Longview, Washington

The Long-Bell Lumber Company, led by R. A. Long, bought a vast expanse of timberland in Cowlitz County Washington in 1918 to build the world's largest lumber mill.

The Long-Bell Mill needed a total of 14,000 workers - more than the local towns could provide. So Mr. Long set out to build a complete pre-planned city in 1921 that could support a population of up to 50,000.

The Long-Bell Company contracted with George Kessler to build the city that would support the two mills that were now planned.

Several of the buildings in the city were built from Long's private funds, including the R. A. Long High School, the Longview Public Library, the YMCA building and the Monticello Hotel.

Paved street, utilities, stores, churches, a school and the ornate Columbia theatre.

Longview, Washington currently has a populate of 37,818 making it the largest city in Cowlitz County. The city is located in the southwestern Washington.

Longview, WA has several buildings on the National Register of Historic Places.

September 23, 2006 – Mr. Long Statue Dedicated A Long Time Coming A Long Time Coming

It was a bright and warm day on September 23 in Longview, Washington, during the dedication of a statue to timber baron, Robert A. Long.

For 60 years, residents there have been trying to erect a full size statue of the timber baron, Mr. Long, but the Depression curtailed the initial effort. But now a bronze figure of the man rests on a bronze bench, reaching out to accept a flower from a bronze little girl.

The new statue was dedicated in a public ceremony on the main street running through the town. Kurt Anagnostou, the mayor pro-tem, presented the key to the city to a citizen portraying Long, Dr. Travis Cavens. “Mr. Long” congratulated the artist, Jim Demetro, who has done many other works of sculpture in the United States and is now creating a piece for a resort in Mexico.

Longview, Washington’s Historic Columbia Theatre

In the early 1920’s as the world’s largest lumber mill was being built, R. A. Long and his company officers took on the simultaneous challenge of creating a completely preplanned city. They named it Longview, Washington. It had paved streets, utilities, stores, churches, a school, and a special attraction – the ornate Columbia Theatre. It was there that the new citizens of Longview came to be entertained by vaudeville acts, silent movies, plus celebrities like Clark Gable and Ginger Rogers.

Over the ensuing decades the Columbia Theatre began to fade. In fact, it was scheduled to be torn down in 1980, but was saved, by all things, a volcano. On May 18, 1980 nearby Mount St. Helens exploded, killing 57 people and creating a devastated landscape for miles. The contractor who was hired to demolish the theatre was called away to help with clearing the volcano’s destruction, giving time for concerned citizens to save the theatre.

Original theatre, April 4, 1925, seated 1,000.
New city population was approximately 4,000.

Today an $11.3 million dollar restoration and expansion is in progress that will make an 800 seat, state of the art performance hall, keeping alive this historic building that is part of the legacy of Mr. Long.

R. A. Long Historical Society

Longview, Washington

September 23, 2006 – Mr. Long Statue Dedicated A Long Time Coming A Long Time Coming

Longview, Washington’s Historic Columbia Theatre

This website uses cookies.