Bolivar, MO - People-Named Places on Waymarking.com

County of Marker: Polk County
Location of this waymark: Bolivar City Hall
Location of Marker: W. College St. & Springfield Ave. (Bus. MO-13), Neuhart Park, Bolivar ~ N 37° 36.405 W 093° 24.452
Marker Erected by: State Historical Society of Missouri and State Highway Commission
Date Marker Erected: 1959
County of statue: Polk County
Location of statue: College St. & Springfield Ave. (MO 83), Neuhart Park, Bolivar ~ N 37° 36.423 W 093° 24.456
Date gift presented: July 5th 1948
Presenter of gift: Venezuelan President Romulo Gallego
Receiver of gift: United States President Harry S. Truman

English and Spanish dedication on statue:

The Person
Simón Bolívar
Military Leader (1783–1830)

QUICK FACTS
BIRTH DATE: July 24, 1783
DEATH DATE: December 17, 1830
PLACE OF BIRTH: Caracas, Venezuela
PLACE OF DEATH: Santa Marta, Colombia
AKA: Simon Bolivar
FULL NAME: Simón José Antonio de la Santísma Trinidad Bolívar y Palacios

SYNOPSIS
"Simón Bolívar was a South American soldier who was instrumental in the continent's revolutions against the Spanish empire. Born into wealth, Bolívar was sent to Spain for his education, soon deciding to immerse himself in the political sphere in Europe. After France invaded Spain in 1808, he became involved in the resistance movement and played a key role in the Spanish American fight for independence. In 1825, the "Republic of Bolivia" was created in honor of the inspirational leader, hailed by many as El Libertador (The Liberator). He died on December 17, 1830 in Colombia.

Early Life
"Simón José Antonio de la Santísma Trinidad Bolívar y Palacios was born on July 24, 1783 in Caracas, New Granada (now Venezuela). Bolívar was born into a prosperous family who took their money from rich gold and copper mines they owned in Venezuela. Young Bolívar moved to Spain in 1799 after the deaths of his parents. In Spain, he continued his education, begun in Venezuela with tutors, and married María Teresa Rodríguez del Toro y Alaysa in 1802. When the young couple returned to Venezuela to visit in 1803, however, María Teresa sickened and died of yellow fever.

'El Libertador'
"After her death, Bólivar returned to Europe and kept company with Napoleon. Bolívar returned to Venezuela in 1807. When Napoleon named Joseph Bonaparte King of Spain and its colonies, which included Venezuela, Bolívar joined the resistance movement. The resistance group based in Caracas gained independence in 1810, and Bolívar traveled to Britain on a diplomatic mission. The fight for control of Caracas, Venezuela and most of South American continued on back home.

"Finally, Bolívar returned to Venezuela and began a campaign to wrest control of that country from the Spanish. He and his followers invaded Venezuela on May 14, 1813; this marked the beginning of his "Compana Admirable" (Admirable Campaign), which resulted in the formation of the Venezuelan Second Republic later that year. Bolívar was hailed as El Libertador (The Liberator), though civil war soon erupted in the republic, forcing him to flee to Jamaica and seek foreign aid. There he wrote his famous "Letter From Jamaica," detailing his vision of a South American republic with a parliamentary setup modeled after England and a life-long president. His idea of being a nation's chief who could not be removed from power would be heavily critiqued by other leaders and intellectuals.

"Gaining support from Haiti, Bolívar returned to his home continent and became involved in a number of military battles, eventually able to claim several territories. 1821 saw the creation of the Gran Colombia, under Bolívar's leadership. This federation included much of what is now Venezuela, Colombia, Panama and Ecuador. Further maneuvers saw him named Dictator of Peru in 1824, followed by the creation of Bolivia in 1825.

