Longview Farm, Lees Summit, Missouri – Legends of America
Okay, picture this: early 1900s, Kansas City is buzzing, and there’s this lumber tycoon, Robert Alexander Long, who’s got a serious case of "I want a farm!" Not just any farm, mind you, but the most beautiful farm in the world. This is the story of Longview Farm, a place so grand, it was basically a small city unto itself.
(Image of Longview Mansion)
Caption: The majestic mansion at Longview Farm. (Photo courtesy Sunflower Management Group, Kansas City)
From Lumber Baron to Gentleman Farmer
So, who was this Robert Long guy? Well, he made his fortune in lumber, starting the Long-Bell Lumber Company back in Kansas. Eventually, he moved his operation and family to Kansas City in 1891. Fast forward to 1913, and Long, at the ripe age of 63, decides it’s time to pursue his passion for horses and the rural life.
(Image of Robert A. Long)
Caption: Robert A. Long, the mastermind behind Longview Farm.
He envisions a farm that’s not just a place to raise animals and grow crops, but a self-sufficient community where everyone’s needs are met. To make this dream a reality, he starts buying up land – 16 different farms, to be exact – creating a massive rectangular plot in Lee’s Summit, Missouri. He wanted a place with high elevation and fantastic views, and this spot fit the bill perfectly.
Building a Dream
Long didn’t just slap together some barns and call it a day. He hired the best in the business: architect Henry F. Hoit (who designed Long’s Kansas City home and office) and landscape architect George F. Kessler. Construction began in 1913, and it was a huge undertaking. We’re talking 2,000 workers, including skilled Belgian craftsmen and Sicilian stonemasons.
They built farm buildings, graded roads, dug a ten-acre lake, laid miles of pipe, planted trees, and even rerouted water courses. Long was so into the project that he set up a tent on the grounds and personally oversaw much of the work. By May 1914, the farm was mostly done, and the family moved into the main house in June.
(Image of the dairy at Longview Farm)
Caption: The dairy at Longview Farm, a key part of the self-sufficient operation. (Photo by Kathy Alexander)
The World’s Most Beautiful Farm
When Longview Farm was finally completed in 1916, it was a sight to behold. Over 50 buildings sprawled across 1,780 acres, earning it the title of "World’s Most Beautiful Farm." The million-dollar farm included:
- A massive mansion with formal gardens
- Barns for all kinds of animals (show horses, work horses, dairy cows, hogs)
- A chapel/schoolhouse
- Homes for over 200 employees
- A racetrack, grandstand, and clubhouse
- A powerhouse
All the buildings had a cohesive look, with red tile roofs and stucco exteriors. They were carefully placed to maximize views, light, and ventilation.
Around 800 acres were used for growing crops like oats, corn, wheat, and soybeans. The rest was dedicated to the mansion, gardens, lake, animal operations, and commercial greenhouses. Long’s goal was to create a farm that was both productive and efficient.
(Image of the chapel at Longview Farm)
Caption: The chapel, a social hub for the Longview Farm community. (Photo by Dave Alexander)
A Self-Sufficient Community
Longview Farm wasn’t just a farm; it was a self-contained community. It employed an average of 175 people and had everything needed to care for the Longs’ prize horses and a modern dairy with Jersey cows. The farm also had hogs, chickens, farmland for food, greenhouses, and a meticulously maintained main yard. It even had underground electricity and a 100,000-gallon water tower!
Long wanted to provide a comfortable place for his employees to live, with all the conveniences of the city. The farm had its own heating and electricity plants, a water system, and even a telephone system. There were blacksmiths, plumbers, carpenters, and other tradespeople working on the farm.
Employees had a variety of housing options, from houses for managers to cottages for married workers and a boarding house called the "Hotel" for single men.
(Image of a Longview Farm manager’s house)
Caption: One of the houses provided for the farm’s managers. (Photo by Kathy Alexander)
Long aimed to create a strong sense of community. There was group transportation to Lee’s Summit for shopping and recreation, and baseball games and other athletic activities were popular. The chapel/school served as a social center, hosting movies, plays, and Sunday School classes. Long even invited underprivileged children to spend time on the farm during the summer.
Details, Details, Details
No detail was overlooked at Longview Farm. The farm’s boundaries were marked by nine miles of whitewashed post and rail fencing, made from cypress sawed in Long’s lumber mills. The fence was constructed without nails or pegs, and it cost a whopping $15,000.
(Image of the back of the Longview Mansion)
Caption: The back of the mansion, showcasing its impressive scale.
Seven miles of gravel lanes wound through the farm, taking advantage of the beautiful landscape. The road leading to the mansion was particularly grand, with a wide paved center section, parkways, elm trees, and electric light standards.
The 22,000-square-foot mansion itself was a masterpiece, with 48 rooms, six fireplaces, 14 bedrooms, and ten baths. It featured stucco walls, red tile roofs, Tuscan columns, and elaborate furnishings. Long even installed a $15,000 pipe organ. The mansion also boasted the first central vacuum system west of the Mississippi River and steam heating.
(Image of Robert Long and his family)
Caption: Robert Long with his family.
The lake and pergola were the highlights of the landscaping. The 20-acre lake was used for both practical purposes (water storage and filtration) and recreation (boating). A boat house once stood on the west side of the lake.
The farm also had greenhouses that produced flowers and shrubbery for Longview and the Long estate in Kansas City. Eventually, the greenhouses expanded, and Longview began commercially distributing flowers to a wholesale outlet in Kansas City.
(Image of Loula Long Combs)
Caption: Loula Long Combs, Robert Long’s daughter and a renowned equestrian.
A Legacy of Horses
Loula Long, Robert’s daughter, shared his love for horses. She married Pryor Combs, also a horse enthusiast, and continued to live at Longview Farm. Loula became an internationally recognized equestrian, bringing even more fame to the farm. She showed her horses across the United States and Canada, including at Madison Square Garden.
The Farm’s Decline and Transformation
Robert A. Long died in 1934. The Great Depression hit Longview Farm hard, and the lumber business also suffered. The dairy business declined first, and in 1935, the show cattle were sold.
Staffing issues during World War II led to the farm’s commercial dairy operation ceasing. The farm shifted its focus to beef cattle, and eventually, most of the fields were rented out to farmers. In 1968, the Long sisters donated 146 acres to Longview Community College. Loula Long Combs and her sister Sally America Long Ellis both died in 1971.
Over the years, the land was further divided. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers acquired 950 acres for Longview Lake, and other parcels were sold for residential communities.
(Image of the show horse barn turned into an elementary school)
Caption: The show horse barn was transformed into Longview Farm Elementary School. (Photo by the Historic American Buildings Survey)
Despite the changes, Longview Farm was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1985. The area included 325 acres of the original farm and 17 buildings and structures.
In 2005, the Longview Farm show-horse arena was converted into Longview Farm Elementary School.
Today, a 260-acre project community called New Longview preserves the historic character of the farm. It includes restored buildings, a park, and the Longview Community College campus. The Longview Mansion has been renovated as a wedding and event venue.
Longview Farm may not be the self-sufficient empire it once was, but its legacy lives on in the community that surrounds it. It’s a reminder of one man’s vision and the incredible world he created in the heart of Missouri.