# History of Kilgore, Texas

This article traces the history of Kilgore, Texas, (United States).

## Indigenous period pre-European (-1500)

The Caddo are thought to be an extension of Woodland period peoples, the Fourche Maline and Mossy Grove cultures, whose members were living in the area of Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, and Texas areas between 200 BCE and 800 CE. The Wichita and Pawnee are also related to the Caddo, since both tribes historically spoke Caddoan languages.
By 800 CE, this society had begun to coalesce into the Caddoan Mississippian culture. Some villages began to gain prominence as ritual centers. Leaders directed the construction of major earthworks known as platform mounds, which served as temple mounds and platforms for residences of the elite. The flat-topped mounds were arranged around leveled, large, open plazas, which were usually kept swept clean and were often used for ceremonial occasions. As complex religious and social ideas developed, some people and family lineages gained prominence over others.
By 1000 CE, a society that is defined by modern archaeologists as "Caddoan" had emerged. By 1200, the many villages, hamlets, and farmsteads established throughout the Caddo world had developed extensive maize agriculture, producing a surplus that allowed for greater density of settlement. In these villages, artisans and craftsmen developed specialties. The artistic skills and earthwork mound-building of the Caddoan Mississippians flourished during the 12th and 13th centuries.
The Caddo were farmers and enjoyed good growing conditions most of the time. The Piney Woods, the geographic area where they lived, was affected by the Great Drought from 1276 to 1299 CE, which covered an area extending to present-day California and disrupted many Native American cultures.

## Territorial period (1500s–1872)

The Caddo inhabited the Kilgore area before it was settled by Europeans. All of Texas became part of the Spanish Viceroyalty of New Spain in the 16th century. The area was also claimed by the French, but in 1819 the Adams-Onís Treaty officially placed Kilgore well within Spanish territory by making the Red River the northern boundary of New Spain.
One European who probably visited the Kilgore area was Athanase de Mezieres in 1778 as he described an area similar to East Texas. De Mezieres, a Frenchman in the service of the King of Spain probably crossed the West Fork of the Trinity River into present-day East Texas. He wrote:
   It is worthy to note that from the Brazos River on which the Tuacanas are established, and until one reaches the river which bathes the village of the Taovayzes (Red River), one sees on the right a forest that the natives appropriately call the Grand Forest. ...it is very dense, but not very wide. It seems to be there as a guide to even the most inexperienced, and to give refuge in this dangerous region to those who, few in number and lacking in courage, wish to go from one village to another. — De Mezieres
Present-day Kilgore remained under Spanish rule until 1821, when Mexico declared independence from Spain, and the area became part of the Mexican state of Coahuila y Tejas. The Republic of Texas broke off from Mexico in 1836 and remained an independent country for nearly 10 years.
This area was among early sections settled by United States immigrants before Texas became an independent republic, and after 1845, a state of the United States. It was an area developed as cotton plantations dependent on slave labor of African Americans. Lumbering of the pine forests was also pursued, especially in the early years of clearing the land for cultivation.

## Settlement (1872–1930)

Kilgore was founded in 1872 when the International–Great Northern Railroad completed the initial phase of rail line between Palestine and Longview. The rail company chose to bypass New Danville, a small community about 10 miles (16 km) southeast of Longview, in lieu of a new townsite platted on 174 acres (0.70 km$^2$) sold to the railroad by Constantine Buckley Kilgore, the town's namesake. That way the railroad gained the profits from sale and development of these lands.
During this time Kilgore was only a local train farm depot, serving mostly as a central hub for the agricultural communities around it. Farmers relied on the trains to transport crops and livestock, linking Kilgore to larger markets beyond the local area. The town’s economy and activity revolved around this simple depot function.
The new town received a post office in 1873 and, with a station and transportation for getting commodity crops to market, soon began to draw residents and businesses away from New Danville. By 1885, the population had reached 250, and the community had two cotton gins, a church, and a school (for white children only). The racially segregated Kilgore Independent School District was organized in 1910. By 1914 the town had two banks, several businesses, and a reported population of 700. The 1920s showed continued steady growth, and by 1929 Kilgore was home to an estimated 1,000 residents.

