Longview

Longview is a city in Gregg and Harrison counties in East Texas, sitting at the junction of Interstate 20 and U.S. highways 80 and 259 north of the Sabine River. The surrounding area features pine forests and rolling hills that give the region a rural character.

The city began in 1870 after O.H. Methvin sold land to the Southern Pacific Railroad, whose surveyors named the place for the extended view from Methvin's property. Construction of the Big Inch pipeline in 1942 turned the town into an oil transport center during World War II and brought rapid population growth.

The Gregg County Historical Museum displays exhibits about the 1894 First National Bank robbery, which led to a shootout in the town center. Visitors can trace how this episode shaped the early community and remains part of local memory today.

The Longview Public Library serves as a sales point for monthly RiverCities bus passes and offers access to transportation services for residents. Visitors looking to navigate the town can find information about public connections and orientation help there.

Railroad surveyors chose the name because of the open view that the rise on Methvin's land offered. Today little in the townscape recalls this original perspective that gave the settlement its name.

Location: Gregg County

Location: Harrison County

Inception: 1871

Website: https://longviewtexas.gov

GPS coordinates: 32.50070,-94.74049

Latest update: December 17, 2025 00:03