History

Historic photo of lumberLocated 90 miles from the Pacific Ocean at the confluence of the Cowlitz and Columbia Rivers, Longview is a relatively new city with a short but remarkable history. Less than 75 years ago, the area where Longview now stands was sparsely populated wilderness and rural homesteads.

  1. A Planned City
  2. Early History
  3. The Beginnings
  4. The Move
  5. The City

Longview is a city with a unique history. At the time of its conception, Longview was the only planned city of its magnitude to have ever been conceived of and built entirely with private funds. But don't be carried away by romantic visions of Pierre L'Enfant capital city, or the benevolent experiments of utopian social scientists. Longview was the direct result of industrial expansionism.

What makes Longview different from the majority of cities that have sprung up throughout history is that it was completely planned down to the last sidewalk and the last street name before construction ever began. Originally, this planning allowed the city to grow inwards along organized lines with separate areas designated for business, industrial and residential areas.

Walking Tours

To learn more about our history, we recommend taking a walking tour of Longview: