Liberty Has it All
Liberty is alive with the sound of the future under construction. What began as a frontier trading post on the Missouri River in 1822 has blossomed into a thriving center of commerce and cultural activity. Take a drive along Liberty’s major thoroughfares and you’ll see progress – new businesses and houses at every turn. The city is equally proud of its rich heritage that dates back to the legendary Jesse James’ gang riding through the historic downtown square. The combination of a burgeoning business community with quiet neighborhoods makes Liberty an excellent place to raise a family and locate a business.
Major interstates, both north to south and east to west, connect Liberty to the state, as well as the rest of the country. Nearby Kansas City International Airport offers transport to major national cities. Liberty’s easy access places the entire nation within easy reach.
Liberty’s close proximity to Kansas City offers residents quick access to such diverse attractions as –
- Zona Rosa shopping center
- Legends shopping center
- The Country Club Plaza shopping district
- The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art
- Worlds of Fun and Oceans of Fun theme parks
- Science City and Union Station
- Kansas City Zoo
- Kansas City sports teams – Chiefs, Royals, Outlaws, Wizards, and T-Bones
- Kansas Speedway
Performing Arts
The 700-seat Performing Arts Theatre at the Liberty Community Center presents several plays, musicals, concerts, and other special events. Throughout the year, the theatre is home to the Liberty Symphony Orchestra and the Liberty Theatre Company. On the first Monday of each month, the Corbin Theatre Company features live jazz and other community performances.
The Stocksdale Gallery of Art on the William Jewell College campus features exhibits by student and professional artists. The college also sponsors a fine arts program featuring such artists as Twyla Tharp, Ballet West, Dolora Zajick, Czech Philharmonic Orchestra, and the King’s Singers. Other college performances include plays, jazz bands, and choir and orchestra concerts.
Recreation and Fitness
Sports enthusiasts find a plethora of activities surrounding Liberty. Northwest of Liberty, Smithville Lake offers 7,200 acres of fun for people to fish, boat, sail, and ski. The Lake House Grill near the marina gives diners a stunning view of the lake while they enjoy a break from the sun. Last year, the lake welcomed nearly two million visitors.
The Liberty area is home to three golf courses. The Staley Farms 18-hole golf course is the newest private golf course in the Northland and offers bent grass fairways. Hodge Park Golf Course and Shoal Creek Golf Course, located along Missouri 152 Highway west of Liberty, feature a scenic wooded setting with three lakes and a creek. In nearby Smithville, Paradise Pointe offers two 18-hole championship courses that run along the lake.
Seven community parks dot the Liberty landscape and include such amenities as shelters, ball fields, horseshoe pits, playground equipment, volleyball and basketball courts, and fitness trails. The Liberty Trails System takes users on a stroll through tree-lined, paved walkways.
The Liberty Community Center houses a fitness center, indoor and outdoor swimming pools, a game room, and the performing arts theater. Programs are available for youth, adults, and seniors.
The Capitol Federal Sports Complex of Liberty opened in 2002. This multi-million-dollar facility features various sporting events on its 146-acre site, including softball, baseball, soccer, and football. The complex offers amenities not seen in most facilities. The site has eight ponds that are used to irrigate the fields and provide aesthetic beauty to the park in the form of lighted fountains. The complex also has more than two miles of walking and jogging trails.
Shopping and Dining
Shoppers and diners find a wealth of temptations in Liberty. The Historic Downtown Liberty Square offers a unique mix of retail shops, including antique and gift stores and various independent restaurants.
Liberty is home to more than 1,000,000 square feet of retail space. From single-owner shops surrounding the historic square to larger shopping centers along major thoroughfares, Liberty offers convenient one-stop shopping.
Across Interstate 35, construction continues to boom, with several new shops and restaurants opening in the last several years.