National World War I Museum and Memorial Outdoor Walking Tour

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1. Dedication Wall at the National World War I Museum and Liberty Memorial

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.

2. Liberty Memorial North Fountains

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.

3. The Great Frieze at the World War I Museum and Memorial

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.

4. Cinerary Urns of Memory and Exhibit Hall

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.

5. Liberty Tower and the Guardian Spirits

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."

6. Memorial Court Sphinxes

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.

7. National World War I Museum and Memorial

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.

8. Liberty Memorial South Fountain

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.

9. 89th Division Memorial

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.

10. The Hiker - Valor and Patriotism Commemorative Statue

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.

This Tour is a Walking Tour.

National World War I Museum and Memorial Outdoor Walking Tour

Created by Lora Vogt on August 21st 2023, 11:33:40 pm.

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Description

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.

Entries on This Tour

National World War I Museum and Memorial Outdoor Walking Tour

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