Liberty, Missouri is a popular senior vacation area and retirement community located near Kansas City, MO.

Liberty MO History

American settlers came to the Liberty area in the early 1800’s. In 1829, Liberty incorporated, making it the second oldest incorporated town west of the Mississippi River. During the 1830’s, the Liberty Landing was one of several steamboat docks located along the Missouri River. It was a disembarking location for merchandise and early settlers coming from the east. The Liberty Jail is known for its most famous prisoner, Joseph Smith, founder of the Mormon Church. Smith and six of his followers were housed in the jail during the winter of 1839.

William Jewell College, one of the oldest private colleges in Missouri, was founded in 1849 with a $10,000 donation from Dr. William Jewell of Columbia, Missouri. On the opposite side of town was the Liberty Female Institute (also known as the Liberty Ladies College) that provided a comparable education for women.

From 1943 to 1945 during World War II, a German prisoner of war camp was set up at a turkey farm in Liberty. The prisoners stayed in turkey laying houses that were adapted for living quarters. Approximately 600 prisoners were housed in this location. The prisoners were transported to areas farms to work producing crops for the local economy and war effort.

Liberty Missouri – Senior Vacation and Retirement Community

Today, Liberty Missouri is a popular tourist and retirement community in the Kansas City area.