Longview, Benton County, Washington facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Longview, Washington
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 Longview, Benton County, Washington
Location in Benton County, Washington
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| Country | United States |
| State | Washington |
| County | Benton |
| Elevation | 302 ft (92 m) |
| Time zone | UTC-8 (Pacific (PST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-7 (PDT) |
| ZIP code |
99346
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| Area code(s) | 509 |
| GNIS feature ID | 1514878 |
Longview is a historic community in Benton County, Washington. It's not a city with its own government, but rather an unincorporated place. You can find it about three miles west of Umatilla, Oregon. It sits on the north bank of the Columbia River, near a spot called Devil's Bend Rapids.
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A Place with Many Names
Longview has had many different names throughout its history. Each name tells a bit about what was happening there at the time.
From King to Gravel
The area was first known as King starting in 1904. This name came from David and America King, who were the first settlers there. They built their home on this land.
In 1906, the Spokane, Portland and Seattle Railway company set up a construction camp. They called this camp Gravel. They chose this name because there was a lot of gravel in the area. This gravel was useful for building the railroad.
The Railroad Station's Names
After the railroad was finished, the company opened a station. This station also changed its name several times.
In 1908, the station was first called Francis. But there was already another town in Washington named Frances. To avoid confusion, the name was changed.
In 1909, the station became Tuton. However, this name was often mixed up with a nearby town called Luzon. So, another change was needed.
Finally, in 1911, the station was named Longview. This name was chosen because of the amazing "long" view of the Columbia River from that spot.
The Final Name Changes
In October 1922, something interesting happened. Developers from another city also named Longview, located in Cowlitz County, Washington, asked the people of Longview, Benton County, to change their station's name. They wanted to use the name "Longview" just for their new development.
In return, the railroad offered to build a covered platform. This platform would protect the mail when it was dropped off. The residents agreed to the change. The railroad then picked the name Barger for the station.
The station's name changed one last time on November 23, 1943. It went back to its very first name, King. The King station stayed open until it finally closed in 1951.
