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LFA Reunion 2008

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2008 Livingston Family Reunion - "I've Been Workin' On the Railroad"

The Iron Trail to the Golden Spike Railroad Reunion

What better place to celebrate the Pacific Railroad, and the role our ancestors played in it, than Ogden, Utah.

We began Friday, June 13, up Ogden Canyon at Anderson Cove Campground, overlooking Pineview Reservoir. It was a spectacular view with snow-capped mountains in the background. Some of the family actually swam at the beach assigned to our campsite. Soon tents dotted the area as family began to gather around a big fire. The Railroad Program began at 7:00 pm with Norm Nelson, President of the Golden Spike Association, dressed in a tux and top hat, talking about the Pacific Railroad. He focused on the time period when the Central Pacific reached the Nevada/Utah border. Brigham Young contracted with both railroads to bring them to the Golden Spike. This involved our ancestors, specifically James Livingston, who is mentioned in a book Norm presented to the Livingstons, entitled, "The Iron Trail to the Golden Spike". Ann, Ross and Ted then provided Dutch oven dessert and ice cream. Ross provided a generator, projector and speakers so we could then show "Mountain of the Lord" (a video documenting the building of the Salt Lake Temple). James Livingston was featured in this video as a foreman at the Temple Quarry. The Pacific Railroad ran a spur from Ogden to Salt Lake. Brigham Young ran a railroad spur from Temple Square to 9400 South. A spur was run from 9400 South to the Temple Quarry. Without the railroad, the Salt Lake Temple would have taken much longer to complete. "Mountain of the Lord" DVDs were made available as well as handouts from "The Iron Trail to the Golden Spike". A chapter from John J. Stewart's "The Iron Trail to the Golden Spike" can be found at http://cprr.org/Museum/Stewart-Iron_Trail.html.

Saturday, June 14, at sunrise found a mist over Pineview with the smell of a cedar fire drifting through the campsite. Blaine and the board members started cooking breakfast and campers came out of their tents and the parking lot filled up with hungry Livingstons. After breakfast Enid conducted the Business Meeting where three Livingstons were elected to the Board. Ross Livingston, who has served for many years on the Board and maintains our family website, was re-elected along with two new Board members, Dennis Davis and David Cook. Many thanks to Ted Livingston and Lynne Herring for their years of dedicated service. Following the Business Meeting, we drove to the railroad museum in Ogden to learn more about the Pacific Railroad and what it took to build it.

The railroad was completed in 1869. Today the great iron horses roll across Utah celebrating what our ancestors were part of so many years ago.

Thanks Stott and Ann for planning another great reunion and to all the Board for their help and support.

Reunion pictures can be found at http://livingstonfamily.org/cpg/.

Black Jacket Found A women's soft black jacket (NorthCrest brand) was found at the reunion. If it is yours, contact us at board@livingstonfamily.org; or 801-484-2678.

Related sites

• Pineview information
• Nice map of Huntsville and Pineview
• Anderson Cove Campground - We have already reserved the whole site!
• Ogden Rail Museum information

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