into Canada.