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Kilgore, Texas
Kilgore is a city of 13,470 people in Gregg County, Texas, founded in 1872.
Why visit Kilgore
Townapedia lists 29 museums and landmarks, 19 parks and trails, 58 places to eat, 8 places to stay and 5 attractions in and around town.
Highlights include 4 Star Cinema, Texan Theater, Anne Dean Turk Fine Arts Center and Dean-Keener-Crim House.
August is the warmest month, with average highs of 95°F; January lows average 37°F.
Weather in Kilgore
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Kilgore
Kilgore is a city in Gregg and Rusk counties in Texas, United States. As of the 2020 census, its population was 13,376. It is located where Interstate 20 and US 259 converge south of the Sabine River.
From the Wikipedia article Kilgore, Texas (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do5
4 Star Cinema
Cinema and theater
Locally owned 4-screen cinema operated by Foothills Entertainment, featuring recliner seating, full concession menu including beer and...
1607 US Highway 259 N, Kilgore
Mo-Su 11:00-23:30
Texan Theater
Cinema and theater · 1.2 mi
Historic Art Deco Texan Theater, built in 1931. Originally known for Westerns, it is now owned by the City of Kilgore and managed by...
201 South Kilgore Street, Kilgore
"Check website for event schedule and rental availability"
Ann Dean Turk Fine Arts Center & Van Cliburn Auditorium
Cinema and theater · 1.4 mi
Museums and landmarks29
Anne Dean Turk Fine Arts Center
Museum · 1.4 mi
Art museum in City of Kilgore, United States
Crim Office Building
Monument and historic site · 1.1 mi
Historic office building dating to the East Texas oil boom era; associated with the influential Crim family.
111 North Kilgore Street, Kilgore
17 more on the map.
Parks, trails and playgrounds19
Shakespeare Garden
Park · 1.3 mi
A themed garden located on the Kilgore College campus, near the Ann Dean Turk Fine Arts Center and the Texas Shakespeare Festival....
Brook Drive, Kilgore
24/7
World's Richest Acre Park
Park · 1.1 mi
Commemorates the great East Texas Oil Boom of the 1930s, located at the corner of Main Street and Commerce Street. This historic...
100 North Commerce Street, Kilgore
24/7
Driller Park
Sports field and stadium · 2.1 mi
2100 South Commerce Street, Kilgore
Meadowbrook Golf & Event Center
Golf course · 1.3 mi
1306 Houston Street, Kilgore
7 more on the map.
Restaurants and cafes58
Cozy Coffee Station
Cafe · Coffee Shop, Breakfast, Brunch, Dessert · 0.8 mi
Family-owned coffee shop offering handcrafted espresso, sodas, milkshakes, and more.
110 Midtown Plaza, Kilgore
Mo-Fr 06:00-19:00; Sa 08:00-17:00; Su off
Dragon Grill
Restaurant · American, Burger, Comfort Food, Dessert · 1.2 mi
Casual American restaurant located inside Dragon's Nest, a gaming store. Serves comfort food including burgers and banana pudding....
302 East Main Street, Kilgore
Mo-Tu 11:00-14:00; We off; Th-Su 11:00-21:00
The Back Porch
Restaurant · American, Burger, Steak, Seafood, Southern, Ice Cream, Regional, Grill, Salad, Soup, Sandwich, Diner, Lunch, Dessert, Coffee Shop, Chicken · 1.3 mi
Long-running Kilgore restaurant, bar, and live music venue with a rich history, originally a 1930s pool hall. Features American/Southern...
904 Broadway Boulevard, Kilgore
Su-Tu 11:00-21:00; We-Th 11:00-22:00; Fr 11:00-24:00; Sa 11:00-01:00
The Jalapeno Tree
Restaurant · Mexican
Family-run Mexican restaurant established in 1995, offering a wide menu including fajitas, tacos, and enchiladas. Features a patio for...
1520 US Highway 259 N, Kilgore
Mo-Su 11:00-22:00
Venecia's Italian Kitchen
Restaurant · Italian, Pizza, Pasta · 1.2 mi
Family-run Italian restaurant serving a variety of Italian fare including pizza, in a casual setting with two customer-accessible floors.
