LIBERTY, Mo. — KSHB 41 reporter Fernanda Silva covers stories in the Northland, including Liberty. She also focuses on issues surrounding immigration. Share your story idea with Fernanda.
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The future of the Jesse James Bank Museum in Liberty, Missouri — the site of the first daylight bank robbery in the United States — is uncertain after the Clay County Parks, Recreation, & Historic Sites Department recommended ending its lease on the property.
Parks staff have recommended that commissioners authorize a 90-day notice of lease termination, with the goal of ending the county's lease operation of the museum by December 31, 2026.
John Davis, the department's director, made the recommendation during the last Clay County Commissioners meeting.
"For many years, we've been paying the rent on this facility, staffing, utilities of electricity, supplies, all that, to display somebody else's belongings," Davis said.
Davis also addressed the question of fiscal responsibility.
"We shouldn't sink money into something that is not ours," Davis said.
According to the Proposal to Cancel the Jesse James Bank Museum Lease Agreement documents, the museum has operated at an annual deficit of approximately $29,000–$33,000 in each of the past three full years.
Revenue declined from $22,411 in 2023 to $19,997 in 2025. The number of visitors have remained relatively stable, but "has not generated sufficient revenue to support operations," as stated in the document.
They say rent is also increasing. The monthly rate rose to $1,900 in April 2026 and will increase to $2,200 in April 2027, according to the department.
During the commissioners' meeting, a commissioner asked Davis whether property owner Mark Mathes had shared plans for the museum if the county ends its lease in December.
"We haven't asked that question," Davis said.
I reached out to Mathes and asked that question via email. He said the commission's decision would need to come first.
"Once the County Commission has made a decision regarding the property, we will review the outcome and determine any appropriate next steps," Mathes said via email. He declined my interview request.
Clay County commissioners will have the final say on whether to end the county's lease and operation of the museum.
Presiding Commissioner Jerry Nolte says he hopes to keep the museum going — but acknowledged the complexity of the situation as the property is not owned by the county.
"This is one of the few places that we do not own as far as historical sites go, so we have to make sure that we have go through our due diligence on making sure that we can renew that lease if that is what we end up doing," Nolte said.
"We have a lot invested in Jesse James, both in dollar-wise but also in our identity. So he's an important figure in Clay County history," Nolte said. "The importance of the history involved here certainly outweighs the actual dollar amount," Nolte said.
Nolte said commissioners will gather more input before making a final decision.
"We will have staff give us more information as we get input from citizens," Nolte said. "We are cognizant of the fact that this is public money we are investing. And while the dollar value is a real one, we also recognize the historical significance. But talking to our citizens and understanding what they want is the best way for us to make sure that we are investing their money wisely and in a way that they are happy with," Nolte said.
I reached out to every county commissioner for an interview — they were either not available or didn’t respond to my requests.
During their last meeting, county commissioners talked about the tension between preservation and fiscal responsibility and some wondered if it made sense to keep making that investment.
They also talked about how the Parks Department would use the money that would be saved.
The Clay County Parks, Recreation, & Historic Sites Department didn’t respond to my request for an interview.
According to park staff, in the request for commission action, ending the lease would allow the county to focus limited resources on historic properties it owns and can preserve as permanent public assets.
What neighbors have to say
Neva Farrar owns Max and Charlie's Boutique next door to the museum.
"A lot of people visit downtown Liberty just so that they can see kind of like the old, the historic," Farrar said. "I think it actually does bring business downtown."
Michaela Lynn, who lives in the Northland, said she would love to see the museum stay there.
"I think it's very important that we preserve our history. And I don't think that we're living in a day and age where that is still a priority. I think with all the different changes, AI, technology, we really do need to focus on keeping our history preserved as much as possible," Lynn said.
Liberty resident Gieselle Fest said the museum's value goes beyond the famous robbery.
"I think that'd be a great loss to our historic preservation and our historic repertoire," Fest said. "It tells more than just the story of the bank robbery. It tells the story of the people that lived here. It tells the story of banking. It tells many stories here that we need to be embracing," Fest said.
Fellow Liberty resident David Langston said the museum's worth cannot be measured in dollars alone.
"The bank represents a big deal. And from a historical standpoint, it needs to be preserved," Langston said. "It does not have to produce a big profit to have value."
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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