Originally christened the Rachel B. Jackson, the Liberty Star was commissioned in 1972 in Harrington, Maine as a private sailing yacht. In 1982, a Maine shipwright named George Emery purchased the hull and completed the vessel. He named her in honor of his grandmother, who had lent him the money to purchase and complete the schooner. Built as a working replica of an 1890s coastal schooner, her sturdy mahogany planking, oak frames, traditional pine and fir decking, shining brass fittings, and exotic wood cabinetry recall the workmanship of days gone by.

In the spring of 2012, the Liberty Fleet of Tall Ships found the Rachel B. Jackson in dire need of help in Belfast, Maine and decided to save the ship. They spent next four months and 6,000-man hours rebuilding the ship, and rechristened her the Liberty Star.