Cornstalks to Palm Trees: Freeport Inn Circa 1975

Once upon time, a long, long time ago, my mother visited Freeport. (Not that long if you're reading this mom.)

And today, I visited where she stayed!

Let me back up.

Saturdays are typically studying days for the guys. And Rachel and I will usually venture to the beach, but today's weather was not having that. It has rained nearly all day today.

Back at home, we would've spent days like today at the mall or something. But believe it or not, Freeport doesn't have a mall. They just have a straw market. Don't get me wrong, the straw market is fun. But it's outdoors. And by the time you've visited two booths, you've seen it all. And I'd like to go shopping and not get heckled to get my hair braided.

But, since Freeport doesn't have this option. We could A.) Fly to Miami or B.) Go to Cost-Rite.

Since we don't have an extra $300 laying around, we chose to go to Cost-Rite. It's the Sam's Club of the Caribbean.

On our way home, Tyrone took us past the Freeport Inn.

Now, back to the fun part of the story.

Back in 1975, my mom's highschool senior class took a trip to Freeport. She's told me stories about their trip many times, but once we found out we were heading here, she broke out the photos and we rehashed their trip quite a bit. I had her send me a few pictures of her pictures so you can share the experience. (Conveniently enough there weren't any photos of her.)

I had asked Tyrone if he knew where the Freeport Inn is a few weeks ago and told him my mom had been there after highschool. He said oh well, you're mom sure isn't 17 anymore then. I guess the Freeport Inn has taken quite a turn since 1975.

After graduation, about 55 kids from her class at Westview traveled to Freeport for a week. They stayed at the Freeport Inn which is in downtown Freeport. Turns out, it's only about five minutes from where we live. How cool!

My favorite story is when they went to a show. Turns out, it was a topless show. As my mom says, just imagine all the naive kids from Shipshewana and Topeka, at a topless show. I can only imagine the absolute horror of the chaperones when that moment came.

She also talks about visiting the International Bizarre. It's still here, but it was significantly damaged by a hurricane at some point, and hasn't been rebuilt to what it used to be.

Visiting the Freeport Inn today was pretty neat. It made me a little less homesick to be in a place that my mom has been, even it was a few years ago.

Now, the Freeport Inn is no longer a hotel. It was recently sold to the public hospital of Freeport. Tyrone wasn't sure what they were going to do with it now. But Tyrone did say it used to be the hotel to stay at in downtown Freeport.

So here's a look at what the Freeport Inn looks like today!