History of Kilgore, Texas
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.
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.
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.
— De Mezieres[4]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 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 km2) sold to the railroad by Constantine Buckley Kilgore, the town's namesake.
Farmers relied on the trains to transport crops and livestock, linking Kilgore to larger markets beyond the local area.
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.
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.
[8] 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.
Kilgore's fortunes changed dramatically on October 3, 1930, when wildcatter Columbus M. "Dad" Joiner struck oil near the neighboring town of Henderson.
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.
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."
[15][16] During World War II, Kilgore, Texas, played a notable role due to its strategic significance in the oil industry.
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 [17] Additionally, the city hosted various military training and support operations, reflecting the nationwide efforts to mobilize resources for the war.
It trained over 200,000 soldiers who frequently traveled to Kilgore and surrounding towns for entertainment, impacting local businesses, culture, and infrastructure.
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 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.
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.
[19] 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.
