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Few American cities were planned on paper before a single house went up, but Longview was. In the early 1920s lumberman Robert A. Long brought his Long-Bell Lumber Company to the lower Columbia River and built a city for its workers, with a civic center, a grand hotel and a park-lined lake. The broad boulevards still follow that 1920s plan.
Lake Sacajawea Park curves through the middle of town, ringed by a walking path and a Japanese garden. Nearby, the Civic Center district keeps its library, the Monticello Hotel and the green lawns of R.A. Long Park, while Commerce Avenue and the restored Columbia Theatre anchor downtown. The tiny Nutty Narrows Bridge, built for squirrels in 1963, is the city's best-loved oddity.
The soaring Lewis and Clark Bridge leaps the Columbia to Oregon, Willow Grove Park offers a sandy river beach, and Mount St. Helens and its visitor centers are within a scenic drive to the northeast.
A long, narrow lake set in a park that runs through the center of Longview, with a level gravel walking loop of a few miles, footbridges, playgrounds and resident ducks and geese. Locals run and stroll here year-round, and the flat path suits strollers and casual cyclists alike.
On an island at the north end of Lake Sacajawea, this small Japanese-style garden has footbridges, stone features, maples and carefully pruned trees. It is free and peaceful, especially on spring mornings when the flowering shrubs bloom along the paths.
Built in 1963 by local builder Amos Peters so squirrels could cross Olympia Way safely, this tiny suspension bridge is now on the National Register of Historic Places. Several more squirrel bridges have followed around town; look up near the library to spot the original.
Opened in 1930, this steel cantilever bridge carries traffic high over the Columbia River between Longview and Rainier, Oregon, and was among the longest of its kind when built. Drive across for river views, or photograph it from the riverfront parks on the Washington side.
The heart of R.A. Long's planned city centers on a green park bordered by the 1926 public library, the Monticello Hotel and other early civic buildings. Walk the square to see how the 1920s planners laid out the town, and peek into the library's grand reading room.
Opened in 1925 as a vaudeville and movie house, this restored downtown theater now hosts touring concerts, comedy, local productions and community events under its ornate ceiling. Check the season calendar ahead of time; evening shows pair well with dinner along Commerce Avenue.
Longview's downtown spine is lined with 1920s commercial buildings holding cafes, antique shops, bakeries and local restaurants. It is an easy stroll from the Civic Center and the Columbia Theatre; come on a weekday lunchtime or before an evening show.
West of town, this riverside park has a sandy Columbia River beach, a boat launch, picnic areas and views of giant ships heading to and from Portland. Swim only in calm areas, since river currents are strong and ship wakes arrive suddenly; on summer evenings the sunsets are lovely.
Each August the city celebrates its famous squirrel bridges with a festival near the Civic Center featuring live music, vendors, children's games, a fun run and plenty of squirrel-themed costumes. It is an affectionate, small-town event; arrive early for parking and shade.
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Washington, United States
Washington, United States
Washington, United States
Washington, United States
Washington, United States
Washington, United States
Washington, United States
Washington, United States
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Photo: Gary Halvorson, Oregon State Archives, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0
Photo: Gary Halvorson, Oregon State Archives, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0
