Founding Members Feature: The Livermores
Here in South Dakota, the people are as diverse as the landscape we call home. Individuals from all walks of life make up the spirit of South Dakota. Individuals who have contributed in agriculture, arts & entertainment, general, historical, professional, and sports. The South Dakota Hall of Fame was established to honor the legacies of these people. With over 47 years and more than 700 inductees, the South Dakota Hall of Fame is honored to showcase a Culture of Excellence here in South Dakota.
We have grown immensely in the last half a century. From expanding the South Dakota Hall of Fame to include multiple programs, like the Acts of Excellence program, and the Legends & Learning educational program, to hosting our first ever virtual Medallion Celebration. We are proud of how far we have come, and equally as proud of our roots here at the Hall of Fame. The organization was established in 1974 and originally named the Cowboy and Western Heritage Hall of Fame. In those first years, the organization hosted Western Weekend celebrations, along with the publication of the first issue of Dakota West, a magazine featuring the stories of South Dakotans that ran for 25 years.
The Cowboy and Western Heritage Foundation was founded by, among others, 1990 South Dakota Hall of Fame Inductees Raymond “Bud” Livermore, and his wife Doris Livermore. Bud served as president of the organization’s executive board for five years and as president of the board of directors for six. The Livermore’s benefited their communities and embodied the mission of the South Dakota Hall of Fame, Championing a Culture of Excellence in South Dakota. We wanted to highlight the Legacies of the Livermore’s as we look back on the roots of the Hall.
Bud Livermore
For all of his other significant contributions to his home state, Raymond "Bud" Livermore is first and foremost a cattleman and a cowboy. Livermore was born and raised along the Bad River and grew up ranching with his father and uncle. For nearly 20 years, Livermore would trail herds of feeder cattle into the Fort Pierre Stockyards in the fall with an "Old West" flair and worked with fellow cattleman Ted Jennings as livestock order buyers.
In 1974 Bud Livermore and his wife, Doris, were among the organizers of the South Dakota Cowboy and Western Heritage Hall of Fame, which was renamed the South Dakota Hall of Fame in 1986. Livermore served as president of the organization’s executive board for five years and as president of the board of directors for six.
Perhaps Bud Livermore’s involvement with the Centennial Wagon Train in 1989 will be his lasting legacy to his fellow South Dakotans. For 1-1/2 years, Bud and his wife, Doris, organized and routed the western branch of the 1,000-mile route that took 105 days to travel. To learn more about Bud, you can visit his Legacy Page.
Doris Livermore
Doris Wilson Livermore was one of the founders of the Cowboy and Western Heritage Hall of Fame later renamed the South Dakota Hall of Fame. She and her husband Raymond “Bud” Livermore are life members of the organization.
One of Doris’s most lasting contributions to South Dakota was serving as the secretary of the western division of the 1989 Centennial Wagon Train, which she and her husband Bud, helped to organize. The planning took more than 1 ½ years and included visits to many of the small west river towns. The 105-day trip covered 1,000 miles and was considered to be the premier event of the State’s centennial activities. Doris was along for every mile
Doris was also a schoolteacher, as well as an active member in her community, She was a co-leader of the Dakota Boys and Girls 4-H clubs for 17 years, helping more than 25 4-H members with their various projects. To learn more about Doris, you can visit her Legacy Page.
From a small cabin in Pierre, South Dakota, to a 10,000 square foot facility in Chamberlain, with over 10 exhibits to explore, a theater, the Inductee rotunda featuring all 700+ inductees, and the new Inductee class photos. We welcome you to come visit the South Dakota Hall of Fame and hope you find inspiration from stories of Dream Chasers, like the Livermores, across this great state.