A possible haunting isn’t the only thing that makes this Liberty landmark an ‘odd’ place
The International Order of Odd Fellows was one of the many fraternal organizations Americans joined in the 1800s. By the end of the century, the IOOD (so named because its rolls consisted of people working at “odd jobs”) was larger than any of the country’s other lodges.
The building shown in this postcard showcases the group’s humanitarian efforts—facilities created to care for members and their families due to age or affliction. These were seen as a kind of insurance policy made possible by membership dues, and thus not charity.
The Liberty, Missouri, Odd Fellows Home was built in 1900 on a 240-acre plot just south of town near what is now Highway 291. Elaborate as the Jacobethan Revival style brick design appears, the home was also a working farm that utilized residents’ labor.
As the numbers of children housed there grew, the orphanage took over much of the administration building. Gradually, other structures were added near it—a hospital, a nursing home and a school. A cemetery where some 600 residents are buried is also part of the complex.
Several decades after the facility closed down in the 1950s, the Leimkuehler family purchased the property. In 2011, the old Odd Fellows Home reopened as the Belvoir Winery and Inn, an event space with nine rooms available for overnight stays. (Belvoir, in case you’re wondering, means “beautiful view” in French.)
Since then, the place has been embraced by both wine drinkers and ghost hunters. In fact, almost every one who works there, and many who’ve visited (including the Travel Channels’ “Kindred Spirits”) claims to have seen or heard something spooky that was hard to explain.
Looking for more Kansas City history?
Here’s another impressive KC home with a haunted past—UMKC’s Epperson House
Learn some more about Liberty’s past that doesn’t involve ghosts
If beer is more your style, here’s the skinny on the very visible remains of KC’s old Imperial Brewery
This story was originally published March 27, 2024 at 6:00 AM.