Livermore, Pennsylvania

Livermore, Pennsylvania is an abandoned canal/railroad town formerly situated along the Conemaugh River in Westmoreland County. Named after either canal engineer Alonzo Livermore or property owner John Livermore in the 1820's, the town was later incorporated as a Borough 1863. With faint roots from late colonial farm settlement, the town boomed in the early to late nineteenth century as the Conemaugh River Valley became an important transportation corridor. Livermore continued to develop into a modern town in the early twentieth century before being abandoned and partially razed in the early 1950s, following the Flood Control Act of 1936 and Flood Control Act of 1938, which authorized construction of the Conemaugh Dam and River Lake in an effort to prevent future flooding in the Kiskiminetas River and the Allegheny Valley towards Pittsburgh. The former town site now lies under a reservoir and floodplains.

Livermore and its vicinity in the Conemaugh Valley attract much local attention regarding interests in history, archeology, engineering, wildlife conservation, hunting, fishing, bird-watching, urban legend, hiking, biking, and other outdoor recreation, which has lead to more efforts from many sources including The Army Corps of Engineers, The Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission, The Pennsylvania Game Commission, The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, The West Penn Trail Association, historical societies and water improvement groups, to keep the area preserved for future generations, along with the original purpose of water conservation through flood control.

History

Map of Livermore published in the Westmoreland County Atlas, 1876

Understanding the history of Livermore and the vicinity involves consideration to several different waves of population from indigenous inhabitance, colonial settlement, pioneer homesteading, canal establishment, railroad era growth, and industrial to modern period development. Summing up its historical relevance is not as simple as the histories of many nearby “patch-towns” that sprung up from the mining industry. With a diverse mix of people, and a unique mix of necessity, Livermore served the area as a hub from Blairsville to Saltsburg, becoming a center of commerce for those living in between.

Given the importance of any river as a resource and transportation route, plenty of indigenous tribes from at-least as far back as the Monongahela to the later Delaware, Mingo and Shawnee, populated the Conemaugh Valley. They continued to live among European settlers and a dash of Iroquois, well after The Civil War. Aside from the river itself, another reason for this could be the close proximity to the Kittanning Path several miles north near present day route 422.

Colonial settlement in the Conemaugh Valley west of the Chestnut Ridge, though sparse, had been going on before the French and Indian War. In fact most of Derry Township, along with adjacent areas, was sprinkled with Farms and tiny manors, as well as homesteads that gathered around various small mills situated along tributaries of the Conemaugh River.

To the left of Newport Road, just off 217 North, right next to Stewarts Creek, is the site of Old Newport Village, a deserted colonial settlement with very little recorded history. Currently most of it is on private property, and access is rough and hardly reachable. Considering the possible time this village existed, the exodus of it’s villagers may have been caused from skirmishes and uprisings from the beginning of the French and Indian War, to Pontiac’s Rebellion, since several native seasonal camps also existed in this area, along with an Indian village just north atop a hill overlooking what used to be Fillmore and the present day state gameland tract near Aultmans Run, just a half mile further up route 217.

One can imagine that colonial settlers and natives did not always get along. Before westward expansion began saturating the Ohio Country, populations of the two would have been near equal, but leaning more towards an indigenous majority. It is also important to remember that colonial French had inhabited the Three Rivers region for quite a while before the 1760’s, trapping along the many watersheds that expand throughout what is known today as Southwestern Pennsylvania.

Getting along with one’s neighbors in those times was not the only problem. As it still kind of is today, this area was very remote, and the local wildlife would have been bountiful yet unsettling as bear, coyote, and mountain lions roamed freely throughout the foothills of the Laurel Highlands. Since population density was still sparse, they would have been less shy then they are today, and brave enough to encroach, finding food sources from many a farmer’s livestock.

As the region grew in the late 1700's and early 1800's, wagon trails and waterways provided a growing population west of the Alleghenies with a lifeline for goods and materials from the already established eastern half of Pennsylvania. As this demand grew, more developed forms of transportation became a need. Wagon trails would soon be paved better, upgrading durability and saving travel time, and the Conemaugh Valley would soon become an important transportation corridor with the construction of the Pennsylvania Canal.

