This building of this memorial started with a group of about 40 citizens, a Memorial Association led by Robert A. Long, and a dedication to build a memorial to the fallen soldiers of WW I. With funding secured (a massive fund raising that brought in over 2.5 million dollars) and approval from the city council, construction began on November 1, 1921. The Groundbreaking ceremony was the first and last gathering a group of men that included: Lieutenant General Baron Jacques of Belgium, Marshal Ferdinand Foch of France, General Armando Diaz of Italy, Admiral Earl Beatty of Great Britain, and General John Pershing of the United States. The dedication, on November 11, 1926, was attended by U.S. President Calvin Coolidge. The Liberty Memorial is home to The National World War I Museum.