<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>
    <schemaVersion>X0101</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType><periodOfReport>2003-06-25</periodOfReport>
    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000060302</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>LONGVIEW FIBRE CO</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>LFB</issuerTradingSymbol></issuer><reportingOwner><reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0000904258</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>WERTHEIMER ROBERT E</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>  </rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>  </rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>  </rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>  </rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>  </rptOwnerZipCode>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
            <reportingOwnerRelationship>
<isDirector>1</isDirector><isOfficer>0</isOfficer><isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner><isOther>0</isOther></reportingOwnerRelationship></reportingOwner><nonDerivativeSecurity><securityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></securityTitle><transactionDate><value>2003-06-25</value></transactionDate><deemedExecutionDate><value>2003-06-27</value></deemedExecutionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>I</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>5249</value></transactionShares><transactionValue><value>7.91</value></transactionValue><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>D</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>13643</value><footnoteId id="F1"/><footnoteId id="F2"/></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>I</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value>By 401(k) Plan</value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeSecurity><footnotes><footnote id="F1">Does not include 45,550 shares held indirectly by spouse and does not include 670,350 shares held indirectly as Trustee, as to which shares reporting person disclaims any beneficial interest, and this report shall not be deemed an admission that the reporting person is the beneficial owner of such securities for purposes of Section 16 or for any other purpose. </footnote><footnote id="F2">Does not include 836,015 shares held directly by reporting person.</footnote></footnotes><ownerSignature><signatureName>Rosemary Y. Purcell, Attorney-in-fact</signatureName><signatureDate>2003-06-30</signatureDate></ownerSignature></ownershipDocument>

