Liberal, Missouri facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Liberal, Missouri
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Railroad sign for Liberal
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Location of Liberal, Missouri
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| Country | United States |
| State | Missouri |
| County | Barton |
| Area | |
| • Total | 0.85 sq mi (2.20 km2) |
| • Land | 0.84 sq mi (2.18 km2) |
| • Water | 0.01 sq mi (0.02 km2) |
| Elevation | 886 ft (270 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 629 |
| • Density | 745.26/sq mi (287.90/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (Central (CST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) |
| ZIP code |
64762
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| Area code(s) | 417 |
| FIPS code | 29-41906 |
| GNIS feature ID | 2395699 |
Liberal is a city located in Barton County, Missouri, in the United States. In 2020, about 629 people lived there.
Liberal was started in 1880 by a lawyer named George Walser. He wanted to create a special town where people could think freely. He named it after a group called the Liberal League. At first, the city did not allow religious buildings or places that sold alcohol. Instead, it focused on learning and new ideas. Over time, Christian residents moved to the town. They began holding religious services, and eventually, the town changed.
Contents
History of Liberal, Missouri
Liberal was founded in 1880 by George Walser. He was a lawyer and a former state politician. Walser wanted to create a "freethinker" town. This meant a place where people could think and believe what they wanted, without being told what to do by religion. He named the town after the Liberal League in Lamar, Missouri.
Walser bought about 2,000 acres (8.1 km2) of land. He invited people from all over the country to join his new town. He said it would be a place without "God, Hell, Church, nor Saloon."
Education and Growth
George Walser set up a new school system in Liberal. It focused on liberal education, which means learning many different subjects. The goal was to teach without the influence of Christian theology. On Sundays, instead of religious services, there were special classes for learning.
In 1886, the Free Thought University was opened. It had seven teachers who gave lectures and held debates. When the railroad came to Liberal, more people moved there. By 1890, the town had 546 residents.
Changes in the Town
Soon after Liberal was founded, Christian people started to arrive. At first, Walser tried to stop them. But they quietly bought homes in the town. They began holding religious services. Walser tried to interrupt these services.
Later, the Christian group moved to nearby land after being asked to leave. In 1884, they started a new town called Pedro. Walser eventually allowed places that sold alcohol in 1887. He also allowed churches in 1889.
The number of people living in Liberal was highest in the 1910s. After that, the population slowly went down for most of the 20th century. In 1980, a big drought caused many businesses and people to leave. Today, Liberal is part of a very traditional area in Barton County.
Geography of Liberal
The city of Liberal covers a total area of about 0.84 square miles (2.2 km2). Most of this area, about 0.83 square miles (2.1 km2), is land. A small part, about 0.01 square miles (0.026 km2), is water.
Population Information
The population of Liberal has changed over the years. Here's a look at how many people lived there at different times:
- 1890: 546 people
- 1900: 532 people
- 1910: 800 people
- 1920: 1,160 people
- 1930: 848 people
- 1940: 771 people
- 1950: 739 people
- 1960: 612 people
- 1970: 644 people
- 1980: 701 people
- 1990: 684 people
- 2000: 779 people
- 2010: 759 people
- 2020: 629 people
2010 Census Details
In 2010, there were 759 people living in Liberal. These people lived in 319 households. About 203 of these were families. The city had about 914 people per square mile (353 people per km2).
Most of the people in Liberal were White (93.9%). There were also small numbers of African American (0.5%), Native American (1.7%), and Asian (0.1%) residents. About 1.8% of the population was Hispanic or Latino.
About 36.1% of households had children under 18 living with them. About 46.4% were married couples. The average household had 2.38 people. The average family had 3.07 people.
The average age in the city was 34.1 years old. About 30.3% of residents were under 18. About 14.4% were 65 years or older. There were slightly more females (52.2%) than males (47.8%).
Education in Liberal
Public schools in Liberal are managed by the Liberal R-II School District. This district runs one elementary school, one middle school, and Liberal High School.
Liberal also has a public library. It is a part of the Barton County Library system.
Notable People from Liberal
- Lester Thomas Davis: A politician who served in the California state legislature.
- Bob Harmon: A Major League Baseball player. He played for the St. Louis Cardinals and Pittsburgh Pirates in the early 1900s.
