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STEP BACK … in time to become acquainted with
Longview Farm and Loula Long Combs by way of personal
interviews with 47 employees, relatives and friends. A map
of the farm, floor plans of the Mansion and Corinthian Hall,
133 pictures, poems and recipes help fill the 316 pages of
the book that
re-create the feeling of Longview Farm in its “heyday.” |
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“The Longview We Remember”
Longview, known as
“The World’s Most Beautiful Farm,” once consisted of nearly
sixty buildings covering 1,600 acres of land southeast of
Kansas City, Missouri. Seventeen of those buildings, built
beginning in 1914 by lumber baron and philanthropist R. A.
Long, are now historical landmarks.
Long’s daughter, Loula
Long Combs, a nationally known horsewoman, made Longview her
home until her death in 1971. The farm served as a model
farm, a home for show horses and a site for charity horse
shows, picnics and conventions.
Loula Long Combs was a
loving person with a spirited sense of humor. It was said
that her philosophy of life was to respect your fellow man,
hold God in reverence, and be kind to animals. Be a good
sport, a humble and generous winner, a brave and cheerful
loser, follow the rules and play a clean game. She
knew that it takes sorrow to make people really appreciate
happiness and that faith shouldn’t be lessened when a prayer
isn’t answered, because you might be praying for the wrong
thing.
The interviews in this
book reveal memories of farm life, both work and play, as
well as Mrs. Combs’ relationship with her employees.
Through these interviews, many colorful pictures have been
painted of Mrs. Combs … “driving a horse as good as any man”
… “yelling with excitement at the farm volleyball games” …
and “coming across the lawn to the barn with as many as
twelve dogs with her.” You can almost see her coming now …
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