The Belvior Winery and Inn has a rich and complex history. Over time, the building has been used for many other purposes besides the winery, such as an orphanage, school, and nursing home. The three original buildings were the Old Folks building, the Old Hospital building, and the School building. These buildings continued to be the framework for the current buildings. The original buildings were funded in 1887 by the Independent Order of Odd Fellows (IOOF), one of the largest and oldest secret societies in the United States. It focuses on providing aid to the community, especially the elderly and youth. Necessities such as food and medicine were available for free, as well as books and newspapers.
The Old Folks building is the center and main portion of the winery. It is the only building open to the public, with the other buildings not being safe for people to enter. It used to be an orphanage, but burned to the ground in 1900. The building was then rebuilt and the orphanage continued to run until 1950 after the end of the government-funded social welfare system. It was financially supported by the farm on the property, with many of the residents helping with the daily tasks. It produced goods such as livestock, milk, and eggs.
In 1923, the Old hospital building was constructed. At the time, it was the only medical facility in Liberty. The building still stands today, but it is not available to enter. The Old School building provided basic education to children. Music classes were first offered in 1908, with high school and college classes later being available. The School building was demolished in the 1940s after a decrease in the number of children attending. The Odd Fellows Cemetery is near the winery, including a memorial dedicated to members of the IOOF who were killed in World War II. It contains around 600 bodies of elderly patients and members of the IOOF.
You can visit the Belvior Winery and Inn any time it is open to view the historical artifacts found on site, such as postcards, photos, and other small objects. It is open Monday-Wednesday at 3 pm – 8 pm, Thursday-Saturday at 11am – 8pm, and Sunday at 12pm – 6pm. One of the more well-known artifacts is George the skeleton, a real skeleton belonging to an IOOF member who agreed to his skeleton being used upon his death. You can also stay in one of the many rooms, with 8 standard-sized suites and a 1,500-square-foot bridal suite.