History of Liberty, Missouri

Source: Liberty Missouri Resource Guide

Liberty, Missouri's first settlers arrived in 1817. By 1822 the settlement had grown to become the county seat for Clay County. Incorporated in 1829, Liberty is the second oldest incorporated town west of the Mississippi River. Besides having one of the oldest private colleges in Missouri, Liberty has over thirty buildings listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

On February 13, 1866, the Clay County Savings Bank was the sight of the first successful daylight bank robbery allegedly committed by the James gang. Built in 1858 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the bank is the oldest building still remaining on the Liberty Square. The Jesse James Bank Museum is open to the public. The James Family farm is located about ten miles north of Liberty.

The Clay County Museum and Historical Society is located in a building built in 1877 as a drug store with a doctor's office on the second floor. It continues in its original purpose into the 1960s. Three floors of exhibits are open to the public. The building is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

The Liberty Jail was built in 1833. Its most famous prisoner was Joseph Smith, first president and prophet of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (the Mormons). Following an order from the governor of Missouri, Joseph Smith and six of his followers were tried and convicted of false charges. They languished for months in the winter of 1839 in the Liberty Jail. The reconstructed jail is open to the public.

The Liberty Square offers a compact group of buildings, constructed during the 19th century for commercial use. Many retain their original elements and represent an unusual diversity of styles and visual qualities. It was "on the square" in 1846 when Colonel Alexander Doniphan began his march into history and the Mexican/American war.

It was "on the square" in 1846 that the second oldest continually published newspaper west of the Mississippi River, now the Liberty Tribune, published its first issue. It was "on the square" in 1866 when the James Gang made their alleged first daylight bank robbery. It was "on the square" in 1908 that one of the first Ford Motors Dealerships opened at the S.P. Bogess Dealership.

The Lightburne Historic District contains a diverse collection of mostly late 19th and early 20th century structures. These include Lighburne Hall, an elaborate 1852 mansion, the former High Gothic Saint James Catholic Church, and the 1898 Simmons house. A wide variety of architectural styles may be found in the Jewell Historic District that borders the William Jewell College. Most were constructed near the turn-of-the-century.

Other buildings on the National Register of Historic Places include the Clay County Savings Association Building, Clinton House, Frank Hughes Memorial Library, IOOF Liberty Lodge No. 49, Jewell Hall, Major Hotel, Miller Building, Nebo Hill Archaeological Site, Odd Fellows Home District, South Liberty Courthouse Square Historic District, and the West Liberty Courthouse Square Historic District.

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This page was last updated June 7, 2005.