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Livermore,
California
The Livermore Valley was
originally settled by Costonoan Indians. During the Spanish era
the Livermore region was part of Mission San Jose.
Livermore,
California was established in 1869 by William Mendenhall who laid
the town next to the railroad. It was named for Robert Livermore, an
English sailor who settled in the area in 1835. Robert Livermore
married Josefa Higuera Molina in 1838. Their home was the Rancho Las
Positas which encompassed much of the present day city.
Livermore was the largest and
fastest growing city in the region for many years. For much of its
history, Livermore has been an agricultural community. Vineyards
and ranches continue within and around the city today.
The Livermore Rodeo began in 1918
to raise funds for the Red Cross during World War I. The Livermore
Stockmen's Rodeo Association has brought rodeo to Livermore for 77
years.
World War II
brought significant changes to the region with the introduction of
an air field and a major military base. In 1952, the University of
California established what is now called the Lawrence Livermore
National Laboratory to do research on nuclear energy.
Postwar Livermore
has grown into an attractive suburban community where high tech
industries are increasingly visible.
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