Liberty

Feeling nostalgic? These country stores—which can carry anything from seeds and tools to artisanal groceries and handicrafts—might have what you're looking for. Stock up on supplies and sundries and get to know the communities these shops serve.

Joseph Smith wrote the first part of his two-part Letter From Liberty Jail on this date in 1839.

Jesse James pulled off one of his first known bank robberies on this date in Missouri History.

Southern sympathizers captured the U.S. Arsenal at Liberty, MO. This created more tension at the arsenal at St. Louis and therefore was a contributing factor leading to the St. Louis Massacre.

Frank James, the brother of Jesse James, died at his boyhood home near Liberty. Read more about him in Tales From Missouri and the Heartland.

You voted. We counted. Now you can discover some best-kept secrets and surprises around the state in eight different categories, such as culture, destinations, food, lore and legend, and more.

Missouri’s general stores of yore offered shoppers everything they needed—and a lot of what they wanted—along with a generous side serving of local news, gossip, and a few tall tales.