R.A. Long

Lee's Summit , Missouri

Longview Farm was the country estate of Kansas City lumber R.A. Long baron and philanthropist, R.A. Long (left) (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 & Grand as headquarters for his Long-Bell Lumber Co. As a leading philanthropist, Long spearheaded the drive to build the Liberty Memorial after World War I.

Longview Mansion and 50 other farm structures were constructed in just 18 months between 1913 and June 1, 1914. More than 50 Belgian craftsmen and 200 Sicilian stonemasons were among the 2,000 workers employed to turn 1,780 raw acres into “The World’s Most Beautiful Farm.”

Loula Long CombsLong’s daughter, Loula (left)(1881–1971) and her husband Robert Pryor Combs lived at Longview. For 65 years she competed in and won international horse shows in New York, Canada and England. She became known as the Queen of the American Royal and is in the Madison Square Garden Hall of Fame. All of her prize-winning horses were raised and trained at Longview Farm, including her favorite, Revelation, whose grave marker is in front of the Show Horse Arena.

The farm employed 175 people. Besides horses, Longview was known for its pure bred Jersey dairy cattle that provided milk for Long’s family, his employees and area charities. Longview Farm’s greenhouses produced prize-winning roses and other flowers.

Toward the end of their lives, Loula and her sister Sally America Long Ellis donated the land for Longview Community College. Other parcels were sold and became Longview Lake and nearby residential communities.