Freeport

Freeport, city, Brazoria county, southeastern Texas, U.S., at the mouth of the Brazos River, on the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway, 60 miles (97 km) south of Houston. Settled in 1898 but officially founded in 1912 by exploiters of local sulfur deposits, it was developed as a deepwater port and now forms part of the industrial complex of Brazosport. It processes and exports chemicals and gasoline. Commercial fishing (shrimp) is also significant, and Freeport is the home port of one of the world’s largest shrimp-trawler fleets. A large-scale saltwater conversion plant is immediately east. Velasco, which served as temporary capital of the Republic of Texas and where the treaty concluding the Texas Revolution was signed in 1836, was annexed by Freeport in 1957. A lighthouse (1896) is at the river’s mouth. Inc. 1949. Pop. (2000) 12,708; (2010) 12,049.