Oil Derricks Of Kilgore Texas Stock Image

Kilgore's downtown was once called "The Worlds Richest Acre". By 1940 there where twenty four wells pumping oil in one city block. Oil companies and Prospectors where drilling everywhere. The Presbyterian church tore down their sanctuary to drill in its place. Oilmen drilled through the floor of the Kilgore National Bank. By the early 1960's all but one derricks had been removed from that block. However in the 90's the Kilgore Historical Preservation Association turned the space into a park and added twelve more derricks to recreate the historic skyline, located at Commerce and Main Streets. It now celebrates the towns oil boom history.