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Essay Directory
2007 - 2008 Essays
Liberty Ladies
College: A Modern Educational Experience
by Alyssa Emery
Liberty Rising:
the 1934 Fire
by Rachel Ibok
Zerelda Mimms James:
Lover of a
Bandit
by Lindsey Melvin
2006 - 2007 Essays
Convention City
by
Lilia Toson
David Rice Atchison:
A Champion of the
People
by
Jesus Lopez
Dr. Seymore Pearley -
Clay County's First
African American Dentist
by Hayley VanderStel
Humphrey “Yankee” Smith
by Jonathan Entzminger
Missouri City in Black and White
or
Rebuilding a Culture
by Devin DeMoure
The Drake Constitution: When Missouri White
Men Could Not Vote
by
Kali Shipley
The Other James Brother
by Madison McGraw
White Oak: A Tender Side
of the Racial
Divide
by
Evelaca Dobbins
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|
 Rachel Ibok is a junior
at William Jewell College. She is a Shepherd in her residence hall. With
her current studies in English and Nonprofit Leadership, Rachel hopes to
work in the nonprofit sector. In her free time, Rachel enjoys reading and
writing, as well as spending time with her friends.
Liberty Rising: the 1934 Fire
On August 10, 1934
surrounding cities announced that Liberty was on fire. Although most of
the city was never in danger of burning, the Square (which was the
epicenter of city activity) had caught fire. The Liberty Tribune
called the event “the single greatest disaster in the county” during its
1934 year end review. The fire caused significant damage within the
city. It did not, however, destroy Liberty. The city came together to
rebuild and to improve upon its previous stature.
The blaze started on the
edge of the square, in a mule barn. As the flames consumed the structure,
they spread outward, igniting the Fire Department. In addition to the
complete loss of the building, the department also suffered irreparable
damages to both of its trucks. Upon attempting to call neighboring
stations they discovered that the telephone lines had also burned.
Despite this, firefighters mobilized quickly to request aid from
neighboring stations using the railroad lines to send telegraphs.
As the city waited for
aid, six more buildings along Kansas Street caught fire, including
Trimble’s Hardware, Baker’s Garage, Wymore and Son Feed Store, Wares
Distributing Plant and the Liberty Laundry. These businesses were among
those whose buildings were completely destroyed.
Fire departments from
Kansas City, Excelsior Springs, and several other cities responded to
Liberty’s call for help. They, alongside Liberty firefighters, attempted
to keep the fire from spreading. Despite their efforts the flames swept
further along Kansas Street, and the wind carried stray embers that
ignited other buildings such as the Major Hotel and the Phi Gamma Delta
fraternity house, both of which burned completely.
Firefighters fought
flames from two-fifteen until approximately six o’clock in the evening at
which point they subdued most of the fire. Their efforts used around
350,000 gallons of water, which left only an hour’s supply of water in the
city’s water tower. This, combined with the effects of a five year
drought, presented a severe problem for Liberty. The only solace found in
the situation was in the light rainfall that ended the drought the same
day.
It was not easy for local
businesses to rebuild themselves. Because the fire occurred during the
heart of the Depression, business owners could not rely on aid from the
government and had to either close their doors or find alternate means to
restart their businesses. Businesses such as the Plaza Theatre and
Sutterfield’s Garage, that suffered significant damage and struggled to
rebuild after the fire.
Toward the end of 1934, a
few of the businesses, such as the Major Hotel, now the Colonial Hotel,
reopened. Others, such as the fire department, made plans for rebuilding
in the space the fire had decimated. Businesses did not plan to reopen
until the latter half of 1935. Some of the business could not afford to
rebuild and did not reopen after the fire.
In addition to replacing
its building, the fire department also replaced two lost trucks with the
city’s first motorized truck, an engine affectionately named Hank. The
fire department still houses the truck today. Hank can be seen in parades
on the Square and during other special Liberty and Clay County events.
Although the 1934 fire certainly was a
disaster, Liberty did not burn that day. Instead the city rallied its
allies and fought valiantly to calm the blaze. Following the fire the
Tribune compared the city to the phoenix, a fabled bird that rises
from its own ashes. Not only was the city able to rise, it was able
improve upon its pre-fire status.
Works Cited
Alexander Doniphan
Chapter Of The Daughters Of The. DAR Sesquicentennial Souvenir Book.
Liberty, 1972.
City Of Liberty.
Liberty for All: Celebrating 175 Years. Liberty: Book Work, 2004.
Jackson, Don. The
Heritage of Liberty : a Commemorative History of Liberty, Missouri :
Bicentennial Edition. Liberty: R.C. Print Service, 1976.
"The Fire." Liberty
Tribune Dec. 1934
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