Institution

Originally designed by Harold von Buren Magonigle, the Sphinxes measure 32 feet in length, 15 feet wide, and 15 feet tall from their pedestals. These figures are made from several pieces of cut Indiana limestone, which includes the massive single stones that were carved into the 17 ton hindquarters that make up each Sphinx.Designed in the Assyrian style, the Sphinxes both cover their faces with their wings. 'Memory' faces east to the battlefields of the Europe, shielding its face from the horrors of war. 'Future' faces west, covering its face in a symbolic representation of the unseen future. The statues are similar in appearance, the Memory has a shrouded head. They are an example of Egyptian Revival used throughout the Liberty Memorial.

'Memory' Sphinx, as seen from the grand staircase above the entrance to the Museum

Rear of 'Future' Sphinx in foreground, 'Memory' Sphinx in distance, as seen from Memorial Courtyard above the museum entrance

Website

The Sphinxes appear at the south entrance to Memorial Court, through they were originally intended to guard the grand staircase on the north side of the original memorial. When the staircase was eliminated from the plans, the Sphinxes were placed on what was originally considered to be the rear entrance. Fortunately, following expansion and development of the National World War I Museum and Memorial, the Sphinxes sit above the main entrance of the museum.

Memorial Court Sphinxes

This tour will guide visitors around Kansas City's National World War I Memorial, offering information about exterior features from the fountains that surround the museum to the Memorial Court Sphinxes and Liberty Tower. The tour was created by Nikki Dean and will be updated by museum staff including Lora Vogt, Vice President of Education and Interpretation for the museum, and Dr. David Trowbridge, the creator of Clio and a supporter of the museum. 

American soldiers serving in the Spanish-American War, European-American military response in the wake of the Boxer Rebellion in China, and Phillippine-American War nicknamed themselves "hikers." Kitson made the Hiker statues in their honor, designing them based on Leonard Sefing, Jr., a Spanish-American War veteran who served as a model after winning a contest. After Kitson created the first design, the Gorham Manufacturing Company bought the rights. Over the next four decades, they cast at least fifty statues, many of which were not erected until some time after Kitson's death.The original HIker statue can be seen at the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis, while most of the other statues are displayed in parks across the country. According to a Texas guide, the statues depict a soldier "stripped of his parade uniform and shown ... reacting to the challenges of the battlefield." The Hiker design has been praised for its realism and historical accuracy. The figure in the statue wears an accurate period uniform and carries a Krag-Jorgensen rifle. The Kansas City HIker is located in Penn Valley Park, south of the World War I Museum and Memorial. It was dedicated in 1947 thanks to veterans of the Spanish-American War.

Dedicated in 1947 and located just south of the Liberty Memorial within Penn Valley Park, The Hiker commemorates those who served in several early twentieth-century wars and conflicts from the Spanish-American War, to the U.S. military's occupation of the Phillippines and Amerian troops who participated in the European-led military interventions in China at the turn of the 20th century. The statue and many others of similar design were created by Theodora Alice Ruggles Kitson. The Kansas City landmark was dedicated in 1947, more than twenty years after the World War I memorial opened. Some former pre-World War I veterans, themselves known as "hikers," were present at the ceremony.

The Hiker - Valor and Patriotism Commemorative Statue

Dedicated in 1948, this seventy-foot memorial flagpole was designed by Kansas City architect Edward Buehler Delk and honors the 89th Division. The base of the flagpole includes bas-relief portraits of Major Generals Leonard Wood, Frank L. Winn, and William Mason Wright along with a plaque recognizing the service of the 89th Division and their service in England, France, Belgium, Luxemburg, and Germany from 1917 to 1918. The 89th Division included many Kansas and Missouri men as it was formed at Camp Funston in Fort Riley in August 1917. Members of the 89th Division fought in several engagements including the Meuse-Argonne Offensive.

