In 1829, the county seat was moved from Beatties Bluff to Livingston. A courthouse and jail were built by 1833, and the town was incorporated in 1836.[2][3] That same year, the county seat was officially moved to Canton, though Livingston "unofficially" remained the county seat until 1858, because its courthouse continued to be used until that year.[2]
Livingston became an important trading center for nearby plantations.[3]
A Methodist church was established in Livingston around 1830,[4] and there was a Masonic Lodge from 1854 to 1866, when Union forces ransacked and destroyed it.[5]
By the 1850s, railways had been established across the county, and Livingston had been bypassed. Most of the town's residents moved and businesses shut down,[6][7] though the post office remained until at least 1902.[3] The only remains of the original town are a cemetery, and the foundation of the court square.[2]
In 2012, a farmers market opened in Livingston, featuring food and entertainment. It became a popular summertime destination, and attracted performers such as country music singer Travis Tritt. Developers began a $73 million construction project in Livingston in 2013, which included an 1800s-style town square, men's barbershop, mercantile store, and office building.[6]
