It all began when a soldier, lawyer, politician and judge named Constantine Buckley, C.B. "Buck" Kilgore settled a town site in 1871 in the "right" corner of Texas. A year later, the railroad built a line through the same area, and ultimately he became the founder of Kilgore, Texas.
Kilgore remained a quiet hub for agriculture for the next 54 years. People lived the simple life until C.M. "Dad" Joiner forever changed Kilgore. He discovered oil and the largest oilfield in the world at that time.
The oil and natural gas industry continues to play an important role in the economy of Kilgore. It joins a diversified industrial base where 20% of jobs are in the manufacturing sector to provide residents with a strong economy and a bright future.
In addition to Halliburton Energy Services, Weatherford International, Inc., The Hanover Company and Key Energy Services, our manufacturing partners include businesses as diverse as Skeeter Boats, a division of Yamaha Motor Company; Closure Systems International; General Dynamics SATCOM Technologies; and Caterpillar.
Through incentives for financing, taxation and job training, the industrial base of Kilgore has in the last fiscal year leveraged $1.5 million to attract $29 million investment in the community.
KEDC works to strengthen and retain existing business and help those businesses expand. They also work to expand and add diversity to the community through the attraction of new business. More jobs mean more money spent in the community, helping to ensure a good quality of life. That "richest acre" put Kilgore in the history books. KEDC is expanding the prosperity into the future.