89th Division Memorial

Construction of the Liberty Memorial South Fountain started in 1999 and was completed in 2002. It was created using Indiana limestone and Péribonka Black granite, and features three, semi-elliptical tiers which flow into an oval reflecting pool. The top of the fountain is situated at the base of the ascending south terrace and has a waterfall effect which cascades below. The succeeding tiers have channels cut between each level, allowing the water to flow down into the pool at the museum’s entrance. During a major restoration project started in 2011 and led by local architectural and design firm Gould Evans, this fountain was cleaned and rehabilitated. Efforts included a new skimming wall, select stone replacement, repointing of mortar, work to the basin, and new waterproofing, sealants, and granite veneer at the stepped terrace. The project was completed in 2014, the same year that the site received a second designation from Congress. The site for the Liberty Memorial was originally dedicated in November 1921. Following a three-and-a-half-year construction effort, the memorial was officially unveiled and dedicated on November 11, 1926, to a crowd of 150,000 people. The memorial was the result of a community-based fundraising effort to creating a last monument to honor those who had served in the First World War, particularly those who had died. The monument itself, which included the tower, staircases, and the sphinxes remained a fixture on the Kansas City landscape for decades, as well as Memory and Exhibit Halls. In 1998, money was raised to rehabilitate the memorial through a city-wide sales tax and private donations, in addition to state and federal funding. Renovations included the expansion of the museum into a state-of-the-art facility, as well as the addition of this fountain in the courtyard at the museum’s new entrance. Upon completion of the project, the site was renamed as the National WWI Museum and Memorial and was deemed America’s official museum and memorial dedicated to the Great War. It was designated as a National Historic Landmark in 2006, and presidential legislation recognized it as the nation's official WWI museum in 2014.

Located at the entrance to the National World War I Museum and Memorial on the south side of the tower, this three-tiered fountain was originally installed as part of a major restoration effort to the historic Liberty Memorial between 2000 and 2002. The memorial was rededicated in 2002 and expanded to become the National World War I Museum and Memorial in 2004 and designated as a National Historic Landmark in 2006.

Liberty Memorial South Fountain

Of the millions of soldiers who perished during World War I, 441 were from Kansas City. Residents of the community proved eager to commemorate the conflict. In late 1918, shortly after the November 11 armistice ending active combat, prominent citizens of Kansas City organized the Liberty Memorial Association (LMA) to build a war memorial. The organization was led by noted local businessman and philanthropist Robert A. Long. The group launched a wildly successful fundraising campaign: in the span of ten days, over $2.5 million was raised through 83,000 individual donations. The Kansas City economy was booming during the early twentieth century, which made such large-scale public projects financially feasible.The LMA selected architect Harold Van Buren Magonigle and the firm of Wight and Wight to design what became known as the Liberty Memorial. They developed a limestone and granite complex consisting of a courtyard, a “Memory Hall” on the east side, and a “Museum Building” on the west side. The centerpiece was an imposing, 217-foot shaft. At the top was an electric light designed to resemble a fire, dubbed the “Flame of Inspiration.” It was flanked by four statues representing the guardian spirits of Honor, Courage, Sacrifice, and Patriotism. The memorial drew from elements of Greek, Gothic, Beaux Arts Classicism, and Egyptian Revival architecture. Planners chose to locate the complex on parkland directly across from Union Station, which at the time was a major transportation hub and would bring the monument plenty of exposure.Construction of the Liberty Memorial began with a lavish groundbreaking ceremony on November 1, 1921. More than 100,000 people attended the proceedings. The event was notable for having military leaders from every major Allied nation serve as dignitaries: American General John J. Pershing, British Admiral Lord Beatty, French Marshal Ferdinand Foch, Italian General Armando Diaz, and Belgian Lieutenant General Baron Jacques. The monument was completed in 1926 and formally dedicated on November 11 in another major ceremony that drew over 150,000 people. President Calvin Coolidge delivered the keynote address, with Queen Marie of Romania as his special guest. During the 1930s, landscaping, memorial trees, fountains, and friezes were added to the memorial site.<blockquote>“It [The Liberty Memorial] has not been raised to commemorate war and victory, but rather the results of war and victory which are embodied in peace and liberty." -President Calvin Coolidge, Dedication Speech, November 11, 1926.</blockquote>By the late twentieth century, lack of maintenance had left the memorial physically unstable, and in 1994 it was closed for safety reasons. In 1998, Kansas City passed a limited-run sales tax to raise money for the memorial’s restoration. When combined with funding from the State of Missouri, the federal government, and private donors, over $102 million was raised for the project. The renovations that followed also included the creation of a formal museum on the site; over the years, the Liberty Memorial had acquired tens of thousands of World War I artifacts. Located primarily underneath the structure, the new museum facilities were designed by Ralph Applebaum Associates and added 80,000 square-feet of space for new exhibits. The expansion also included the creation of the Edward Jones Research Center, which contains over 300,000 documents available to the public for research. In 2000, with the renovations underway, Liberty Memorial was added to the National Register of Historic Places. Congress designated the Liberty Memorial as the official World War I museum of the United States in 2004 as part of a 2005 defense spending bill. This designation prompted the institution to rebrand itself as the National World War I Museum and Memorial upon its reopening in 2006. That same year, it was listed as a National Historic Landmark.Today, the museum works to preserve the Liberty Memorial, interpret the history of World War I, and showcase thousands of artifacts to the public. A series of permanent and rotating exhibits, many with interactive and audiovisual features, take an immersive look into everything from the first shots fired in 1914 to the long-lasting effects of the war after the Treaty of Versailles. Artifacts range from typical equipment carried by soldiers to a full-sized French Renault FT-17 tank.

