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CARNEGIE LIBRARY

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October 1999 Vol. XXIX No. 1   CALENDAR Friday, October 29 @ 7:30 p.m. Dan Mosier will be speaking about his book "History of Tesla" Author's night sponsored by Friends of the Livermore Library Books available for purchase and signing at Civic Center Library, Livermore   Thursday, November 11 @ 7:00 p.m. LHG Meeting, Carnegie Bldg.   HERITAGE GUILD HAPPENINGS A recent birthday bash for Robert Livermore's 200th birthday was a big success. Over 150 people attended, one third of which were Robert Livermore's descendants. Gary Drummond gave a presentation on the Life and Times of Robert Livermore and each guest received a brief summation of his life story as well as a special edition numbered laminated bookmark. This was by far the biggest turnout we have ever had for an annual general meeting.   We would like to thank all the people who helped with the preparation for the Robert Livermore birthday party, Special thanks to Bill and Susan Junk, Karen Richardson,

Tim Sage, Anna Siig and Gary Drummond and the other volunteers that helped tear down and set up tables. We would also like to thank Elizabeth Dowdle, who was instrumental in contacting so many of the Livermore descendants.   We recently acquired 60 more copies of Janet Newton's book Las Positas, The Life Story of Robert Livermore. If you would like to pickup a copy, they are $14.95 at the Carnegie Library. Once these copies are gone, more than likely the book will never be reprinted due to publishing costs.   Excerpted from Livermore Herald, July 8,1927   Passing of Familiar Names Recalls Old Days in Livermore   Old names and old places gave way before modern conditions this week and Livermore lost two of its most familiar landmarks.   By action of the town trustees Tuesday evening, Lizzie Street was banished forever, to be succeeded by Livermore Avenue, thus ending a controversy that has endured with more or less interest for years. No one appeared before the board to object to the change when it finally came although several "old timers" on the street had expressed themselves on many occasions as strongly opposed to dropping the old name which had endured for years.

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The accepted version of the naming of the street is that it was so called by the late J.A. McLeod, pioneer resident, in honor of "Aunt Lizzie" Oliver, who had been his cook when he conducted a hotel at Centerville. "Aunt Lizzie" so the story goes, lived in the first house built on the street. She later became a "character" about town and many stories are told of her eccentricities and queer doings. There is a picture of her in the Livermore Library.   As if the old street had not had enough to contend with, within twenty-four hours it lost a well-known landmark, the old Hub saloon. Officially the "saloon" had long since gone but the place was thus known by all who remember it from its old days. The soft drink business which had been operated by Geo. Coughlin for a number of years moved out Wednesday and the old place has closed its doors.   Established in 1892, it was opened by Norman McLeod and the late Fred Sangmaster on May 9th in that year with a big celebration, dispensaries of liquid refreshments not being beyond the pale of those days. Many of the original furnishings were still in place, as they had been continuously for thirty-five years.

An interesting feature was that Max Berlin, who remembered meeting the first owners on a ferry boat route to San Francisco to purchase their first stock of goods, superintended final closing up. Mr. Berlin drove a cracker wagon in those days, with San Francisco as his headquarters and coming out to Livermore. The year after the Opening Of the Hub he started the old Germania Hotel on East First Street, now unoccupied.   Much of the romance of the type that was common to famous saloons hovered over the old Hub. If its walls could talk they could tell interesting stories by the hundreds of personages and events. There was a lot of politics done over its bar and tables in days now passed.   Lizzie Street and the Hub are gone to join the ghosts of Mill Square and Laddsville, of which most of the present generation have not even heard.   Editor's Note: Contrary to popular belief, Lizzie Street was named after William Mendenhall's daughter, not Aunt Lizzie. The rest of the story as told about Aunt Lizzie is true.

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November 14, 1999