### Longview race riot (1919)

In June, local man Lemuel Walters of Longview had been whipped by two white men from Kilgore, allegedly for making "indecent advances" toward their sister. (One account said he was found in her bedroom.) Under Jim Crow, white men strictly monitored and discouraged relations between black men and white women, but not the reverse. Walters was arrested and put in jail in Longview. On June 17, he was abducted by a lynch mob consisting of ten men and subsequently shot to death later that night. His body was left near the railroad tracks. Dr. Davis, Jones, and some other respected black men went to Judge Bramlette in town, asking him to investigate the lynching. He asked for the names of people Jones had talked to at the jail. When no investigation was undertaken, the men returned to Judge Bramlette but became convinced he did not intend to pursue the case.

## Oil period (1930–1945)

Prosperity came to a halt, however, when Kilgore was dealt severe blows by a steep decline in cotton prices (on which most of the town's economy was still based), and the effects of the Great Depression. Businesses began to close and, by the middle of 1930, the population had fallen to 500; the community appeared destined to become a ghost town. Many Blacks joined the Great Migration out of the South to northern, midwestern, and western cities for work.
Kilgore's fortunes changed dramatically on October 3, 1930, when wildcatter Columbus M. "Dad" Joiner struck oil near the neighboring town of Henderson. This well, known as the Daisy Bradford #3, marked the discovery of the vast East Texas Oil Field. Seemingly overnight Kilgore was transformed from a small farming town on the decline into a bustling boomtown. The Daisy Bradford #3 was subsequently followed by the Lou Della Crim No. 1 and many others. By 1936, the population had increased to more than 12,000, and Kilgore's skyline was crowded with oil derricks.
Oil production continued at a breakneck pace throughout the early 1930s, with more than 1,100 producing oil wells within city limits at the height of the boom. The explosive growth left most civic services overwhelmed, and as a result Kilgore was forced to incorporate in 1931. With the city flooded with male workers and roustabouts, law enforcement struggled to keep order among the shanties, tents, and ramshackle honky-tonks that crowded Kilgore's main streets. On one occasion, they had to summon help from the Texas Rangers to keep the peace.

### Bonnie & Clyde

In the Kilgore News Herald from February 6, 1934, there are two intriguing stories about Bonnie and Clyde. One details how former Police Chief Bob Goss of Kilgore, and a man named Will Fritz once arrested Clyde Barrow. Next to this, another headline reads: "BARROW, BONNIE SEEN IN E. TEX." This was just a few months before the pair were killed by lawmen in Louisiana
Former News Herald reporter Bob Cone describes Clyde Barrow as an "elusive, event phantom-like desperado." Then states, "Barrow is bad. Barrow is bold. That's about the way Goss puts it.
   "It emphasizes that Barrow is much more desperate today than he was back there when he was launching his career of crime" - Police Chief Bob Goss (Texas Ranger)
and reflects on his earlier arrest by Goss and Fritz.
When asked if he thought Barrow would confront officers with his guns, Goss replied without hesitation,
   "Yes.", ”He's desperate. He knows it will be too bad for him if he is captured." - Police Chief Bob Goss (Texas Ranger)

### Tyler vs Kilgore

During the East Texas Oil Boom of the 1930s, significant tensions arose between Kilgore and Tyler, particularly over the allocation of oil revenues and mineral rights. As oil was discovered in Kilgore, both cities vied for economic dominance in the region, with Kilgore emerging as a center of oil production while Tyler, being larger and more established, exerted political and legal leverage. Disputes over royalties and taxes often led to legal battles, and many Kilgore residents believed that Tyler's legal maneuvers and favorable agreements allowed it to benefit disproportionately from oil revenues that should have rightfully gone to Kilgore. This perception of unfairness was exacerbated by issues related to land ownership and annexation, leading to a lasting sentiment in Kilgore that Tyler effectively took its oil money, hindering Kilgore's potential for growth during and after the boom.

### Kilgore Public Library

Based on the style of Normandy cottages, construction of the Kilgore Public Library began in 1933 and was completed in 1939. The New Deal agencies, the Public Works Administration and Works Progress Administration of the President Franklin D. Roosevelt administration, participated in the construction.