The World War I Museum and Memorial in Kansas City Missouri, is recognized by the United States government as the nation's official World War I museum. The landmark began as the Liberty Memorial, a monument created from 1921-1926 to honor Kansas City residents who had died during the war. The memorial was the product of tremendous community organization. Prominent locals operated a planning community, and city residents crowdfunded over $2.5 million for the project in less than two weeks. The monument draws from various architectural styles, including Beaux Arts Classicism and Egyptian Revival, and features an illuminated, 217-foot, limestone shaft at the center. Renovations starting in 1998 included the expansion of a World War I museum underneath the monument. It reopened in 2006 as the National World War I Museum and Memorial. The museum portion of the complex includes thousands of artifacts as well as the Edward Jones Research Center. The Liberty Memorial is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is a designated National Historic Landmark.

National World War I Museum and Memorial

At the end of World War I, enthusiastic Kansas City citizens joined efforts to fund and build a monument that would honor those who fought and died in the war. The Liberty Memorial Association began in 1918 and public fundraising between October 27 and November 5, 1919, raised over $2 million for design and construction. The association then organized a competition among architecture firms in the Kansas City area, as well as inviting five other distinguished firms from across the country. One of the firms included Harold Van Buren Magonigle from New York. The board selected Magonigle's design for its "commanding dignity, power, and beauty" and the belief that the design would be respected for many generations. With the site, architect, and funds arranged, a dedication ceremony was held in Kansas City on November 1, 1921 in conjunction with the third American Legion convention. Ceremonies included a parade, aerial acrobatics, thousands of paper poppies dropped from airplanes, and the invitation of the five major Allied commanders: General John J. Pershing of the U.S. Army, Admiral David Beatty of the Royal Navy, Marshal Ferdinand Foch of the French Army, General Armando Diaz of the Italian Army, and General Alphonse Jaque of the Belgian Army. Vice President Calvin Coolidge attended as an honored guest.Construction on the memorial was complete in 1926, and the monument was formally dedicated on November 11, 1926, by President Coolidge, who had attended the site dedication five years earlier."It is with a mingling of sentiment that come to dedicate this memorial. Erected in memory of those who defended their homes and their freedom in the World War, it stands for service and all that service implies. Reverence for our dead, respect for our living, loyalty to our country, devotion to humanity, consecration to religion, all of these and much more is represented in this towering monument..." - President Calvin Coolidge, Nov. 11, 1926The tower itself stands at 300 feet from the bedrock below the city, which required construction teams to dig nearly six stories to reach. From the Memorial's courtyard, the tower stretches 217 feet into the air. The tower is 43 feet in circumference at its buried base, 36 feet in circumference at the courtyard, and 28 feet in circumference at the top, where the observation deck and Flame of Inspiration are located. The flame's illusion is created by light steam. The lights were shut off during the Second World War in case of air raids and during efforts to make the memorial more economical. Today, the lights are lit at night, and the surrounding park is open to visitors who are encouraged to see the memorial during this time. Entrance to tower's elevator and stairs is behind an ornate bronze door on the north side. The design of the door is composed of alternating panels that depict a bald eagle and the monogram of the Liberty Memorial Association.The guardian spirits at the top of the tower were conceptualized by Magonigle and designed and carved by sculptor Robert Ingersoll Aitken. The head and shoulders of each statue are a single piece of stone, each weighing around 11.5 tons. Each guardian is 40 feet tall and holds a sword, representing Sacrifice, Patriotism, Honor, and Courage. Sacrifice faces northwest with a winged star on her forehead. Her eyes are closed in memory of the fallen. Patriotism faces southwest and a crown of civic duty. Courage, wearing a helmet today, was originally meant to face northeast and Honor, wearing a crown of laurels and bowing her head in respect for those that service to their country, was to face southeast. However, workers mistakenly placed Honor and Courage in the wrong positions. The guardians were hoisted into place in 1925 during construction of the tower.

