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A−History
History · Livermore Falls

Livermore Falls dates to 1786, and 20% of its homes were built before 1940

More historic than 77% of U.S. towns · #86 of 143 in Maine. What drives it

Its Register listings are the Lamb Block and the Judson Record House. Below: 11 old photos and papers, maps from 1885 on, and the census since 1890.

1786founded
2on the National Register
20%homes built before 1940
11old photos & papers
2famous people
Add an old photoShare a memory
From Livermore Falls’ archive · credits on each photo
Quick answers

How Livermore Falls began

When was Livermore Falls founded?

1786

Livermore Falls dates its founding to 1786 (Wikipedia’s history). The census first counted it in 1890.

First census: 963 in 18902020 census: 3,060240 years

How historic is Livermore Falls?

A−

More historic than 77% of U.S. towns, on its age, its old homes and the National Register.

What drives the grade ↓
Founding year: Wikipedia. First post office: 1894.The full story ↓
History grade

What drives Livermore Falls’ History grade

On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Livermore Falls is more historic than 77% of U.S. towns, #86 of 143 in Maine. All 3 inputs are above most U.S. towns; its age ranks highest and its National Register listings lowest.

A−
HistoryA character grade: shown, never part of Livermore Falls’ overall grade.
Founding era1786, from Wikipedia: founded 1776–1849, an older era than 75% of U.S. townsA−Homes built before 194020.2% of homes (±8.5) · typical ME town 19.1% · U.S. 8.4%B+National Register2 listings, 3 historic buildings, 9.7 per 10,000 residents · typical ME town 15.9 · U.S. 2.4B−
All U.S. towns we grade (21,289)Ahead of 77%
NewerOlder
Maine towns of 2,500+ (143)Ahead of 40%

Maine towns list more on the Register than most of the country (a typical Maine town has 15.9 per 10,000 residents, the U.S. 2.4), so Livermore Falls’ 9.7 sits near the middle of its state (41% of Maine towns have fewer) while its 3 historic buildings outnumber those of 65% of U.S. towns.

NoteThe founding year comes from Wikipedia alone; no second source gives 1786.
How sure. Graded on any two of the three inputs instead, the letter would range from B+ to A−. The pre-1940 share is a Census survey estimate (±8.5 points).

Founding year: Wikipedia (other dates in Quick answers). Homes: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register: National Park Service, May 2026 list; each listing counted once (boundary changes and added documentation belong to their listing), and a historic district counts its contributing buildings. How TownRatings grades history →

What stands out about Livermore Falls’ past

Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.

Mapped building by building6 fire insurance maps, 1885 to 1917, drew every building in Livermore Falls.Lost villages1 post office opened and closed inside today’s Livermore Falls, and 4 old place names are still on the map.On the map since 19103 editions of the USGS map, 1910 to 1967. Watch Livermore Falls change.Deep rootsEstablished in 1786: 240 years of Livermore Falls.
★ What stands out · Every building

Livermore Falls, building by building, 1885–1917

Fire insurance maps drew every building, what it was made of and what it was used for, so insurers could price the risk of fire. Pick a year, then a sheet.

Livermore Falls fire insurance map, 1885, sheet 11885Sheet 1 of 1
Edition
Sheets
BrickWoodStone

Sanborn Map Company, via the Library of Congress. Editions published in 1930 or earlier, which are in the public domain.

Places that used to be

Lost post offices, old corners, places now gone and burying grounds

Another post office, Strickland, opened and closed inside today’s town.

Hamlets and corners on the map
East LivermoreHaines CornerShy CornerStricklands
Gone or out of use
Livermore Falls Middle Schoolschool
9cemeteries and burying grounds inside Livermore Falls
Holy CrossLivermore FallsMoose HillPleasant HillPleasant ValleyPleasant ViewShuy YardStricklandTreat Memorial

US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock, CC0). Places and cemeteries from the USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021).

