Welcome to Longview . . . where history lives! Tour of the Civic Center Use the map on the left to chart your excursion. Longview Public Library**, 1926/1967 1630 Louisiana Street Longview is a planned city that was conceptualized between 1919 - 1922 when the 4 A personal gift from Longview founder R. A. Long, the library represents Long-Bell Lumber Company purchased 14,000 acres of the Valley Monticello Hotel**, 1923 Monticello Convention the importance he placed of the city’s cultural and intellectual growth. Its bottom to build a mill site and accompanying town. Seventy thousand acres of 1 1405 17th Avenue 2 Monuments, 1963 graceful Georgian Revival style includes one of the few rooftop cupolas Built before all other buildings in Longview, 18th Avenue & Olympia Way in the region. The style was maintained when voters approved a major timber were purchased from the Weyerhaeuser Timber Company in Lewis and this classic Georgian Revival hotel served to Pioneer settlers from as far away as Port addition in 1966. Stop and have your picture taken at the bronze statue Cowlitz Counties, and Longview was born. showcase the “Planned City.” At the center of Townsend and Seattle gathered twice to of a young library patron reading to her cat before heading up the town “the Hotel,” as it is known locally, has petition Congress to create a new territory steps and into the main reading rooms. Founding father Robert A. Long, Long-Bell Chairman, and long been the focal point of community and north of the Columbia River. In November social activities. It has a ballroom, lounge, 1852, they met at the nearby settlement of Library Art and Longview Reading Koth Art Gallery, engineer Wesley Vandercook envisioned a large-scale “planned” rd city that could accommodate 50,000 inhabitants. Construction of and restaurant. The hotel takes its name from Monticello. Read the story of these Oregon Reading Rooms Room - 3 Floor Teen Space, and Gazing down are Available by special Longview began in 1922, and by 1927, much of the construction the first pioneer community on the Cowlitz rebels whose request was granted just three Children’s Library Rose Garden larger-than-life appointment Take the stairs or the Exit out the door on the had been completed. River, which was named after Thomas months later. Jefferson’s plantation. portraits of Mr. Long (360.442.5300), this elevator to the ground ground level to the rose and his wife, Ella. In room houses a unique floor and enjoy the garden. Started by The City’s design, representative of the City Beautiful Joe Knowles Historical Paintings addition to art, the collection of photos and ever-changing art volunteers from the movement, designated residential and commercial districts Looking downeast down Broadway Broadway towards from the the Lobby of hotel Friends of the Library documents from the exhibits in the Koth Art local rose society, this adjacent to the Civic Center. Boulevards with esplanades and Monticello Hotel, circa 1925.1926. Renowned landscape artist Joe Knowles was group regularly formative years of the Gallery. Teens fragrant garden features wide streets were laid in the fashion patterned after Rome and commissioned to depict historical events of the contribute books, City of Longview. Most designed and painted over 100 different Paris. In the 1920s, the entire Long Bell investment for the timber mills, railroads, and city infrastructure Pacific Northwest through a series of beautiful movies and other items are originals from their very own library- varieties. Be sure to totaled $50 million. Many of R.A. Long’s contributions to Longview actively survive today. oil paintings within the frieze of the lobby. improvements. The the Long-Bell Lumber within-a-library in look to your left and see library has one of the Company. This is a 2007. The Children’s the new Rose Center for The Civic Center best genealogy favorite location for Library sponsors a the Arts. From the collections in the local history buffs. The Civic Center is a National Register summer reading garden, cross at the corner state. program each year. to continue your tour. Historic District. It was planned to be Squirrel Monument / Tree City the focal point and geographical center 3 USA - 1985 of Longview, bringing together 1730 – Olympia Way governmental and cultural buildings As a Tree City USA, Longview’s surrounding a central park. abundance of oak trees means a healthy population of kid-pleasing squirrels. The giant squirrel statue at this location replaces the original one that split City Beautiful Vista several years ago. Read Front steps of hotel more about our “squirrley” At the beginning of the 20th Century, the City heritage under stop #5. Beautiful Movement emphasized city parks, street trees and pleasing boulevards. When Nutty Narrows Squirrel Bridge, 1963 1610 Way adopted here, Longview’s founders could look 5 Look up into the trees to view Longview’s unique bridge just for sqiuirrels. across Jefferson Square down Broadway to the Because of the high mortality rate for squirrels crossing Olympia Way, local railroad station, Washington Way toward contractor and philanthropist Amos Peters built the world’s smallest Kelso, or Olympia Way toward Long-Bell suspension bridge, bringing worldwide fame to Longview. After the lumber mills. anchoring trees fell to disease, the City moved the bridge to its present * On National Register of Historic Places ** On National and Local Registers location. The bridge is usally adorned with a lighted tree at Christmas time. Longview City Hall, 1941/76 R. A. Long Park & Terrace**, 1928 Civic Center Automobiles line the 6 1525 Broadway - Open Monday 9 From the beginning, the Civic Center was the focal circle during dedication From I-5 north or south through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. of the “North to Take Exit 36. Follow State Route 432 crossing the Cowlitz River (Harry Morgan Bridge) and continue Look up and to the left of the point of the Planned City. Originally Jefferson Olympia” marker in onto Tennant Way in a westerly direction into the Longview city limits. entrance to see the original crest of 1926 (see marker D Square, it was renamed R.A. Long Park in 1928. After information below). To find the Civic Center, move to the outside the City, done in bas relief on the (right) traffic lane and turn right at 15th Avenue. brickwork. In a dramatic departure from the original Civic R.A. Long’s death, local residents wanted a statue on The library is in the Proceed north on 15th Avenue, moving to the background. inside (left) traffic lane. After passing Safeway on Center plan for Georgian Revival designs, the 1976 building your left, turn left at Broadway, the next the terrace at the center of the park looking down intersection. At the stop sign turn right and enter remodel encases the old Art Deco style City Hall. Council the Civic Circle. Your tour will begin at the nd Monticello Hotel. chambers are on the 2 floor, where the City Council sets Broadway. The bust was dedicated in 1942. policy and oversees the City Manager.

