our HISTORY

THE HISTORY OF LONGVIEW MANSION

Listed on the National Register of Historic Places

At its roots, Longview Farm was the country estate of Kansas City lumber baron and philanthropist, R.A. Long. (1850-1934). Long’s city home was Corinthian Hall, now the Kansas City Museum. He also built the city’s first skyscraper, the R.A. Long Building at 10th and Grand, as a headquarters for his Long-Bell Lumber Company.

In just 18-months, Longview Mansion and 50 other farm structures were constructed in 1913 and 1914. The workforce behind this project was immense, including over 50 Belgian craftsmen and 200 Sicilian stonemasons among the 2,000 workers employed to turn 1,780 raw acres into what become known as the “World’s Most Beautiful Farm”.

The farm employed 200 people. There were 51 buildings on the property including a horse race track that seated up to 1,000 people; giant sparkling greenhouses; handsome barns with wood pegged floors for prize cattle and hogs; a police and fire department; a hotel for men; housing for employees; a church, and community newspaper.

Besides horses, Longview was known for its purebred Jersey dairy cattle that provided pasteurized milk for the region, and for its greenhouses that produced prize winning roses and other flowers. Ahead of its time, this self-sustaining community had electricity, filtered water, steam heating, and indoor plumbing. The Mansion was the jewel of the property. A massive 22,000 square foot structure, it boasts 48 rooms, 6 fireplaces, 14 bedrooms and 10 baths. It also claimed the first central vacuum system west of the Mississippi.

It’s apparent that Long built the farm with his daughter, Loula Long Combs in mind, where she lived from the time it was opened until her death. Loula loved breeding, training, and showing horses across the United States and Canada, including Madison Square Garden where she was one of the only women to enter the ring. She continued to appear at the American Royal yearly well into her eighties.

2018 was a year of renewal for the 104-year-old Historic Longview Mansion, as a multi-million renovation took place, restoring this crown jewel to its original splendor. Sunflower Development Group, a Kansas City developer committed to preserving our communities’ history, took ownership in late 2017. Their extensive investment to restore the property is just the beginning of their commitment to transform The Historic Longview Mansion into a modern destination venue.

At its roots, Longview Farm was the country estate of Kansas City lumber baron and philanthropist, R.A. Long. (1850-1934). Long’s city home was Corinthian Hall, now the Kansas City Museum. He also built the city’s first skyscraper, the R.A. Long Building at 10th and Grand, as a headquarters for his Long-Bell Lumber Company.


In just 18-months, Longview Mansion and 50 other farm structures were constructed in 1913 and 1914. The workforce behind this project was immense, including over 50 Belgian craftsmen and 200 Sicilian stonemasons among the 2,000 workers employed to turn 1,780 raw acres into what become known as the “World’s Most Beautiful Farm”.


The farm employed 200 people. There were 51 buildings on the property including a horse race track that seated up to 1,000 people; giant sparkling greenhouses; handsome barns with wood pegged floors for prize cattle and hogs; a police and fire department; a hotel for men; housing for employees; a church, and community newspaper.


Besides horses, Longview was known for its purebred Jersey dairy cattle that provided pasteurized milk for the region, and for its greenhouses that produced prize winning roses and other flowers. Ahead of its time, this self-sustaining community had electricity, filtered water, steam heating, and indoor plumbing. The Mansion was the jewel of the property. A massive 22,000 square foot structure, it boasts 48 rooms, 6 fireplaces, 14 bedrooms and 10 baths. It also claimed the first central vacuum system west of the Mississippi.


It’s apparent that Long built the farm with his daughter, Loula Long Combs in mind, where she lived from the time it was opened until her death. Loula loved breeding, training, and showing horses across the United States and Canada, including Madison Square Garden where she was one of the only women to enter the ring. She continued to appear at the American Royal yearly well into her eighties.


2018 was a year of renewal for the 104-year-old Historic Longview Mansion, as a multi-million renovation took place, restoring this crown jewel to its original splendor. Sunflower Development Group, a Kansas City developer committed to preserving our communities’ history, took ownership in late 2017. Their extensive investment to restore the property is just the beginning of their commitment to transform The Historic Longview Mansion into a modern destination venue.

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