Jimmy's History of Longview, Texas

This was an ad in a Longview map.  Courtesy of Longview Public Library. 

October 4, 1957

This building was Hotel Longview from 1947 - 1960.  You can see a section of the East Texas Chamber of Commerce Building to the far left and the silhouette of a section of the Bramlette Building to the far right. Click here  for more pictures of the downtown hotel on Jimmy's Flicker Albums.

  Longview's downtown hotel was a Hilton from 1936 - 1947.  And no, it was not the second hotel in Conrad Hilton's hotel chain.  That is a legend in Longview's history and I am working on preparing a blog to explain how that legend started. Click here  for more pictures of the downtown hotel on Jimmy's Flicker Albums.

L to R:  United States Post Office , Hurst Building (Later Curtis Building/KFRO, East Texas Chamber of Commerce Building , & Hotel Gregg L to R:  United States Post Office , Heritage Plaza , Bramlette Building

I am starting a new series entitled "My Collection" where I highlight pictures of Longview memorabilia which I own.  I will also add a Label, or Bookmark, with the same name so all my related posts will be grouped together. To kick start this off, I want to share the newest addition to my collection.  It is a color postcard of the Gregg Hotel which was in downtown Longview where Heritage Plaza now sits.   This postcard is "used" as it was mailed.  It is postdated March 1, 1936.  What is interesting is the writer of the postcard dated when she penned it, which is the same day so she must have mailed it immediately after writing her message.  The writer was one of the last few guests to stay at the Gregg Hotel as it was in 1936 the building was enlarged and became part of the Hilton Hotel chain. I prefer "used" postcards over uncirculated, especially for the older ones, such as this.  The reason is you know the person is deceased and it is a way to ...

   With visitors in attendance from various parts of Texas and Louisiana, Longview recently held the official opening of its new $175,000  ($2,958,718 in 2022)  hostelry, the Hotel Gregg .  Dr. George S. Sexton, president of Centenary College, Shreveport, and Hubert M. Harrison, general manager of the East Texas Chamber of Commerce , were the principal speakers at a banquet for officers, directors and stockholders, held the first night.  A dance and buffet supper on the second night marked the official opening to the public.    The Hotel Gregg, owned by the Longview Hotel Company, is five stories in height and contains sixty-four rooms with bath, lobby, dining-room and cafeteria.  The structure is located next door to headquarters of the East Texas Chamber of Commerce.  It is operated by the North Louisiana Hotel Company, operators of the Washington-Youree Hotel in Shreveport.    Ashton Glassell of Shreveport was the contractor...

   Construction is to begin September 2 [1929] on a new hotel for Longview, which, when furnished, will represent an expenditure of approximately $175,000 ($2,958,718 in 2022).  A charter has been issued to the Longview Hotel Company, which is capitalized at $70,000 ($1,183,487 in 2022), and bonds are to be issued to take care of an equil sum.    The building is to be five stories in height, and plans call for sixty-two rooms, a large dining hall, and a cafeteria.  Each room will be provided with both shower and tub bath, and electric fan, as well as other conveniences.  The structure will be located on a corner lot next to the headquarters building of the East Texas Chamber of Commerce.  The operators, the North Louisiana Hotel Company, will furnish the hotel.  Ashton Glassell of Shreveport is the contractor, and Edward F. Neild, also of Shreveport is the architect.    Composing the board of directors of the Longview Hotel Company...