The legend is that the Town of Long View was thought to have been named by Sam D. Campbell a prominent contractor and real estate dealer who helped build the old Piedmont Wagon Company factory building in Hickory.

 

The story goes that one day while standing at his former home where the Pepsi Cola Bottling Company building was previously located, Mr. Campbell gazed down the Southern Railway track toward Hickory and remarked, "It's a long view." The name stuck.

 

There has been some confusion as to whether Long View is one or two words. "Longview" one word, is commonly used today in connection with the town. However, as of March 8, 1907, Section 1 of Chapter 430 of the original charter ratified by the North Carolina General Assembly in an act to incorporate the Town of Long View in Catawba County states:

   

"That the Town of Long View, in Catawba County, is hereby incorporated by the name of Long View, and said town shall be subject to all the provisions of law now existing in reference to incorporated towns."

 

According to original charter, Long View when dealing with the town name is two words.

 

In the early 1980s the people of Long View wanted something to separate them from their Hickory neighbor. Though the town received mail with the Hickory address, the town had its own police and fire departments, as well as, a town hall and a board of aldermen. To satisfy the need of a separate identity, the Town of Long View decided to adopt its own town seal.  

 

The first mayor to Long View was Daniel Morgan and the alderman consisted of John Carrier, Frank Lock, and Marvin Morgan. Mayors that followed were John D. Morgan, F. A. Lock, R. M. Barnhill and many others.