LIVERMORE  HISTORY

• 1880 to  1980

Firsts

• First school classes – winter of 1857 – 58 in a log cabin built by Patrick Burns.
• First school Teacher – Eliza Knowles, with 16 Students
• First school House – Built by private donations in 1860
• First Birth – John Wallillig, Jan. 1880 He died in infancy.
• First Marriage – Sept. 11, 1881, Chales Weed and Gertie Taylor
• First Superintendent of schools – Mr. Misseldine.
• First Presbyterian Church – ( Bethel )  Nov. 12, 1870
• First Lutheran Church – ( Immanuel )  1876
• First Methodist Church – ( M.E. ) 1880
• First Catholic Church – ( Sacred Heart )  1881
• First minister to hold a service – Rev. Billings, from Irvington, who preached in 1862
• First industry – Livermore Brick & Tile Works,  1901
• First Social-Fraternal Organization – Jasper Lodge, No 424, AF and AM.
• First Newspaper – Livermore Gazette, September 30, 1882 by C.B. Hall
• First Postmaster – John W. Hewitt ( great-grandfather of Deverne Holmes. )
• First Rail Line – Minneapolis and St. Louis, Dec. 1879
• First Fire Department --  1890
• First City well  -  Was constructed in 1920
• First Municipal Pool – Constructed summer of 1976

Black Moments in Livermore’s Past

      Two of the blackest moments in Livermore’s 100 year history occurred 48 years apart.  Both put the town’s name into newspaper headlines across the Midwest. 

      On July 2, 1924, a passenger train derailed off the “Bloody Run” Bridge 4 miles south of Livermore.  Eight of the 70 passengers were killed instantly and more than 30 passengers injured – some critically.  There were probably more deaths as a result of the accident, as some were in horribly ban shape.

      The train went into the muddy waters of Lotts Creek.  It was composed of the engine, tender and five cars, three of them coaches and the other two baggage and mail.  Only the last car did not crash down the embankment.  The bridge, 200 feet long, was demolished.

      The manager of the elevator, H. McClellan, was a witness to the accident.  He called for aid and doctors, nurses, and area residents soon arrived at the site.  A relief train from Ft. Dodge brought the medical help.  Cars took the dead to Humboldt and the injured were treated in Humboldt, Livermore and Fort Dodge.

This photo was taken July 2, 1924

Post Card

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Livermore Farmers Co-op Elevator Explosion

In 1968, another horrible accident marred Livermore when an explosion at the Farmers Co-op Elevator took the lives of two young men.  Several others were badly injured.  Work was being down on the elevator at the time and it is believed grain dust was ignited, causing the explosion.

Rock Island Railroad Worst Rail Mishap

Tuesday June 6, 1972

Looking West across the Des Moines River

The rail mishap left seven cars of an eastbound 51-car freight train in the East fork of the Des Moines Rivers and another on the bank.  Four train crewmen escaped without injury.

Damaged Rails and ties above river

The Bridge did not collapse, Some cars derailed 1,100 feet West of the bridge after coming around the corner headed East at 20 miles per hour, and the derailed cars destroyed the ties and the bridge.

Scrap Iron into river

This is a view from the upriver side of the railroad bride crossing the East fork of the Des Moines River a half mile East of Livermore after Tuesday’s derailment of nine cars of an Eastbound Rock Island freight train.  An entire section of the river bridge was torn out from one stone support pillar to the West bank of the river.  Parts of several freight cars can be seen in the water.  – Messenger photo

Harold Vines of Des Moines, Rock Island Lines Bridge and building inspector, sits atop wheels or “trucks” of one of the eight derailed cars. Vines rated the Livermore wreck “one of the worst” he’d seen and set June 27, 1972 as the tentative repair completion date. –