You clearly remember more than Jim Robinson. Who began this site in 1996.
https://freerepublic.com/home.htm
I know I spent a fair number of months before I signed up in 1998.
Simple keeps FR blazing fast. There's countless examples of websites who don't understand that. And with automatic monthly's of $1 per day it's the best bargain around.
1996 was about 25 years ago, my math is not perfect but 1996 is over 20 years. Btw that’s a milestone there, is FR going to do something for a 25th anniversary???