### World War II

During World War II, Kilgore, Texas, played a notable role due to its strategic significance in the oil industry. The East Texas Oil Field, discovered in 1930, became crucial for supplying oil, which was vital for military operations. This led to Kilgore's rapid growth as it became one of the most significant oil-producing areas in the country, contributing to the Allied war effort by providing a reliable fuel source for vehicles and machinery
Additionally, the city hosted various military training and support operations, reflecting the nationwide efforts to mobilize resources for the war.
Like Camp Fannin, established in 1943 just outside Kilgore, became one of the largest infantry training centers during World War II. It trained over 200,000 soldiers who frequently traveled to Kilgore and surrounding towns for entertainment, impacting local businesses, culture, and infrastructure. After the war, Camp Fannin was closed, but its influence lingered in Kilgore, where new roads and buildings accommodated the town's growth. Today, many Kilgore residents have connections to veterans who passed through the camp, adding to the town's historical identity.
Kilgore's booming oil industry not only shaped its economy during the war but also influenced its post-war development
By the mid-1930s the oil boom had begun to subside, and most of the small oil companies and wildcatters had sold out to major corporations. The boom was essentially over by 1940. But oil production has remained central to the city's economy. The population, which fluctuated wildly throughout the 1930s, stabilized at around 10,000 in the 1950s. A 2015 estimate placed it at just under 15,000 residents.

## Mid-century (1946-1974)
### Post-War

The Kilgore Drillers was a professional baseball team that existed briefly for four seasons from 1947-1950, playing the first two seasons in the Lone Star League and the last two in the East Texas League. The Drillers were successful in their years in the Lone Star League and the East Texas League.
Also the Kilgore Gushers, Kilgore Rangers, and Kilgore Braves where all professional baseball teams that played in Kilgore, Texas
These baseball teams were most likely formed from the veterans coming back from World War II

### Van Cliburn

Van Cliburn, an accomplished pianist from Kilgore, Texas, captured international attention in April 1958 when he won the prestigious Tchaikovsky International Piano Competition in Moscow, becoming the first American to do so. This win was significant due to Cold War tensions between the U.S. and the Soviet Union. Though he had graduated from Kilgore High School, by this time Cliburn had left Kilgore and was studying and performing on a national scale. His journey to Moscow was funded by American organizations, yet his profound talent and unassuming charm earned him popularity among Soviet audiences and even the support of Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev, who famously permitted Cliburn to win on merit, overriding any political considerations.
This cultural victory became a symbol of goodwill between the superpowers, and upon his return to the U.S., Cliburn received a hero's welcome, including a ticker-tape parade in New York—the first ever for a classical musician. This achievement highlighted not only his talent but also Kilgore’s cultural significance as his hometown.

### Developmental impact on Dallas

Kilgore, Texas, has played a significant role in the development of Dallas, particularly during the early 20th century, through its contributions to the East Texas oil boom. In the early 1930s, oil was discovered in Kilgore, leading to a massive oil rush that transformed the region’s economy. This discovery not only spurred economic growth in Kilgore but also had a profound impact on Dallas, which served as a central hub for the oil industry.
Dallas became a key center for oil-related businesses, including drilling companies, refineries, and financial institutions, many of which were established to support the burgeoning oil industry in East Texas. The wealth generated from the oil boom facilitated significant investments in infrastructure, real estate, and commerce in Dallas, contributing to its rapid urbanization and economic diversification during that period.
Additionally, the oil boom led to the establishment of numerous oil companies and financial institutions in Dallas, further solidifying its status as a major economic center in the region. The prosperity of the oil industry in East Texas, with Kilgore at its heart, thus played a pivotal role in shaping the economic landscape of Dallas in the early 20th century.

## 1974-Today

On September 23, 1983, five men and women were abducted from a Kentucky Fried Chicken restaurant in Kilgore and found slain, execution-style, in an oilfield outside of town. The crime went unsolved until November 2005, when two men, already in prison for other crimes, were charged, tried, and convicted for the crime.