In 1825 the Pennsylvania legislature had established a Board of Canal Commissioners for the Commonwealth, and authorized a public canal and railroad project across the state, the Pennsylvania Canal system. The Main Line Canal's Western Division, which stretched 103 miles from the westerm terminus of the Allegheny Portage Railroad at Johnstown, and further on to Pittsburgh, was constructed through what would soon become Livermore along the Conemaugh.

The town of Livermore was formally established within Derry Township in 1827. As mentioned above, two conflicting claims on who the town was named for exist. One claim, held by a local conservation group, and published on brochures and signs by the Army Corp of Engineers at the Tunnelview site, is that the town was named after Alonzo Livermore, a canal engineer hired to construct a canal tunnel and aqueduct (canal bridge) through the steep and tricky Bow Ridge and across the river near the present site of the Conemaugh Dam. Another source, an older historical text published early in the 1900’s claims that the town was established by John Livermore, naming it after himself. These conflicting claims are interesting and perfect for the cultivation of historical debate, and conjecture.

The West Penn Railroad extended past Livermore alongside the canal in 1854, and a station was built in 1864, providing connections to Blairsville and Saltsburg. Grading from Blairsville to the Allegheny River was completed in 1857, and the same year, the state sold the canal to the Pennsylvania Railroad. Another grade was built in 1882 to bypass a hill. These tracks were used for 25 years until 1907, when a new straight line bypassed the canal curves. A new station was also built.

The Livermore Presbyterian Church was organized in 1851, though the congregation seldom met for lack of supplies, and ministers frequently shared time between Livermore and the congregation in nearby Salem. The first church structure was a frame that the Baptists and Presbyterians shared. A more solid brick structure was built in 1862. In 1906 the town had three churches with Presbyterian, Methodist, and United Brethren congregations.

The Johnstown Flood of 1889 swept through the Conemaugh Valley rendereding the Pennsylvania Railroad useless for several days, stranding traffic to Pittsburgh from commerce in the east. Being only twenty miles or so from Johnstown, PA, chances are much debri as well as significant flooding reached Livermore rather quickly following the initial surge of water.

Life in Livermore during the more prosperous years of the nineteenth century would have been much like life in any other river town. Livelihoods established on the canal, railroads, farms, mines, where part of the economic tapestry which built this community and drew the needs for goods and services provided by blacksmiths, doctors, carpenters, storekeepers, wheelwrights, Innkeepers, a butcher, and a brick manufacturer, as well as one school that served thirty-two students.

As the automobile gained popularity, ushering in the age of the highway, many river towns became a bit marginalized. With the development of route 22 from the right of way provided mostly from the Northern Turnpike, Livermore was bypassed and no longer enjoyed as much importance as it had since the canal era. However, it still managed to adapt to the times, and even though a major east-west highway was out of the picture, a north-south byway would soon come through town, drawing a great deal of business from early motorists.

In 1928 the construction of PA Route 982 began. The bridge connecting Livermore to Fillmore, Pa, was replaced with a more improved steel truss bridge, much like the ones seen today in Blairsville, Tunnelton, Avonmore, and Vandergrift, to carry the traffic into Indiana County. What is now known as Livermore Road, which jct. to route 22, used to be part of rt.982. At this intersection, the present northern terminus of 982 begins across 22, heading south through Derry Township. Referring to the 1876 map above, the town of Fillmore is the small enclave of buildings you see just to the right of Livermore. When visiting Livermore from the trailhead near the Cemetary (and not the westinghouse side), one can see remains of the northern pier of the bridge that carried 982 over the Conemaugh and through Fillmore, by walking down to the bridge on the right (closest bridge on the trail to Livermore) and looking to the left, which is northwest, across the river. This portion of 982 remained open from 1928 to 1951, connecting 982 to rt. 217 in Indiana County, until it was demolished just before the completion of the Conemaugh Dam.

