/ Places of the D&C / Liberty, Missouri
Liberty, Missouri
1838-1839
Photo Credit: Kenneth Mays, 2008
Significant Events At a Glance
- Joseph, Hyrum, and Other Church Leaders Imprisoned Here from Nov. 1838-Apr. 1839
D&C Sections Received Here
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Liberty Jail
Key Points of Interest
- Joseph Smith, Jr., Hyrum Smith, Sidney Rigdon, Lyman Wight, Alexander McRae, and Caleb Baldwin were imprisoned in the Clay County jail in Liberty in December 1838
- The dungeon of the jail is about 14 feet square and about 6.5 feet tall, and the building did not contain sanitary facilities
- Sidney Rigdon was released by the judge 25 January 1839 due to age and poor health and left 5 February 1839, but the rest of the men stayed through the rest of the winter until 6 April 1839
- While the men were being relocated, a guard allowed them to escape, and they traveled to Illinois to rejoin the saints
- Joseph wrote or coauthored twelve letters from the jail, and portions of two of them later became part of Doctrine and Covenants 121-123
- The jail was partially reconstructed by the church and resides within a visitor’s center at the site
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Historic Liberty Jail Visitors Center
Photo Credit: Kenneth Mays, 2008
Cross-section Liberty Jail Replica
Photo Credit: Kenneth Mays, 2008
First Floor of Liberty Jail Replica
Photo Credit: Kenneth Mays, 2006
Liberty Jail Replica Close-up
Photo Credit: Kenneth Mays, 2006
Liberty Jail Dungeon
Photo Credit: Kenneth Mays, 2007
Liberty Jail Wall Detail
Photo Credit: Kenneth Mays, 2006
Liberty Jail Window
Photo Credit: Kenneth Mays, 2006
Liberty Jail Original Key
Photo Credit: Kenneth Mays, 2008
Liberty Jail Historic Photo
Photo Credit: Church Archive
Men at Liberty Jail Historic Photo
Photo Credit: Church Archive, 1888
Take a 360° Tour through our 3D model of Liberty Jail