210 East Main Street, Kilgore
Mo-Su 11:00-20:55
7 Brew
Cafe · Coffee Shop · 0.7 mi
914 North Kilgore Street, Kilgore
Su-Th 05:30-22:00; Fr,Sa 05:30-23:00
Baskin-Robbins
Ice cream · Ice Cream · 2.4 mi
4405 Highway 42 North, Kilgore
Mo-Th 05:00-22:00; Fr-Sa 05:00-23:00; Su 05:00-22:00
The Dream Willow
Cafe · Coffee Shop · 1.1 mi
A coffee shop and boutique. Serves a variety of coffee drinks, lattes, frappés, and teas. Also sells a curated collection of gift items,...
203 East Main Street, Kilgore
Zen Kitchen
Restaurant · Pizza, Pasta, Coffee Shop, Bakery, Barbecue, Local, Pastry, Salad, Sandwich, Bakehouse, Dessert, Lunch, Diner, Brunch, Wine, Alcohol, Beer, Coffee, Coffeehouse, Hard Liquor · 1.2 mi
BakeHouse & Craft Beverage Company
117 South Rusk Street, Kilgore
Downtown D'Lites Cafe
Cafe · Tea, Coffee Shop, Dessert, Local, Lunch, Salad, Potato, Sandwich, Hot Dog, Soup · 1.2 mi
103 North Kilgore Street, Kilgore
46 more on the map.
History
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 km2) sold to the railroad by Constantine Buckley Kilgore, the town's namesake. That way the railroad gained the profits from sale and development of the lands.
Kilgore grew significantly after October 3, 1930, when wildcatter Columbus M. "Dad" Joiner struck oil near the neighboring town of Henderson. The well known as the Daisy Bradford #3, marked the discovery of the vast East Texas Oil Field. Kilgore rapidly 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.
In the 1940s Kilgore had over 1,000 wooden oil derricks. One acre was known by the nickname "The world's richest acre." Now there are 60 steel replicas of the derricks in the city topped with stars. The city is nicknamed the City of Stars.
From the History section of Kilgore, Texas on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where to stay8
Holiday Inn Express & Suites Kilgore North
Motel and hotel · 1.4 mi
3308 US Highway 259 North, Kilgore
Churches and places of worship28
Christ the King Catholic Church
Church · Catholic · 1.6 mi
1407 Broadway Boulevard, Kilgore
First Pentecostal Church
Church · Pentecostal · 1.1 mi
516 Fritz Swanson Road, Kilgore
Iglesia de Dios Pentecostal M.I.
Church · Pentecostal · 1.0 mi
208 State Highway 31 East, Kilgore
Morning Star Baptist Church
Church · Baptist · 0.9 mi
504 North Longview Street, Kilgore
Shopping8
Gas and EV charging13
Schools, colleges and libraries17
Healthcare6
Allegiance Specialty Hospital
Hospital · 1.6 mi
1612 South Henderson Boulevard, Kilgore
Brookshire's Pharmacy
Clinic and pharmacy · 0.7 mi
747 North Henderson Boulevard, Kilgore
UT Health East Texas Urgent Care - Kilgore, TX
Clinic and pharmacy · 0.6 mi
1016 North Kilgore Street, Kilgore
Map of Kilgore
191 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 58°F | 37°F | 3.6 in |
| Feb | 62°F | 40°F | 3.8 in |
| Mar | 70°F | 47°F | 4.5 in |
| Apr | 77°F | 54°F | 3.9 in |
| May | 84°F | 63°F | 4.8 in |
| Jun | 91°F | 70°F | 4.2 in |
| Jul | 94°F | 74°F | 2.5 in |
| Aug | 95°F | 73°F | 2.6 in |
| Sep | 89°F | 66°F | 3.2 in |
| Oct | 79°F | 55°F | 4.0 in |
| Nov | 68°F | 45°F | 3.8 in |
| Dec | 60°F | 38°F | 4.5 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Longview E Tx Rgnl Ap 72247 (9 mi away), NOAA NCEI.
People and cost of living
American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, U.S. Census Bureau. Estimates have margins of error, larger for small towns.
Disaster history
Gregg County has had 16 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for hurricanes.
