If you’re a history buff, plan a day trip to Liberty to visit three must-see cemeteries in Liberty, Mo. One is on the National Registry of Historic Places; another has a memorial honoring the lives of 761 African Americans buried in unmarked graves; and the third honors 600 WWII soldiers.
All three are serene, open-air museums that are jigsaw puzzles of Liberty’s history, offering visitors a place for quiet reflection and a bridge to the past.
Mt. Memorial Cemetery is on the National Registry of Historic Places
Mt. Memorial Cemetery was established in 1836 when Liberty’s population was a mere 700 people. It contains the graves of many original settlers and founding families of Liberty and Clay County.
With burials dating back possibly to 1819, Mt. Memorial—known locally as "The Old Graveyard"—is the city's foundation story etched in stone. The 1.5-acre cemetery is a must-see for Civil War and pioneer enthusiasts.
You’ll find the most ornate headstones and obelisk stones at Mt. Memorial, like the headstone of Greenup Bird (d. 1882). Greenup was the bank president during the infamous 1866 bank robbery, which was attributed to Jesse James and the James Gang and considered the nation's first successful daylight, peace time bank heist (learn more about it at the Jesse James Bank Museum).
The cemetery is adjacent to William Jewell College, which was used as a Confederate hospital during the Civil War and historians note evidence of soldiers using headstones for target practice while at the hospital. The cemetery holds the graves of Union soldiers from the Battle of Blue Mills Landing. A 1933 survey lists six Civil War veterans and 25 soldiers killed in the battle who are buried there.
New "rural" cemeteries were park-like areas; pleasant places for the living to visit their lost loved ones. Locations were selected for their natural beauty and proximity to heaven. While the cemetery is in the center of residential and historic downtown Liberty today, Mt. Memorial’s location was likely chosen for its peaceful beauty, uninterrupted vistas in all directions, and a secluded hilltop spot where the dead could be closer to God.
Fairview & New Hope Cemetery is Home of the African American Legacy Memorial and a few famous Liberty Residents
Fairview Cemetery was established in the mid-1800s and was so named because it overlooked what once were the community’s fairgrounds. Those fairgrounds were acquired by the City in 1901 and eventually became New Hope Cemetery. City Park was acquired in 1948.
Fairview is marked by a majestic stone arch at its entrance. The cemetery resonates with the community's history from the early days of Liberty to today. If those interred in Fairview/New Hope Cemeteries could talk, they could offer stories of business successes, intrigue, violence, failures and heroism.
The cemetery is a fascinating study in contrast, it is still an active cemetery today, with new burials happening among the 200-year-old graves. The Liberty African American Legacy Memorial, added in 2020, honors the lives of 761 Black individuals who have been confirmed to be buried, mostly in unmarked graves, in the formerly segregated sections of Fairview and New Hope cemeteries. You’ll find their names listed on a marquee located at the center of a path with four additional panels sharing personal stories of some of the deceased.
A prominent statesmen and military leader in American history, Col. Alexander Doniphan, is buried at Block 95, Lot 15, Space 2. Doniphan was an attorney who is best known today as the man who prevented the execution of Joseph Smith, Prophet of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, during the 1838 Mormon War.
If this piques your interest, plan a trip to the Historic Liberty Jail, which is open seven days a week with free admission. The museum reconstructed the jail that Joseph Smith and five other Mormons were held in and shares the full story of their arrest, alleged crimes and revelations Smith received while imprisoned there which are now recorded in the Church’s Doctrine and Covenants.
Look for the gravesite of William T. Reynolds (d. 1865) located at Block 20, Lot 12, Space 2. Reynold’s headstone reads, “Died in Liberty, Mo by the hands of an assassin.” Reynolds won the election to become mayor, but was shot before he could take office.
Flower and gardening aficionados are encouraged to visit in the spring when ornamental flowers and heirloom peonies are in full bloom.
Visit the former Odd Fellows Home Graveyard Behind Belvoir Winery
In the early 1900s, the Independent Order of Odd Fellows operated a 240-acre complex that included an orphanage, school, hospital, nursing home, and a working farm, where Belvoir Winery and Inn currently resides. The Leimkuehler family purchased the property in the 1990s and renovated the main lodge into a boutique hotel, winery and tasting room.
Numerous ghost stories have emerged over the years from mysterious sounds, sightings and even televised investigations by shows like Ghost Adventures. The innkeeper even displays the skeleton of a former Odd Fellow member named George.
As the chief purpose of the Odd Fellows' society was to give aid, assistance, and comfort to members and families, the Grand Lodge of Missouri helped in times of death as well as in sickness and misfortune. A cemetery plot, headstone, and burial services were all part of the large system of benefits that were available to the Odd Fellows.
Usually, the elderly residents of the Home who had no other arrangements were buried there. There is a cemetery located on the northern end of the property. The cemetery contains the remains of nearly 600 people. Just outside the cemetery gate sits a memorial dedicated by the Liberty IOOF lodge to honor members who were killed in World War II.
Ironically, the cemetery is the most peaceful part of the property, where no paranormal activity has been spotted to date. Visitors are welcome to tour the cemetery during winery and inn business hours.