East Texas Piney Woods
Located 120 miles east of Dallas on Interstate 20, the city of Kilgore is located in the center of the great East Texas Oilfield.
For over 65 years, oil has been flowing from beneath the beautiful hardwood and pine forests of East Texas. The magnetism of the oil industry and its steel oil derricks have attracted visitors to Kilgore for years.
11,339
The average low is 38 degrees in January and the average high is 96 degrees in July. Rainfall averages 44 inches per year.
US 259 on Ross St.; Mail: 1100 Broadway, Kilgore, Texas 75662
The premier tourist attraction in Kilgore and the region, the East Texas Oil Museum gives visitors an historic look at the discovery of oil in the 1930's and its impact on East Texas.
Visitors can literally step back in time when they visit BOOMTOWN, USA, a full scale recreation of the scenery, the stores, the equipment and the people who came to East Texas to strike it rich.
The story of the discovery of oil is told through movies, dioramas, historical displays, and authentic artifacts. The museum is a tribute to the independent oil producers and wildcatters who dared to dream as they pursued the fruits of free enterprise.
Museum Hours:
Tues-Sat, 9 a.m.-4 p.m.
Sun, 2-5 p.m.
Museum stays open until 5 p.m., April through September
1100 Broadway, Kilgore, Texas 75662
The colorful history of the Kilgore College Rangerettes, the internationally famous precision dance and drill team, is depicted in this museum. The Rangerette story is told through colorful photographs, films, scrapbooks, costumes and memorabilia.
Begun in 1940, the Rangerettes were the first precision dance and drill team in the country to perform on the gridiron. With their famous "HIGHKICK", the Rangerettes have performed worldwide, on television, in numerous parades and football games.
Relive the magic of the Kilgore College Rangerettes at the Showcase.
Showcase Hours:
Mon-Fri, 10 a.m.-12 noon; 1:30 p.m.-5 p.m.
Sat-Sun, 25 p.m.
Admission: Free
Phone:(903) 983-8265
This 1.19 acre site, about the size of half a city block, at the corner of Commerce and Main Streets once had 24 oil wells producing simultaneously during the boom. The wells yielded 2.5 million barrels of oil in almost 35 years of production.
Yet, the World's Richest Acres had just a fraction of the 1200 producing oil wells within the city limits of Kilgore! Today, a historical marker, one original derrick, and 11 restored derricks stand as a monument to the East Texas Oilfield.
The stars atop the derricks are lighted during the Christmas season making a sparkling holiday display across the city's skyline.
Hours: Open year round, no specified hours
Admission:Free
No phone