Between March 16 and 21, 1936, the tributaries of the Allegheny and Monongahela Rivers including the Conemaugh flooded as a result of heavy rainfall and melting snow and ice. The area had been experiencing extremely cold temperatures, and in many places the ground was frozen solid to a depth of four feet: water could not soak into the ground. Residents of Livermore and other low-lying towns Cokeville and Bairdstown were evacuated by rowboats in the evening of March 17, many gathering at higher ground in Blairsville. "The Great St. Patrick’s Day Flood" submerged the town under 18 feet of water, sweeping away the bridge spanning the Conemaugh and fourteen buildings, while others were ruined or severely damaged. Floodwaters destroyed eight homes, four properties, three barns, two garages, and the stocks of both general stores. The flood caused one fatality in Livermore. Overall, the flood claimed about 80 lives and caused the region over $500 million dollars in damages.

Livermore station of the Pennsylvania Railroad in 1908.

Following the flood, the Flood Control Acts of 1936 and 1938 authorized various flood control projects by the United States Army Corps of Engineers, including the Conemaugh River Dam and Lake at nearby Tunnelton. The project would provide protection for the lower Conemaugh Valley, the Kiskiminetas Valley, the lower Allegheny Valley and the upper Ohio River. The dam would restrict the river's flow, creating a floodplain that would submerge Livermore. The project required the town to be demolished and the 57 remaining residents were relocated.

Before the 1907 grade was improved for the rails-to-trails project, one could drive the entire way from the Westinghouse trailhead to the eastern terminus of the bow ridge tunnels. Having a vehicle with 4x4 would have helped, but the only section that was really torn up, pot-holed, and rugged was the section before the first bridge heading west from the Westinghouse trailhead. Up to 2002, not one of the four bridges had any guardrails, and crossing was at one’s own risk. This however, did not deter people from using the immaculately kept 1907 grade for almost fifty years, for unrestricted access to fishing spots, hunting posts, gas wells, picnic areas, leisurely rides, atv and dirt bike recreation, trees to fell for firewood, parties, gatherings, and historical curiosity.

Some historical interpretation is presently available along the West Penn Trail, as well as at the Conemaugh Dam, explaining the growth of the town. It should be noted that Livermore played an important role in the history of American Infrastructure, having relevance concerning the Kittanning Path, The Pennsylvania Canal, the Northern Pike, and the Western Pennsylvania Railroad.

Demographics

The 1850 United States Census was the first to publish populations for civil divisions below counties. Livermore recorded an all-white population of 153 in 1850, and 165 in 1860. The 1870 Census recorded that Livermore had 209 native-born residents, and 2 foreigners, with 208 white and 3 African-American, for a total population of 211. The 1880 Census recorded a significant decline in the population to 164, attributed to the decline of the Pennsylvania Canal. However, the population increased again to 211 in 1890, but again saw decline to 175 in 1900. Following the severe flood in 1936, the population declined to 113 in 1940, and 57 in 1950 before the town was condemned and abandoned.

Today

Remnants of the Mainline Canal alongside the Conemaugh River.

Visiting Livermore for the first time is always an experience. If the multitude of urban lore is not enough to cast chills upon a virgin visitor, the remote setting can make up for any lack of intrigue. The cemetery is still frequented by relatives of those buried there, and given the amount of space not yet taken, the cemetery is still in use for future grave sites. When visiting, it does not take long to notice that a few of the newer headstones are actually from the year 2000 on up.

Since completion in 1953, the Conemaugh River Dam has prevented over $2 billion in damage. $375 million in damage was prevented when the remnants of Hurricane Ivan struck the area in 2004. One of the four former tunnels through the Bow Ridge is used along with a turbine station to generate hydroelectricity for operating the dam.

The water level in late winter and early spring is sometimes high enough to reach the top of all four stone arch bridges. This is evident from the amount of debris and driftwood that can be seen along the rail trail (1907 grade) after the late winter/early spring. What is considered to be Conemaugh Lake, is really just a series of ponds and floodplains in the lower lying banks to the left and the right of the river channel.

The largest of these ponds is a few yards southeast of the Fillmore site, looking north across the river from the bridge closest to the Livermore site. This floodplain seems to be the lowest in elevation, and continues to hold water throughout the dry season.

