Longview, Alberta facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Longview
Village
Village of Longview
Longview seen across the Highwood River
Longview Location in Alberta
Country	Canada
Province	Alberta
Region	Southern Alberta
Census Division	No. 6
Municipal district	M.D. of Foothills No. 31
Incorporated
• Village	January 1, 1964
Area  (2021)
• Land	1.1 km2 (0.4 sq mi)
Elevation	1,240 m (4,070 ft)
Population  (2021)
• Total	297
• Density	269.6/km2 (698/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC−7 (MST)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−6 (MDT)
Highways	22 541
Waterways	Highwood River

Longview is a small village in southern Alberta, Canada. It's nestled in the foothills of the Canadian Rockies. You can find it on Highway 22, also known as the Cowboy Trail. It's about 32 km west of High River and 64 km south of Calgary. The Highwood River flows right by the village.

Longview is famous for its amazing views of the Rocky Mountains. It also has a rich history of cattle ranching and is known for its natural resources, especially oil. People also love the wide-open spaces, the Highwood River, and the delicious beef from the area.

Longview was also the home of the famous Canadian Country Music star, Ian Tyson.

Who Lives in Longview?

This section talks about the number of people living in Longview.

Population in 2021

In the 2021 Census, Statistics Canada counted 297 people living in Longview. These people lived in 135 of the village's 147 homes. This number was a little lower than in 2016. The village covers about 1.1 square kilometers (0.42 square miles). This means there were about 269 people per square kilometer.

Population in 2016

In the 2016 Census, Longview had 307 people. They lived in 140 of the 151 homes. This number was the same as in 2011. The village's land area was still 1.1 square kilometers (0.42 square miles).

The Story of Longview

Learn about how Longview got its name and its exciting past.

How Longview Got Its Name

The village of Longview was named after two brothers, Thomas and Oliver Long. They settled near a place called Big Hill. The village's first post office opened in 1908. The name "Longview" came from the Long brothers' last name and the amazing long views from the post office.

Longview's Oil Boom

In 1936, oil was discovered nearby in the Turner Valley oilfields. This brought many people to the area. Longview became known as "Little New York." There was also a nearby town called "Little Chicago." No one is quite sure how these nicknames started.

Before 1936, the area was just an empty prairie. But when oil was found in 1937, many people arrived. They were often out of work because of the Great Depression. Buildings appeared very quickly, and people finally had jobs and money. Today, "Little Chicago" is gone, with only a monument left. But "Little New York" survived and grew into the village we now know as Longview.

Longview on the Big Screen

Longview has been a popular spot for filming movies!

• In 1991, parts of the Academy Award-winning movie Unforgiven were filmed in and around Longview. This movie starred Clint Eastwood.
• The TV movie Monte Walsh, starring Tom Selleck, was also filmed here.
• In 2013, scenes from the science fiction movie Interstellar were filmed in Longview. The school where the main character, Cooper (played by Matthew McConaughey), learns about farming was filmed here. The ranch house where Cooper lived with his family was also built in Longview just for the movie.

Images for kids

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  Looking south in Longview on Highway 22

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  Panorama of Longview looking south on Highway 22

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  Post office and village hall

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  Looking south in Longview on Highway 22

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  Longview and Rural Fire Department

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  Talisman Energy Pumpjack in 2004