LHG News

Old LHG News Page

LHG in the News
Click here for newspaper articles about the Livermore Heritage Guild and LHG members. ...... 3/4/2001

Lincoln Highway Association Quarterly Meeting
Draws 50 Enthusiastic Spectators to Duarte Garage

On Saturday, January 8, the Livermore Heritage Guild hosted the quarterly meeting of the California Chapter of the Lincoln Highway Association at the Guild's Lincoln Highway (Duarte) Garage on Portola Avenue. Several visitors arrived in 1920 - 1930s cars and trucks. The event started at noon with an informal luncheon and socializing between fifty LHG and LHA members. Two speakers highlighted the early afternoon meeting agenda. LHG member and local historian Gary Drummond and LHA member Wes discussed the history of the Duarte and Altamont Pass Garages, the history of transportation through Livermore, and the coming of the Lincoln Highway in 1915. ...... 1/9/2000

LHG 2000 Calendars
Available at History Center

The Livermore Heritage Guild's 2000 calendar is now on sale at the History Center in the Carnegie Building. The titled this year is "Livermore - Past, Present, and Future." Price is $9.50 at the History Center. Add $1.75 if you would like the calendar mailed to you...... 1/9/2000 Also, calendars from past years are available at the History Center. With their historic photos of Livermore,
these calendars make good gifts for children born in those years and are useful for children doing reports for school......3/20/2000

Life Story of Robert Livermore
Available at History Center

We recently acquired 60 more copies of Janet Newton's book Las Positas, The Life Story of Robert Livermore. If you would like a copy, they are available for $14.95 at the History Center in the Carnegie Library. Once these copies are gone, more than likely the book will never be reprinted due to publishing costs...... 11/14/99

Celebration Honors 200th Anniversary
of Robert Livermore's Birth

A recent birthday bash for Robert Livermore's 200th birthday was a big success. Over 150 people attended the dinner event which was held at the Veterans Memorial Building in Livermore, CA on Saturday, October 9, 1999. Over one third of those attending 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 LHG 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 set up and tear down tables. We would also like to thank Elizabeth Dowdle, who was instrumental in contacting so many of the Livermore descendants...... 11/14/99

Heritage Guild Auction

The Annual LHG Auction was another big hit. A special thank you to auctioneers Lynn Owens and Randy Taylor for their time and efforts. Thanks also goes to all the LHG volunteers who made this auction happen. This years auction brought in over $2500 which will be applied to repainting the Duarte Garage.... 6/30/99

Museum Fund Created

The Livermore Heritage Guild at its December meeting adapted a resolution creating the Livermore Heritage Guild Museum Fund. The Fund was established in celebration of the Guilds 25th birthday and is seen as a means of guaranteeing the existence of the LHG Museum and its archives for future generations. (For more details about the LHG Museum Fund and Guild history see the December 1998 and January 1999 LHG Newsletters.) Information about how to contribute to the Museum Fund may be obtained by calling 449-9927 .... 1/23/98

Livermore Newspaper Indexes Available on CD

The Livermore Public Library recently announced the completion of the first segment of its project to transfer Barbara Bunshah's indexes to local newspapers onto digital compact disks (CDs). The first CD, which can be searched by Macintosh and PC computers, contains indexes to local newspapers issued between 1899 and 1929. A copy of the CD has been sent to the California State Library for their archives. The California State Library provided funding for the project. The indexes to local newspapers is unique. Moving them to CD preseverves and enhances this valuable local historical resource for future generations. (See announcement in December 1998 LHG Newsletter.) .... 12/15/98

I DIDN'T KNOW THAT

Until 1875 the townspeople in Laddsville enjoyed bull fights on Sundays. On occasion, a bear was pitted against a bull, or a dog was set upon a badger that was given refuge in a barrel. "This was an amusing contest and often lasted for hours". ....... In the early 1880's the Livermore Herald offered flats of blue gum seedlings to grow as firewood. Up to this time, firewood had to be hauled 10 to 15 miles from the hills. ....... Probably the first moving picture ever seen in Livermore was on June 1, 1897 when Thomas Edison's "projectoscope" was shown at the Farmers' Union theatre. .... 4/21/99 ...... More: I Didn't Know That

NEWS FLASH!!!

If you are interested in the latest hot topic, the California Gold Rush, you'll want to read "Recollections of Mary Ann Harlan Smith", a first person account of mining at Coloma in the summer of 1848. It's available at the Guild's History Center.

1898 was the one hundredth anniversary of the beginning of the Klondike Gold Rush. The Guild published a series of letters and news items relating the adventures from 1897 to 1906 of the 40-some Livermore people who went to the Far North gold country. Get your copy of The Klondike News by Gary Drummand and Anna Siig at the History Center.

...............FROM THE GARAGE - AUTOMOTIVE HISTORY NOTES..............

The first sanctioned auto race in the United States was held on the streets of Chicago in 1895. Eighty-nine cars were entered, despite the fact that there were not 89 working automobiles in all of America at that time. The race was postponed for three and one half weeks to give mechanics time to have more cars ready, but on race day only six cars were entered. The Durea won the 54 mile race which was closely followed by such men as P.E. Studebaker, Henry Ford, and Ransome E. Olds. Before long there was a major race every year and then later a race circuit beginning in California in early spring and following the weather across the country to the east coast in late summer, Little thought was given to safety and in 1908 fifty drivers, mechanics and spectators were killed. A mechanic rode with the driver in those days mainly to man the fuel pump and do roadside repairs. They carried spare parts and tires with them. Among his other duties, the mechanic would sometimes drag a broom on the track to blind a pursuing driver with dust. They were also known to occasionally toss a hand-full of bolts and nuts in the path of an oncoming competiton. by Bill Junk ..7/98...Source: Invention & Technology Magazine

Revised: March 4, 2001
Revised Title: August 1, 2005