Obviously the deepest sections of a river impounded by a dam are those closest behind the dam. This is noticeable as one crosses the fourth bridge, on the opposite side of the bow ridge from the dam. For most of the year, this bridge is almost completely submerged, yet often still clear to cross, showing only a couple of feet below the roadbed. The river is much deeper and wider at this point since the dam is just around the bend. Amazingly this bridge has managed to remain intact.

When the water is really low in the summer, distinction between the river channel, floodplains and what remains of the canal can be easily made. Remember that the canal ran along the Westmoreland County bank of the river. Since the river ox-bows, it is easy to feel disoriented from cardinal direction when passing through on the dynamite era constructed 1907 grade, which cuts east to west straight through several hills.

For 50 years, the 1907 Western Pennsylvania Railroad grade, along with the four original stone arch bridges, remained abandoned since being decommissioned for the construction of the Conemaugh Dam. When one visits the Livermore site from Livermore road, they cross the present railroad grade built around 1953. In 2002, a rails-to-trails project began, refurbishing the 1907 grade to a smooth gravel surface suited for biking and walking. Automobile access to the 1907 grade was restricted and the West Penn Trail began to serve outdoor enthusiasts.

Today the trail continues to expand with the 2009 completion of a Q-Span bridge near the Westinghouse trailhead taking the trail east towards Blairsville. Eventually this will junction with the Hoodlebug Trail along U.S. Route. 119 south of Homer City, and connect to the Ghost Town Trail in Saylor Park. This means that one will be able to ride a bike or walk from Ebensburg through Wehrum in the Brush Valley, into Blairsville, PA passing the Livermore site, over the Bow Ridge to the Conemaugh Dam, and on towards Saltsburg, PA. In Saltsburg the trail parallels the canal route through town and ends just north where Blacklegs Creek enters the Kiskimanetis River. However, just before the Loyalhanna confluences with the Conemaugh to create the Kiskimanetis, the West Penn Trail junctions with the former Penn Central, which has also been turned into a rail trail known as the Westmoreland Heritage Trail. This is proposed to follow a defunct grade all the way to Trafford, PA, eventually connecting with the Great Allegheny Passage trail, which runs from Pittsburgh, PA to Washington D.C. If the West Penn Trail is finished to follow abandoned portions along the Kiskimanetis towards the Allegheny River at Freeport, PA meeting another extension that connects the Allegheny Passage to Kittanning, PA, trail users visiting Livermore can soon junction with a vast and growing network of nation wide rail trails projects.

Traces of the 1854 grade can still be followed. Surrounded by woods and not manicured at all, some use of older maps would help. The most evident portion of this is to the right if you are heading towards the bridge at Livermore. A small path with wood chips leads to a bench, providing a view of the stone arch bridge, as well as a crude set of steps along the hillside going up to the cemetery. The trail does not go far back, and the former 1854 grade’s remnants here are narrow with a steep drop to the canal and river on the left.

Several local urban legends surround the former town. One claim is that the town was wiped out in a flood. While the site is now underwater, the buildings of the small town were condemned and torn down before the dam was built and the area was flooded in 1952. Another belief is that George Romero’s cult horror movie Night of the Living Dead was filmed at the Livermore Cemetery. This is also false. The movie was filmed in Evans City, Pennsylvania, more than 60 miles from Livermore. The site is nonetheless considered haunted, and the stories primarily center around the moving of graves that occurred when the town's cemetery was required to be moved to higher ground.

As Livermore continues to increase in popularity, the creepy feeling one gets here from time to time is not to be overlooked. Some believe in ghosts, but haunted or not, the eerie atmosphere remains something to be said for. And perhaps this is from the realization that for hundreds of years before, this river valley was where many people lived and died, spending entire lives dependent upon the resources it contained.

What was once thriving with tribal, commercial, agricultural, residential growth, combined with years of infrastructure used to expand Pennsylvania west of the Alleghenies, providing generations of inhabitants with a livelihood, is now nothing more but a leftover cemetery, some bridges, and a series of floodplains, providing curious visitors with questions, theories, haunted tails, and quests to try and imagine what this now desolate landscape was like when people lived here.