Mayor of Bolivar MO, Dr. Doyle C. McCraw (right) discussing preparations with Program Director Frank L. Stufflebam. The statue was dedicated to the great South American Liberator, Simon Bolivar. In the dedication address, President Harry Truman mentioned that Bolivar "led the movement for the liberation of half a continent. His memory is part of the spirit of freedom and independence in North and South America alike." The erection of the statue "symbolizes the many bonds of friendship between the citizens of the Republic of Venezuela and the citizens of the United States of America."
