Get To Know Kilgore With These 7 Interesting Facts

(Kilgore, Texas) Kilgore, Texas, is one of the bright stars of East Texas.

The city that straddles the Gregg-Rusk county line is known by a few different names - Oil Capital Of Texas, City Of Stars, and The Richest Acre. All of those names center around the industry that put it on the Texas map and made it famous, oil.

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Early History of Kilgore

Founded in 1872, Kilgore was a relatively quiet community along a rail line that ran from Longview to Palestine. The town's population fell to about 500 residents in the early 1930s and was on the verge of becoming a ghost town. It wasn't until the discovery of oil in October of 1930 that things turned around and the town began to prosper.

The 1930 Oil Discovery

Kilgore was transformed almost overnight after the discovery of oil. Soon the skyline was filled with hundreds of oil derricks, especially in downtown after the discovery of a highly concentrated area of oil, which became known as the 'World's Richest Acre'. The boom lasted about a decade, and Kilgore was 'on the map'! To this day, oil remains a central key to the city's economy.

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Star-Topped Derricks Today

The rail line that runs along the northwest side of downtown is lined with oil derricks, which are topped with five-point stars, giving the oil town one of its nicknames. The stars are lit up each night, but they receive special treatment during Christmas each year. It's a special sight to see during the Christmas season.

Interesting Facts About Kilgore

Let's get to know Kilgore a little more through these interesting facts.