Later Years, Death and Legacy
"Bolívar had succeeded in uniting much of South America in a federation free from Spanish control, but the government was fragile. Despite his desire to create a union of states similar to that which created the United States of America, Bolívar faced opposition from internal factions throughout the huge Gran Colombia, with there being a push to form single nations. As a temporary measure, Bolívar declared himself dictator in 1828, though in September of the same year he escaped an assassination attempt with aid from his mistress and fellow revolutionary Manuela Sáenz. He resigned this post in 1830 and made plans to sail for exile in Europe. On December 17, 1830, however, Simón Bolívar died in Santa Marta, Colombia, after a battle with what may have been tuberculosis.

"Today, Bolívar's legacy can be seen in the multitude of statues and plaza squares bearing his likeness throughout South and North America. Several cities and towns throughout the United States are named in his honor and statues and roads bearing his name can be found in a variety of international locales, including Egypt, Australia and Turkey." ~ bio: A&E Television Networks

The City:
"Bolivar, the county seat, was laid out by William Jamieson, 1835. Largest town in U.S. named for South American liberator, it has been presented with handsome equestrian statue and two portraits of Simon Bolivar by Venezuelan Government. The statue is in Neuhart Park. Also in town is Dunnegan Memorial Park. Since 1879, Bolivar has been home of Southwest Baptist (Junior) College.

"The Butterfield Overland Mail route ran through the county, 1858-61, and Bolivar was a meal and relay stop. Another relay station was near Brighton and the stage stopped in Brighton for a time when the telegraph reached there, 1859. The Frisco R.R. was built through the county in 1884." ~ State Historical Society of Misasouri & State Highway Commission, 1959
{Note: The statue is standing, not mounted this is in error]

History of Bolivar
"Bolivar has existed as a city since Nov. 10, 1835, when proclaimed as such by the Polk County Court and designated as the county seat. Bolivar and Polk County in 1985 celebrated their sesquicentennial. Bolivar was organized as a fourth-class city Feb. 15, 1881. The settlement which was to become Bolivar developed along the trail used by the Overland Stage, hence the reason Bolivar’s streets don’t run true north and south, instead being offset about 22 degrees to the west.

"The location of Bolivar as a settlement was also directly related to Keeling Spring, located behind the Bolivar Post Office and next to the Bolivar Herald-Free Press office. That spring is now mostly covered by a concrete monument that commemorates the importance of the spring to the location of Bolivar. Back in the year of 1823, Ezekiel Polk and Thomas Hardeman settled with their families in an area of southwestern Tennessee that was known as Hickory Valley. A new county was organized there later on and named Hardeman County after Thomas Hardeman, the early settler. The county seat of justice was named Hatchie at the beginning, but as news began to reach the United States of the heroic military feats which were being achieved in South America by General Simon Bolivar, the people of the young county took steps to change the name of their county seat from Hatchie to Bolivar.

"Now the other pioneer settler, Ezekiel Polk, had three grandsons: John Polk Campbell and his brothers, William C. and Ezekiel, all of whom moved to Missouri and settled in an area that later became Greene County. In 1835, plans were made to create a new county out of the northern part of Greene. The Campbell brothers submitted the name of Polk for the new county after the family of their grandfather, Ezekiel Polk. Since the majority of the settlers had also come from Tennessee, many having been friends and acquaintances back there, it seems that there was no opposition to their suggestion for a name. Therefore, the Missouri General Assembly acted to have the county of Polk organized.

"Next followed the search for a suitable location in which to place the county seat of justice. While that was in progress, the Campbell brothers came forward with a name for the forthcoming village — the same name as that of the county seat of Hardeman County, TN, where their grandfather Polk was living — Bolivar, That would be an ideal name! Because like that of Washington, it symbolized liberation. Bolivar, Polk County — the two names went together well because Ezekiel Polk had distinguished himself as a Colonel in George Washington’s Revolutionary Army. Public opinion appears to have been unanimous in favor of the name Bolivar since the minutes of the county court on Nov. 10, 1835, simply state that the seat of justice shall be called Bolivar." ~ Information Contributed by Bolivar Herald-Free Press

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