WEST LIBERTY

NAME: West Liberty COUNTY: Putnam ROADS: 2WD GRID: 1 CLIMATE: Cold snowie wenters, mild summers BEST TIME TO VISIT: any month except January- February

COMMENTS: From MO 136 in Putnam County take HGWY E north. Turn right on the first gravel road. West Liberty will be located abut 2 1/2 miles down this road. REMAINS: West Liberty Baptist Church, Cemetery.

West Liberty is the oldest settlement in Putnam County, being formed in 1846. It was considered for the capital of Putnam County but was rejected because was on the western end of Putnam County. It was located on old Hgwy 6. In its heyday it boasted 500 residents. It had two Grocery stores, a Hardware or General store, a black smith shop two churches, and a two room school house. The doctor's house and clinic was brick. In 1936 the PWA built a new road about one mile south of highway 6 and, so the state of Missouri discontinued maintaining the road. It is now maintained by Putnam County. The road was never paved. The town slowly died as the people moved to Unionville, the county seat seven miles east. Up to 2008 the pastor of West Liberty was Sammie Valentine. He and his wife slept in the same baby bed in a house near the creek in West Liberty. His Wife grew up there and went to school in the two room school house that was tore down in 2003. My wife and I attended West Liberty Baptist Church from 2005-2007. You can attend church there and greet Mrs. Valentine. Submitted by: Phillip Maine

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