The iconic tower of the National World War I Museum and Memorial is the focal point of the memorial grounds. Built as the Liberty Memorial between 1923 and 1926, the tower stands 217 feet above the courtyard. The Flame of Inspiration at the top of the tower was intended to emulate fire through light and steam effects. The four guardian spirits are located near the top of the tower, facing the four corners of Kansas City, and were designed and carved by sculptor Robert Ingersoll Aitken. The guardians were hoisted into place in 1925, during the tower's construction, and have remained in constant watch over Kansas City ever since. The base of the tower is engraved with the message, "In honor of those who served in the World War in defense of liberty and our country."

Liberty Tower and the Guardian Spirits

Though cinerary urns traditionally contain cremated remains, these four cinerary urns, two each at the entrances for Memory Hall and Exhibit Hall, were sculpted and placed for decorative purposes. Originally intended to be much larger and placed at the four corners of the Liberty Memorial courtyard, the urns were made smaller and placed at the entrances to each of the halls as part of a redesign to fit the budget during the memorial's construction between 1923 and 1926. Later, due to water damage after years of exposure to the elements and weather, the original urns were replaced in 2002 by the ones seen today, which are made of a more durable casted aggregate cement.Around each urn is a band of laurel leaves with the emblems of the Army and Navy, American agricultural and manufacturing sectors, the Red Cross, and the American transportation industry.The United States Army and Navy, which includes the United States Marine Corps and the service of American aviators in the First World War, are represented by the bugle and period-appropriate combat helmet.The American agricultural and manufacturing sectors are represented by the cogged industrial wheel with a farmer's sickle overlayed.The American Red Cross is represented by the traditional square cross of the medical community, flanked by two snakes, emblematic of the traditional symbol of healing and medicine, the "caduceus."The American transportation industry is represented by the scallop shell flanked by two stylized dolphins, emblematic of the seaborne merchant and military transportation services crucial to the international war effort.

These four empty cinerary urns, two each at the entrances of Memory Hall and Exhibit Hall, were sculpted and placed for decorative purposes. Originally intended to be larger and placed at the four corners of the Liberty Memorial courtyard, the urns were made smaller and placed at the entrances to both halls as part of a redesign to fit the memorial's budget during construction.

Cinerary Urns of Memory and Exhibit Hall 

The Great Frieze is the work of sculptor and World War I veteran Edmond Amateis. Amateis, who was born in Rome and immigrated to Washington, D.C. as a child, studied at Beaux-Arts in New York City His studies were interrupted by the outbreak of World War I. Amateis served in the United States Army, after which he completed his studies in New York and made a name for himself as a sculptor. In 1935, nine years after the Liberty Memorial was dedicated, Amateis completed the Great Frieze, which depicts from left to right the progression from wartime to peacetime.The first vignette depicts soldiers alongside the four horsemen of the apocalypse, representing the death and destruction brought by war. The second shows people coming together to serve their country, just as many did during World War I. Lastly, the third vignette portrays the prosperity enjoyed after the War finally ended, alongside words calling for lasting peace between one another and all nations. Themes of hope, prosperity, and a duality between destruction and idealism are present across the entire frieze.

Located on the North Wall of the World War I Museum and Memorial and opposite from the building's entrance, the Great Frieze was completed in 1935 by famed sculptor Edmond Amateis. The work depicts the progression from the death and destruction of wartime to an idealistic image of prosperity in a time of peace. In the center, Americans are depicted coming together to support their country and do their part in the war effort. The Great Frieze represents the duality between the remembrance of the Great War and the desire to work toward a better future, a duality that shaped the early public memory of World War I.

