Longview Roofing Company

For your Longview roofing needs, Aspenmark Roofing is the fastest growing Longview roofing and Tyler roofing company. Why are we growing so fast? Its because of our complete commitment to quality and service. With our company, you can know for certain that you will be completely satisfied with your roofing experience.

Whether you have a home or a business in need of roof repair or replacment, call us today for a totally free inspection and estimate.

Call Longview roofing company, Aspenmark Roofing today at (903) 316-4469 and we will come out to take a look at your roof promptly.

Take a few moments to browse our website, read our testimonials, watch some videos and then gives us a call for your free inspection and estimate today.

Chris Zazo,Owner
Aspenmark Roofing


North Texas Roofing Loves Longview!

The Early Years of Longview: 1870-1871

The original site of Longview lay on the western outskirts of Earpville, an early Upshur County community along the old Marshall-Tyler Road (today known as U.S. 80). Founded around 1850 by James Earp, Earpville (pronounced "Arpville") consisted of several farmhouses, a post office, blacksmith shop, a church, one or two stores, stagecoach stop, and a campground.

The Texas & Pacific Railroad deeded land within the original 100 acres to four churches which were built and established within the first four years. These three are still in downtown Longview - the fourth, First Christian Church moved to a nearby location on 6th Street.

After the Civil War, the Southern Pacific Railroad Company began to expand toward California from its terminus at Marshall. The Southern Pacific Railroad Company bought a 100-acre tract in April 7, 1870 from farmer 0. H. Methvin for one gold dollar, with the promise to lay out a town site on the land in advance of track construction. Inspired by the scenic view from the porch of Methvin's home atop Rock Hill, a railroad surveyor suggested the town name of "Longview." The Longview Post Office was established Jan. 27, 1871. On May 17, 1871, the one-square-mile town of Longview was incorporated.

1872-1874

On March 21, 1872, the Southern Pacific Railroad Company (no connection to the Southern Pacific operating in 2008), which owned a line between Longview and Waskom on the Texas and Louisiana border, was purchased by the Texas and Pacific Railroad Company. O.H. Methvin had sold another 50 acres for a reported $500 to the railroad to extend its town site further west. On Feb. 22 that year, commercial train service began at Longview with great celebration. The track ended at a locomotive turntable between Center and High streets.

Longview was known nationally as the head of the nation's Southern rail line. Because Longview was the closest rail access to much of the region, business, population, and construction was fueled by wagon traffic coming to Longview from a wide area. The International Railroad Co. was attracted to Longview and established a new track which crossed the Southern Pacific track about 600 feet east of the city limits.

The "Downtown Station" thus had a companion "Junction Station." The Texas & Pacific, which had acquired the Southern Pacific by federal edict, began laying track westward toward Dallas. With the Texas & Pacific joined by what would become the International & Great Northern, railroads made Longview the commercial center for northeast Texas.

1874-1880

What eventually became the Santa Fe line running southeast from Longview Junction was begun in 1877 by the locally capitalized Longview and Sabine Valley Railroad Company. As railroads opened virgin forests to harvest, 20 steam-powered sawmills were making pine lumber in Gregg County.

The rail transport, together with barbed wire and other agricultural innovations, allowed an increasing populace to be engaged primarily in growing cotton. Cotton remained the indispensable cash crop and principle foundation of the local economy.

1880-1900

Greater Longview developed around two focal points, each based on a separate depot on the Texas & Pacific track. The downtown depot was on the west side of Fredonia Street while the Junction depot was near the site of the original International depot. Beginning in 1883, the shortest mule-drawn streetcar line in the nation operated between the two depots. (Until the 1940s, trains stopped at both depots).

The grand Mobberly Hotel was built in 1884 at the Junction. The city's increased wealth brought several banking institutions, including F.J. Harrison and Co., A.E. Clemmons & Sons, and First National Bank. Other establishments serving early Longview residents included Peoples State Bank and the Citizens National Bank. The latter was housed in the Everett Building (built 1910), now home to the Gregg County Historical Museum.

To serve the growing population (2,034 residents by 1900), a volunteer fire department was organized in 1885. Like many other volunteer fire departments of that era, it was a hobby and social club for young civic leaders. The department was based in an octagonal brick building on Tyler Street near the rear of the TAP depot. The department's first engine was called "Dolly" in honor of the former Dolly Northcutt. In 1894, Bill Dalton and his outlaw gang robbed the First National Bank, located across Tyler Street from the fire station. The robbers shot their way out of town on horseback after a gun battle that saw two citizens and one outlaw killed with several others wounded. In 1897, a new courthouse was erected and the local Lacy Telephone Company began serving the community.