Historic Photos of Longview & Fountain, 1987 Historic photos detailing the early years of Longview line the Inside the Civic Circle Resource Information first and second floors. Watch R. A. Long’s Planned City Plymouth Rock Sundial, 1939 North to Olympia, 1926 grow before your very eyes. The Vernal Rill, a soothing F Memorial, 1926 E This beautiful piece was dedicated by the local D SW Civic Center at City of Longview bronze fountain, is an inverted double-headed axe, SW Civic Center & Daughters of the American Revolution chapter in Larch Street 360.442.5022 | www.mylongview.com symbolizing logging and our natural environment. Take time Washington Way rememberance of the Monticello The Olympia to view the display case of gifts from our Sister City of Wako, One of the most Convention of 1852 that was held Kiwanis dedicated Chamber of Commerce Japan just inside the lobby doors. unusual monuments near the mouth of the Cowlitz River. this marker to the 360.423.8400 | www.kelsolongviewchamber.org/ in Longview, this On your way back to your car, see if memory of the early Chamber of Commerce Building, 1949 marker includes a you can tell what time it is. settlers of Monticello Longview Downtowners 1563 Olympia Way - Open Monday through Friday, and those pioneers who blazed their 360.423.1020 | www.longviewdowntowners.org/ 7 piece of Plymouth 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Rock (of Pilgrim way through to Olympia, the end of This triangular brick building became the permanent home for Cowlitz Today Community Calendar fame) embedded in it along the Oregon Trail. Longview’s chamber, originally located at Broadway and 360.575.9839 | www.cowlitztoday.com with patriotic prose F E D Commerce. Now it is home to the Kelso-Longview Chamber dedicated to the motoring Civic Circle Catlin Family Memorial, of Commerce, following the historic merger of the original public. Marker 9 C 1926 Other Available Publications: chambers in 2004. Several brochures about Longview and Locations NE Civic Center at Washington Walking Tour of Downtown Longview local attractions are available here. Huntington Family Monument, A B C Way Pick up a copy at the Community Development Department at A 1928 A former state legislator, City Hall, or call 360.442.5092 and request a copy. United States Post Office*, 1933 SE Civic Center at Olympia Way Seth Catlin settled his large family 8 1625 Larch Street Harry “Darby” Huntington was an Veteran’s Memorial, 2007 in the Cowlitz Valley in the early Constructed during the Great early pioneer on the west bank of the B East Civic Center at Broadway 1850s. He played an important role Depression, in part to aid the local Cowlitz River. He turned abandoned At the foot of the flagpole, this monument in Washington Territorial politics. economy, this building combines Hudson’s Bay Company buildings is the newest addition to the Civic Center The former com- classical style with Art Deco accents. into the riverboat town of Monticello and is lit around-the-clock. munity of Catlin is This publication is produced through the Its size certainly matches old in 1851. The town was host of the Commemorating the brave sacrifices of now West Kelso. Longview Historic Preservation Commission, buildings around the Civic Center. 1852 Monticello Convention where local members of our Armed Services, it Read more about PO Box 128, Longview, WA 98632. Check out unique features in the was born. You can was presented to the city by the Cowlitz Catlin and his wife lobby: colored inlaid flooring, aluminum accents, gold leaf read more about this historic event at stop Valley Veterans of Foreign Wars Post and Agnes on this View our historical photo tour at patterns in the walnut walls. 2 on the Civic Center tour. Auxiliary #1045. memorial stone. www.mylongview.com/photogallery/ As you cross the street to enter the Civic Circle, watch for October 2008 the first marker (A) on the southeast corner. This completes your walking tour. We hope you enjoyed it. For more information about Longview, go to www.mylongview.com.