- 2024-07-09: Hurricane Beryl (Hurricane)
- 2021-02-19: Severe Winter Storms (Severe Ice Storm)
- 2021-02-14: Severe Winter Storm (Severe Ice Storm)
- 2020-08-24: Tropical Storms Marco And Laura (Hurricane)
- 2020-03-25: Covid-19 Pandemic (Biological)
- 2020-03-13: Covid-19 (Biological)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
East Texas Regional Airport (GGG) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 9 miles away.
- Liberty City 6 mi northwest, about 10 min by car
- White Oak 9 mi north, about 15 min by car
- Lakeport 9 mi east, about 14 min by car
- Longview 10 mi northeast, about 17 min by car
- New London 10 mi southwest, about 16 min by car
- Clarksville City 10 mi north, about 16 min by car
- Gladewater 11 mi northwest, about 18 min by car
- Henderson 17 mi south, about 27 min by car
- Tyler 27 mi west, about 43 min by car
- Jacksonville 38 mi southwest, about 1 h by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB, the NEMICO news database.
Reviews, tips and questions
Loading what members have shared...
Sources and licences
- NCES EDGE (Public domain): public schools
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (Public domain): climate by month
- OpenFEMA (Public domain): disaster declarations
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- U.S. Census Bureau (Public domain): population, income, housing, education, commute
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website, landmarks and historic places
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- Kilgore May 2016 16 (Main Street), Michael Barera, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Kilgore May 2016 34 (City of Kilgore Police & Courts Building), Michael Barera, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Kilgore May 2016 33 (Kilgore City Hall), Michael Barera, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Kilgore May 2016 32 (Mirror Mirror Salon), Michael Barera, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Kilgore May 2016 31 (City Park), Michael Barera, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Kilgore May 2016 30 (City Park), Michael Barera, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Kilgore May 2016 01 (Kilgore Street), Michael Barera, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Kilgore May 2016 29 (City of Kilgore Horseshoe Pitching Arena), Michael Barera, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Kilgore May 2016 26 (Kilgore Public Library), Michael Barera, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Kilgore May 2016 27 (Kilgore Public Library), Michael Barera, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Kilgore May 2016 28 (Kilgore Public Library), Michael Barera, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Kilgore May 2016 02 (Kilgore Street), Michael Barera, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Kilgore May 2016 25 (World's Richest Acre Park), Michael Barera, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Kilgore May 2016 10 (Kilgore Street and World's Richest Acre Park), Michael Barera, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Kilgore May 2016 09 (Kilgore Street and World's Richest Acre Park), Michael Barera, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Kilgore May 2016 08 (Kilgore Street), Michael Barera, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Kilgore May 2016 07 (Kilgore Street), Michael Barera, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Kilgore May 2016 03 (Kilgore Depot), Michael Barera, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Kilgore May 2016 04 (Kilgore Depot), Michael Barera, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Kilgore May 2016 05 (World's Richest Acre Park), Michael Barera, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Kilgore May 2016 06 (World's Richest Acre Park), Michael Barera, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Kilgore May 2016 24 (Kilgore Depot), Michael Barera, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Kilgore May 2016 14 (St. Luke's United Methodist Church), Michael Barera, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Kilgore May 2016 15 (Main Street), Michael Barera, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Kilgore May 2016 17 (Kilgore Street and World's Richest Acre Park), Michael Barera, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Kilgore May 2016 13 (Main Street), Michael Barera, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Kilgore May 2016 18 (Kilgore Street and World's Richest Acre Park), Michael Barera, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Kilgore May 2016 19 (Kilgore Street and World's Richest Acre Park), Michael Barera, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Kilgore May 2016 20 (World's Richest Acre Park), Michael Barera, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Kilgore May 2016 21 (World's Richest Acre Park), Michael Barera, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Kilgore May 2016 11 (Crim Theater), Michael Barera, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Kilgore May 2016 12 (Crim Theater), Michael Barera, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Kilgore May 2016 23 (World's Richest Acre Park), Michael Barera, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Kilgore May 2016 22 (World's Richest Acre Park), Michael Barera, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Kilgore College May 2016 07 (Old Main Building), Michael Barera, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Kilgore College May 2016 08 (W. L. Dodson Auditorium), Michael Barera, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Times have changed - panoramio, AudreyIski, CC BY-SA 3.0
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