WhiteMountainHistory.org
Telling the story of 200 years of White Mountain History
Livermore
We've just added an audio slide-show
about Livermore
We've just added an audio slide-show
about Livermore
Livermore was a logging town, built in 1875, on the Sawyer River, about two miles south of what was then known as the 10th New Hampshire Turnpike-it's Route 302 today.
The town and it's associated logging railroad, the Sawyer River Railroad , was built by the Saunders family. It had a large sawmill, homes for the workers, a general store, a school, a charcoal kiln, a power plant, an engine house, etc. The Saunders family built a large mansion for themselves, which they used in the summers.
The town lasted over fifty years, succumbing finally to fire and flood. The Saunders heirs eventually sold the town and the land to the US Government for inclusion in the White Mountain National Forest.
Livermore has been well documented and many photographs are in private and public collections. See our Resources page, using the link on the left.
The substantial remains of the town are easy to get to today. The Sawyer River Road (Forest Service Road #34) intersects with Route 302, a few miles west of Bartlett. The ruins of the mill, along with other foundations, are on the left about two miles from Route 302. See the current AMC guides for details.
Click here for an audio slide show of Livermore
Click here for Photos of Livermore
The town and it's associated logging railroad, the Sawyer River Railroad , was built by the Saunders family. It had a large sawmill, homes for the workers, a general store, a school, a charcoal kiln, a power plant, an engine house, etc. The Saunders family built a large mansion for themselves, which they used in the summers.
The town lasted over fifty years, succumbing finally to fire and flood. The Saunders heirs eventually sold the town and the land to the US Government for inclusion in the White Mountain National Forest.
Livermore has been well documented and many photographs are in private and public collections. See our Resources page, using the link on the left.
The substantial remains of the town are easy to get to today. The Sawyer River Road (Forest Service Road #34) intersects with Route 302, a few miles west of Bartlett. The ruins of the mill, along with other foundations, are on the left about two miles from Route 302. See the current AMC guides for details.
Click here for an audio slide show of Livermore
Click here for Photos of Livermore
Suggested Reading:
As of yet, there is no reference book solely devoted to Abandoned Towns.
"Logging Railroads of the White Mountains" by C. Frances Belcher, includes information on the towns associated with the logging railroads.
As noted earlier, "Chronicles of the White Mountains" by Frederick Kilbourne is excellent and also has information on some of the towns.
Dr. Peter Crane wrote his doctoral dissertation on Livermore. It's the most comprehensive work on the subject. It may be hard to find but well worth the effort.
Historic and archaeological sites are special places that tell the story of our past. Leave artifacts as you find them. Rearranging them limits their scientific value and the experience of future visitors.
Visitors are reminded that Federal law prohibits
disturbing these sites or removing any artifacts.