The Great Frieze at the World War I Museum and Memorial

Now recognized as the nation’s official World War I memorial, this historic monument was built as the Liberty Memorial and completed in 1926. Co-designers of Liberty Memorial, Kansas City architects Wight and Wight also designed these twinning fountains. Though they were part of the original design for the memorial site, official plans for the fountains were accepted in 1933, as well as the north terrace walls, the Great Frieze, and steps. Construction of the fountains started the following year and was completed in 1935. The entirety of the Liberty Memorial complex was completed in 1938. Situated on the north side of the memorial, these two, two-tiered fountains flank the 90-foot-wide steps leading from the Great Frieze terrace down to the North Lawn. The walls were constructed with Indiana limestone while the weirs and basins are made of granite. For each fountain, the upper tier features a set of geysers surrounded by a spray ring, as water cascades over the weir, creating multiple waterfalls into the lower pool. The front ledge of the lower tier is bowed and lined with small jets that issue water back into the pool. Honoring the lives lost in the war, each fountain features an inscribed excerpt.<blockquote>The east fountain is a passage from the patriotic anthem America the Beautiful by Katherine Lee Bates and reads: WHO MORE THAN SELF THEIR COUNTRY LOVED</blockquote><blockquote>The west fountain is a quote from Sir Samuel Egerton Brydges on the death of Sir Walter Scott which reads: THE GLORY DIES NOT AND GRIEF IS PAST</blockquote>In 2011, local architectural and design firm Gould Evans led a rehabilitation project for the site. Plans included repointing the masonry, stone patching, cleaning, mechanical and plumbing upgrades, and the application of breathable water repellent. In addition, deteriorating tiles in the fountains’ basins needed replacing, though the original glazed porcelain tiles had been replaced just 15 years prior. Some of those original tiles were preserved in the museum archives and used as reference to replicate the hand-made replacements. The project was completed in 2014, the same year the site received a second designation from Congress, effectively recognizing it as the National WWI Museum and Memorial.

Completed in 1935, these twin fountains flank the steps beneath the Great Frieze on the north side of the National World War I Museum and Memorial. The monumental site opened in 1926 as Liberty Memorial to honor the lives of the 441 Kansas City residents who died in World War I. Made of limestone and granite, these two-tiered fountains were designed by the co-architects of Liberty Memorial, Wight and Wight, and overlook the North Lawn, historic Union Station, and the iconic Kansas City skyline.

Liberty Memorial North Fountains

Commonly known as the "General's Wall," this portion of the grounds at Liberty Memorial is dedicated to the Allied leaders of World War I. The five bronze busts depict Admiral Earl Beatty, Marshal Ferdinand Foch, General John J. Pershing, General Armando Diaz, and Lieutenant General Baron Jacques. The countries of these leaders include France, Italy, Belgium, Great Britain, and the United States. During the dedication for the site of the Liberty Memorial, these leaders joined together, surrounded by more than 100,000 individuals on November 1, 1921. Eleven years later, designs for the Wall of Dedication were planned, and the wall was completed in 1935. Both ends of the busts contain two quotes, one from General Pershing and the other from former President Woodrow Wilson. There are also two bronze plates on the ends of the wall. One of the plates recognizes those who served in World War I, and the other honors the original dedication of the wall.Across the nation, millions of Americans were impacted by World War I. The National World War I Museum was built to create a monument dedicated to those who served in a war that changed the world. This Kansas City landmark was entirely funded by the Liberty Memorial Association and the citizens of Kansas City in 1919. In 10 days, $2.5 million was donated to build the components of the monument, equaling $45 million in 2024 dollars. The Wall of Dedication symbolizes the leadership of military officers and the service of soldiers around the world who served in the Allied forces in World War I.

Completed in 1935, this wall on the northern side of the WWI Museum and Memorial grounds includes five bronze busts that honor the five allied leaders who came together for the first time at Liberty Memorial's dedication ceremony in 1926. Noted Kansas City architects and Walker Hancock is responsible for the five busts. The wall is 90 feet long and 10 feet high, with limestone from Fort Scott, Kansas. The words along the wall are carved into the stone while the reliefs and plates are made from bronze. The Wall of Dedication endured years of natural wear due to exposure to the elements, leading to a 2012 restoration project by STRATA Architecture.

National World War I Museum and Memorial Outdoor Walking Tour

Memorial Court Sphinxes

Introduction

Images

Backstory and Context

Sources

Additional Information