Kilgore, Texas Celebrates 50 Years as the "Oil Capital of Texas"

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

Kilgore, Texas, a small community along a rail line in East Texas, was on the verge of becoming a ghost town in the early 1930s with a population of just 500 residents. However, everything changed in October 1930 when oil was discovered in the area, sparking an oil boom that would last for about a decade and put Kilgore "on the map." Today, oil remains central to Kilgore's economy, and the city is known by several nicknames including the "Oil Capital of Texas," the "City of Stars," and the "World's Richest Acre."

Why it matters

Kilgore's transformation from a quiet rail town to a booming oil hub is a quintessential story of the impact that natural resource discoveries can have on small communities. The oil boom allowed Kilgore to thrive and grow, but also shaped the city's identity and enduring legacy as a center of the Texas oil industry.

The details

After the 1930 oil discovery, Kilgore's skyline quickly filled with hundreds of oil derricks, especially in the downtown area where a highly concentrated area of oil was found, earning it the nickname the "World's Richest Acre." The oil boom lasted about a decade, but oil remains central to Kilgore's economy to this day. The rail line that runs along the northwest side of downtown is now lined with oil derricks topped with five-point stars, giving the city another of its nicknames, the "City of Stars."

• Kilgore was founded in 1872.
• In the early 1930s, Kilgore's population had fallen to around 500 residents.
• Oil was discovered in Kilgore in October 1930.
• The oil boom in Kilgore lasted about a decade after the 1930 discovery.