On the map

Livermore Falls on the map, 1910 to 1967

Every edition of the U.S. Geological Survey’s map of Livermore Falls. Tap a year, or press play to watch the town change.

Livermore Falls on the 1910 USGS mapLivermore Falls on the 1941 USGS mapLivermore Falls on the 1967 USGS map1910Livermore sheet · 1:62,500

U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (public domain), via Esri’s collection of the scans. The red ring marks the center of Livermore Falls.

The story

How Livermore Falls came to be

From Wikipedia’s history of Livermore Falls.

Read it all →

The area was once part of the Abenaki Indian territory called Rockemeka, meaning "great corn place". It would be granted by the General Court of Massachusetts in 1771 as Port Royal, awarded to heirs of veterans who served in the campaign against the Acadian capital of Port Royal in 1710. It was settled in 1786, then incorporated in 1795 as Livermore after Deacon Elijah Livermore, one of the first English settlers. The county line, determined by the Androscoggin River, divided the town. West of the river was Oxford County, and east was Kennebec County. Consequently, East Livermore (which encompassed a quarter of the original Port Royal grant) was set off and incorporated on March 1, 1844. It became part of Androscoggin County on March 31, 1854. On March 15, 1929, East Livermore was renamed Livermore Falls.

Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

From the old history books

What they wrote about Livermore Falls, 1891–1901

Passages that mention Livermore Falls, cut from the printed page as they were published.

The northeast corner of Livermore is developing extensive business, and the village of Livermore Falls is crowding across the bridge into this town. The Umbagog Pulp Co. has this season built a large brick mill on the site of its old mill to produce 50 tons of pulp where it made only 30 in the old …
History of Androscoggin County, Maine ..1891 · page 862Read the page →
Read the text

The northeast corner of Livermore is developing extensive business, and the village of Livermore Falls is crowding across the bridge into this town. The Umbagog Pulp Co. has this season built a large brick mill on the site of its old mill to produce 50 tons of pulp where it made only 30 in the old one.

Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
centre, and Brettun's in the southwest part. There are several streams; two furnish a fair supply of water in ordinary seasons for grist and saw mills, and (in their day) furnished it for carding and clothing mills. There are excellent powers on the Androscoggin river, one at Livermore Falls, and a…
History of Androscoggin County, Maine ..1891 · page 842Read the page →
Read the text

centre, and Brettun's in the southwest part. There are several streams; two furnish a fair supply of water in ordinary seasons for grist and saw mills, and (in their day) furnished it for carding and clothing mills. There are excellent powers on the Androscoggin river, one at Livermore Falls, and another a short distance above. Livermore is 20 miles north of Lewiston, 25 west of Augusta, and for some time after its settlement bore the name Port Royal, and, for a brief space, Liverton. Livermore is surrounded: east by East Livermore and Leeds, south by Leeds and Turner, west and

Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
lege), and at the age of seventeen commenced teaching, in which capacity he was very successful. In 1864. he purchased a farm at East Livermore, and two years later he sold this and purcliased the grist-mill at Livermore Falls, which he operated in connection with the "feed business." for twenty ye…
History of the town of Leeds, Androscoggin County, Maine, from its settlement June 10, 17801901Read the page →
Read the text

lege), and at the age of seventeen commenced teaching, in which capacity he was very successful. In 1864. he purchased a farm at East Livermore, and two years later he sold this and purcliased the grist-mill at Livermore Falls, which he operated in connection with the "feed business." for twenty years ; since which time he has been in the wood and coal business.

Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
3. Thomas C, b. March 18, 1829; m. Dec. 12, 1854, Elizabeth Cobb, of Leeds, b. July 13, 1835. About the time of his marriage and the construction of the railroad from Leeds Junction to Livermore Falls, he built a house, stable and store at North Leeds, where he engaged in trade, in which business a…
History of the town of Leeds, Androscoggin County, Maine, from its settlement June 10, 17801901Read the page →
Read the text

3. Thomas C, b. March 18, 1829; m. Dec. 12, 1854, Elizabeth Cobb, of Leeds, b. July 13, 1835. About the time of his marriage and the construction of the railroad from Leeds Junction to Livermore Falls, he built a house, stable and store at North Leeds, where he engaged in trade, in which business and place he continued during the remainder of his life, making a specialty of wool buying.

Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.

Scans and text from the Internet Archive. Books published in 1930 or earlier, which are in the public domain.

Timeline

Livermore Falls, 1786 to 1973

Woven from the archive, old maps, post office records, the National Register and the people born here.

  1. 18th century
  2. 1786
    FoundingLivermore Falls is established
  3. 19th century
  4. 1868Born hereHerbert Elijah Wadsworth is born here
  5. 1869In the archiveBridge over Livermore Falls
  6. 1889In the archiveLivermore Falls, Maine 1889
  7. 1894Post officeThe Strickland post office opens
  8. 1895BuiltLamb Block is built
  9. 1897Born hereLouise Bogan is born here
  10. 20th century
  11. 1907BuiltJudson Record House is built
  12. 1910On the mapFirst mapped by the U.S. Geological Survey
  13. 1944Post officeThe Strickland post office closes
  14. 1973In the archiveCHISOLM MILL OF THE INTERNATIONAL PAPER COMPANY AT LIVERMORE FALLS ON THE ANDROSCOGGIN RI…
By decade

Livermore Falls, decade by decade

3 decades in the archive, from the 1860s to the 1970s. Scroll each row; tap a photo for its story.

1860s–1880s6 items
Bridge over Livermore Fallsc. 1869Bridge over Livermore FallsBridge over Livermore Fallsc. 1869Bridge over Livermore FallsLivermore Falls, Maine 18891889Livermore Falls, Maine 1889Livermore Falls, Maine1889Livermore Falls, MaineLivermore Falls, Maine1889Livermore Falls, MaineLivermore Falls, Maine1889Livermore Falls, Maine
1890s–1960snothing yet
Nothing in the archives for these yearsWeddings on Main Street, storms, parades, school pictures, the old store. If it’s in your family album, it belongs here.
Add from your album
1970s2 items
CHISOLM MILL OF THE INTERNATIONAL PAPER COMPANY AT LIVERMORE FALLS ON THE ANDROSCOGGIN RIVER1973CHISOLM MILL OF THE INTERNATIONAL PAPER COMPANY AT LI…LOWER FALLS AT THE TOWN OF LIVERMORE FALLS ON THE ANDROSCOGGIN RIVER1973LOWER FALLS AT THE TOWN OF LIVERMORE FALLS ON THE AND…
1980s–1990snothing yet
Nothing in the archives for these yearsWeddings on Main Street, storms, parades, school pictures, the old store. If it’s in your family album, it belongs here.
Add from your album
Date unknown3 to date
Bridge atDate?Bridge atDepot Street, Looking UpDate?Depot Street, Looking UpUmbagog MillsDate?Umbagog Mills
Today10 recent
LivermoreFallsME TreatMemorialLibrary2022LivermoreFallsME TreatMemorialLibraryLivermoreFallsME TownOffices2022LivermoreFallsME TownOfficesLivermoreFallsME OldChurch2022LivermoreFallsME OldChurchLivermoreFallsME JudsonRecordHouse2022LivermoreFallsME JudsonRecordHouseElijah Livermore House c. 17932019Elijah Livermore House c. 1793LivermoreFallsME LambBlock2014LivermoreFallsME LambBlockLivermoreFallsME BankBuilding2014LivermoreFallsME BankBuildingMoose hill cemetery2011Moose hill cemeteryMoose hill cemetery - panoramio (1)2011Moose hill cemetery - panoramio (1)Livermore Falls, Maine2008Livermore Falls, Maine
Then & now

Stand where they stood

No then-and-now pairs yet. Take a photo from the same spot as an old one and they appear here side by side.