1900-1910

Mayor Gabriel Augustus Bodenheim (1873–1957), was known affectionately as "Bodie." He served as mayor 1904-1916 and 1918-1920. During his administration, Longview's first municipal water works, sanitary sewer system and street-paving projects happened. The mayor engineered the long-delayed annexation of Longview Junction, bringing the city's population to 5,000. "Bodie Park" was created in his honor and the Longview Independent School District was created in 1909. The 1883 wooden high school was replaced with a three-story brick building. Three new elementary schools, Northcutt Heights, Ward and First Ward were built in this period.

1910-1920

All the roads leading into Longview were dirt roads and wagon tracts. Railroads remain the city's lifeline. J. Garland Pegues opened the City Garage and was later joined by Julian Hurst who would be come a partner and later sole owner in the mid 1940s. Pegues-Hurst Ford is still owned and managed by descendants of Julian Hurst and in 2008 remained the fourth-oldest Ford dealership in Texas in continuous operation. The City Garage, located near the downtown train station would receive partially assembled new cars by rail and finish the assembly in their garage for final sale. In 1910, there were 18 daily passenger trains stopping in Longview. In 1911, Longview expanded as a rail center a fourth line, the Port Bolivar & Iron Ore railroad was formed. The PB&IO did not last long as the Santa Fe took over the line in 1914. In the 1970s, the PB&I0 right-of-way within Longview was developed as Cargill Long Park - one of the nations first rails to trails projects. In 1912, the city's mule-drawn streetcars became electric trolleys. Longview was the site of the second of 25 racial conflicts race riot that erupted across the United States during the summer of 1919. Like many other conflicts, it was fueled by postwar economic tensions and conflict between European Americans and African Americans. Sensational press about an alleged lynching over an interracial romance fed rumors in the community. Troops were needed to quell the riot.

1920-1930

Paved streets, concrete sidewalks, electric streetlights, municipal garbage collection and a paid fire department with the state's first two pumping trucks were seen in Longview by 1920. The Longview Rotary Club was organized as the city's first service club. A 16-foot-wide strip of asphalt known as State Highway 15 (future U.S. 80) became the first paved road across Gregg County in 1920-21. In 1926, the East Texas Chamber of Commerce was organized and established their headquarters in Longview in a new building near the downtown post office on Methvin Street. In 1929 the Gregg Hotel was built as a five-story hotel. Conrad Hilton purchased the hotel five years later and doubled its size. By the end of the 1920s Longview faced serious economic instability. Cotton profits declined and the lumber industry suffered as local timber was depleted. In January 1929, the Texas & Pacific Railroad moved its division offices and shops to Mineola, TX taking away 700 families - a major portion of Longview's tax base. Then came the Great Depression.

1930-1940

This U.S. Post Office in downtown Longview was constructed during the New Deal.

The Longview Museum of Fine Arts Sculpture Garden exhibits different artists' work each year. Shown are sculptures by Carol Flemming and Mark Williamson.

Because of Black gold, the Great Depression was barely noticed in East Texas. When oil was found near Rusk, Texas in October 1930, it led to the discovery of the East Texas Oil Field, biggest in the world. Longview's fortunes changed dramatically. A local Longview Realtor, B.A. Skipper, had long believed there was oil beneath the surface in Gregg County. The Longview Chamber of Commerce offered a prize of $10,000 for the first oil well in Gregg County within 12 miles of the city. Skipper and other investors had already begun drilling on a farm owned by Kelly Plow Works manager F.K. Lathrop. On Jan. 28, 1931, the well blew in, capable of producing 18,000 barrels per day. The Lathrop discovery well, which currently sits with in the Longview City Limits, was the third in East Texas and indicated the possibility of a single field loomed. The field proved to be some 40 miles long and nine miles wide. Almost half of the huge field was in Gregg County. The oil boom in East Texas was on.

Longview's Growth

Longview's population which had been decimated with the departure of the Texas & Pacific Railroad, experienced major growth and nearly tripled during the decade, to 13,758 by 1940. With the rest of the country suffering the effects of the Great Depression, Longview thrived. Longview built a new courthouse, city hall, post office, public library, community center, high school, county hospital (later Good Shepherd Medical Center) and railroad station. The five-story Gregg Hotel, which had opened in 1930 and doubled in size by Conrad Hilton in 1935. Heritage Plaza was built on the site of this historic hotel that was razed in the late 1990s. State Highway 15 was widened and became U.S. Highway 80, nicknamed "Main Street of Texas" across the oil field. U.S. Highway 80 eventually would stretch from coast to coast - Tybee Island near Savannah, GA to San Diego, CA.