Upcoming Events

SPECIAL EXHIBIT: "The Man and the Map"

“The Man and the Map” will be on display at the museum from January through May of 2024. It features the 1933 oilfield map in a cartoonish style, along with information about the man who created the map, Wylie Edwin “Ed” Ray.

East Texas History Summit set for Jan. 20, 2024

This will be a wonderful event celebrating the unique history of East Texas. Made possible in part through a grant from Humanities Texas.

Sessions to attend at the summit:

  • Legacy of Learning: East Texas Rural Schoolhouses
  • Cynthia Matlock shares insights on East Texas Rural Schools in Cherokee County
  • Drilling Deeper: The East Texas Oil Boom’s Wide-Ranging Impact
  • Jeff Spencer from the Petroleum History Institute delves into the Legacy of Jack Nolan
  • Michael Jimerson explores law and order during the 1930s.
  • Coming to Texas as Enslaved People: One Family’s Journey
  • Greg Muckelroy, an Independent Historian
  • East Texas’s Cattle Past
  • Dr. Perky Beisel of Stephen F. Austin State University takes us through the Cattle Dipping Vats of East Texas.

The day will conclude with a final Q&A with presenters and closing remarks, followed at 12:30 p.m. with a light lunch and a tour of the East Texas Oil Museum at Kilgore College

Fueling Fitness 5K & Fun Run

The Fueling Fitness 5K & Fun Run is set for April 27, 2024.  Learn more by visiting the Facebook Event page.

More events coming soon ...

Fun Fact Info

If you guessed SUCKER ROD WRENCH, you are correct! Sucker rod wrenches were pivotal in 1930s East Texas oilfields. These tools ensured efficient rod connection, minimizing downtime and maximizing oil extraction. Symbolizing innovation, they propelled the region’s rapid oil expansion, shaping its economic landscape during this pioneering era.