Liberty Memorial: A Monument to War Dead, High Ideals
In the wake of World War I, America’s biggest venture on the world stage to that point, Kansas Citians poured their idealism and their money into the Liberty Memorial. It was meant to be a monument not only to those who died in the war but also to the principles of liberty and freedom. Today, more than eight decades after it opened, the memorial stands refurbished, resplendent and newly respected for its acclaimed state-of-the-art museum of World War I.
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HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE STAR'S ARCHIVES
Plan a War Memorial: Mayor Cowgill Asks for Ideas and Outlines Views.
Published Nov. 17, 1918
What do you think Kansas City should do in honor of her homecoming soldiers and in memory of those who will not return? That is the substance of a letter Mayor James Cowgill will send this week to the executive committee of each local organization that has engaged in war work.
Went Over the Top
Published Nov. 6, 1919
Kansas City added another great, big “ Do You Know?” to its list yesterday.
Flame Alight! A Crowd of 100,000 View Solemn Ceremony at the Memorial Site
Published Nov. 1, 1921
Only the hills that cradled the tens of thousands under a vast cerulean sky formed a background for today’s dedication of the site of Kansas City’s memorial to those who died and who fought in the world war. All else was obliterated, as the slopes and valleys of a vanished stream became a great amphitheater of tremendous acreage. The crowd must have been close to one hundred thousand, perhaps more. No one can say.
The Memorial Secret Out: R.A. Long is Revealed as Originator of Liberty Memorial Idea
Published Nov, 8, 1924
A haze of uncertainty has veiled the origin of the Liberty Memorial idea.
Liberty Memorial closing: Deterioration of structure forces move, park director says.
Published Nov, 9, 1994
The Liberty Memorial will be closed immediately because of structural problems.
Cost estimates to fix monument hit $25 million
Published March 11, 1995
The Liberty Memorial is in worse shape than anyone imagined.
New life for Liberty: Voters endorse higher sales tax to fix landmark
Published Aug. 5, 1998
Kansas Citians voted Tuesday to save the Liberty Memorial for generations to come.
Freedom and its many sacrifices saluted at monument's rebirth
Published May 26, 2002
They came out of respect. They came out of remembrance. And they came out of pride. Whatever their reasons, they came because they believed they needed to be here.
Shrine to the Great War passes muster at opening
Published Dec. 3, 2006
A bright yellow biplane swept gracefully against the clouds, red petals fluttered in the breeze, and dozens of white doves took wing Saturday at Kansas City’s Liberty Memorial.
