To bring this idea to fruition, the Liberty Memorial Association, led by founding president R.A. Long, organized a community-based fund-raising campaign in 1919. In less than two weeks, more than $2,500,000 was raised by public subscription in Kansas City and around the nation. Following the drive, a national architectural competition for monument designs was held by the American Institute of Architects.
The winning design, belonging to H. Van Buren Magonigle of New York, was selected from among 15 entries. The design for the memorial complex, which would sit high above Kansas City, included a materials palette of Indiana limestone, steel and concrete. A 217-foot-tall Memorial Tower, which has four large stone figures around the top, is one of the main features of the complex. The figures, which were designed by sculptor Robert Aitken, represent Courage, Honor, Patriotism and Sacrifice. The tower diameter is 36 feet at the courtyard level.