Bridge over Livermore Falls
Retake this viewBridge over Livermore Falls, c. 1869

Find the spot, match the angle, and add your photo. It becomes the first then-and-now pair on Livermore Falls’ page.

Retake this view · +15
On the National Register

2 historic places in Livermore Falls

The country’s official list of buildings and places worth saving.

places listed
2
National Historic Landmarks
0
none yet
historic buildings protected
3
each building in a district counts
first listed
2012
Lamb Block
Lamb Block, built 1895Judson Record House, built 1907
Buildings

Architectural styles listings

Late 19th and Early 20th Century American Movements: Commercial Style1
Lamb BlockLate 19th and Early 20th Century American Movements: Commercial Style · Built 1895
Judson Record HouseBuilt 1907

National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places. Photos from Wikimedia Commons, credited on each place’s page.

People over time

Livermore Falls, census by census

05001,0001,5002,0002,5003,0003,5004,0001900192019401960198020002020Peak: 3,572

Between 963 and 3,572 people in every census since 1890.

11 censuses, 1890–2020.

U.S. Census Bureau decennial counts, from the census table on Livermore Falls’ Wikipedia page.

Famous people

2 famous people were born in Livermore Falls

Writers, athletes, leaders and more, ranked by how widely they’re known.

See all →
L
Louise BoganAmerican poet · b. 1897
H
Herbert Elijah WadsworthAmerican businessman · b. 1868
Help out

Finish Livermore Falls’s story

Most archives stop around 1920. The photos from after that are in family albums, not libraries.

Decades since 1900 with photos
00s10s20s30s40s50s60s70s80s90s
1 of 10 decades. The empty ones are waiting for someone’s album.
Date a photo3 archive items have no date. Guess the decade.+2Retake an old viewBridge over Livermore Falls: stand where they stood+15Share a family photoSign in to add one+10
Stories next door

History across the town line

Each neighbor’s History grade, on the same three inputs.

Livermore1 historic placeBFayette3 historic placesA−Wayne2 historic placesA−Jay3 historic placesB−

Questions about Livermore Falls’ history

What year was Livermore Falls founded?

In 1786, according to Wikipedia’s history of the town. Livermore Falls’ post office opened in 1894, and the census of 1890 counted 963 people here.

How does Livermore Falls rank for history?

Livermore Falls is more historic than 77% of U.S. towns, #86 of 143 in Maine. The History grade combines the town’s founding era, the share of homes built before 1940 and its National Register listings. It’s a character grade, so it isn’t part of the overall grade. How it works.

What is on the National Register in Livermore Falls?

Two places: the Lamb Block (listed 2012) and the Judson Record House (2015).

How old are the homes in Livermore Falls?

20% of Livermore Falls’ homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±8.5 points), against a typical 19% for a Maine town; the median home was built in 1972.

Memory lane

What the archives can’t tell you, neighbors can.

Town Square →
Start a conversation
Sources

Where this page comes from

Founding dates: Wikidata, Wikipedia, the U.S. post office records of Blevins & Helbock (CC0) and the Census. Homes by year built: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register of Historic Places: National Park Service (list of May 22, 2026). Old photos, postcards and papers: Wikimedia Commons, the Library of Congress and other public archives, credited on each item’s page. Maps: U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (via Esri) and Sanborn fire-insurance maps (Library of Congress). History text and census tables: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0). Places that used to be: USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021).

From Wikimedia Commons (20), the Library of Congress (1), Wikidata (2), the National Register of Historic Places (2), Wikipedia, Wikidata and Wikipedia for famous people, U.S. Geological Survey historical maps, U.S. Census counts (via Wikipedia), the US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock), the USGS Geographic Names Information System, Sanborn fire insurance maps (Library of Congress) and old county and town histories (Internet Archive). Archive images are copied here with their credits and licenses, shown on each photo’s page. Refreshed monthly.