Situated in the East Texas Piney Woods, Longview was established in 1870 when O. H. Methvin deeded land to the Southern Pacific to build a railroad station. The village became the county seat of Gregg County in 1873 and quickly prospered as a rail, cotton, and manufacturing center. The discovery of the East Texas Oil Field in 1930�1931 revealed that Longview sat in the middle of the world�s largest pool of petroleum. The boom had begun! Today Longview is home to almost 80,000 residents. The city that bills itself as �Real East Texas� is a manufacturing, medical, and educational center and home to such events as the Great Texas Balloon Race and AlleyFest arts festival.