The Liberty Memorial: Alternate Design Proposals
We all know and love the iconic Liberty Memorial in KC, but have you ever considered that the memorial could look completely different?
Shortly after the end of WWI, a committee was formed to accept and evaluate proposals from world-renowned architects that wanted to design the historic landmark.
How different would our skyline look with a circular arena of soaring columns? A large obelisk? A "modest" Statue of Liberty?
Keep scrolling to see more than a dozen renderings and proposals below! All photos and descriptions are courtesy of KCHistory.org.
Bliss & Flaville Proposal
An architectural rendering of a circular structure proposed for the Liberty Memorial in Kansas City showcases the design by Walter D. Bliss and William B. Flaville. Although their entry was not ranked by the memorial jury in 1921, their concept featured a striking circular arena with towering columns. Inside, a significant altar displayed three flags and a lengthy inscription. The inscription's powerful words commemorate the construction of the Liberty Memorial Monument in 1922 as a lasting tribute to the heroic self-sacrifice of the men who served in World War I.
Goodhue Proposal
The Liberty Memorial design proposal by Bertram Grosvenor Goodhue, based in New York, is showcased through three different views. The proposal, which secured fourth place according to the 1921 memorial jury, features an impressive female figure integrated into the central tower. However, one notable aspect is that the figure would not be visible to viewers at Union Station.
The architectural rendering of the Liberty Memorial design proposal by Bertram Grosvenor Goodhue, from New York, reveals a unique and asymmetrical plan. The design includes an arch that extends across Main Street, connecting to Signboard Hill.
Greenebaum, Hardy, and Schumacher Proposal
The architectural rendering of a Liberty Memorial design proposal by Samuel Greenebaum, Arthur R. Hardy, and Ramon Schumacher, from Kansas City, garnered third place recognition from the 1921 memorial jury. The design featured a prominent fluted column positioned near Main Street, on the eastern edge of the site.
Wight & Wight Proposal
The Liberty Memorial design proposal by Thomas Wight and William Drewin Wight, based in Kansas City, featured a large obelisk surrounded by six rectangular cultural center buildings. Their entry received seventh place recognition from the 1921 memorial jury.
Hoit, Price, and Barnes Proposal
The architectural rendering of the Liberty Memorial design proposal by Henry F. Hoit, Edwin M. Price, and Alfred E. Barnes, from Kansas City, featured a grand obelisk atop a large building surrounded by columns. Their unique design placed the monument at the southern edge of the cultural center's campus, deviating from the traditional hillside location opposite Union Station. However, their entry was not ranked by the 1921 memorial jury.
Cret & Zantzinger Proposal
An architectural rendering of a Liberty Memorial design proposal was created by Paul Philippe Cret from Philadelphia in collaboration with Zantzinger, Borie, and Medary. As mentioned in Derek Donovan's Lest the Ages Forget: Kansas City's Liberty Memorial, their entry secured second place in the 1921 memorial jury organized by the Liberty Memorial Association. Cret's design primarily featured a tall wall adorned with relief sculpture and inscriptions along the northern edge of the hill. At the pinnacle of the wall, a modest statue of Liberty stood as the centerpiece.
Delk, Armstrong, and De Gelke Proposal
An architectural rendering of the Liberty Memorial design proposal was created by Edward Buehler Delk in collaboration with Armstrong & De Gelke, based in Kansas City and New York. According to Derek Donovan's Lest the Ages Forget: Kansas City's Liberty Memorial, their entry achieved sixth place in the 1921 memorial jury. Delk's design featured a massive tower (below) that anticipated the step-back Art Deco skyscrapers of the late 1920s, reminiscent of structures like the Power & Light Building in Kansas City. The tower was positioned behind a substantial frieze wall, with terraced lawns extending down to Pershing Road. The proposed buildings likely faced the tower on the eastern side.
Kurfiss Proposal
The architectural rendering of the Liberty Memorial design proposal by Selby H. Kurfiss, a Kansas City-based architect, showcased a unique vision. Although the entry was not ranked by the 1921 memorial jury, Kurfiss's proposal depicted a striking design. The memorial featured a dual staircase surrounding a vast field of figural statues, symbolizing an upward surge towards a central cenotaph adorned with a frieze wall. Behind the wall, a semicircle of columns formed a distinctive arena-like structure.
Magonigle Proposal
The architectural rendering of the Liberty Memorial design proposal by Harold Van Buren Magonigle, a New York-based architect, showcased a remarkable vision. Awarded first place by the 1921 memorial jury, Magonigle's proposal incorporated elements of the Egyptian Revival style and the emerging Art Deco aesthetic. The design featured a guardian spirit positioned atop the shaft, exuding both grandeur and contemplative serenity. The jury hailed Magonigle's creation as an architectural masterpiece, praising its commanding dignity, power, and beauty.
Photos and descriptions courtesy KCHistory.org.
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