Lou Della Crim No. 1
Laird Hill, Rusk County, Texas
Marker Inscription
(600 feet south) Following the discovery of oil in East Texas on October 3, 1930, J. Malcolm Crim of Kilgore believed there was more oil to be found in the area. By October 17 drilling had begun on land belonging to his mother, Lou Della Crim. The well came in on December 28 and was named Lou Della Crim No. 1. Its discovery caused the population of Kilgore to boom from 700 to 10,000 in three days and, ultimately, proved that the East Texas oil field was a major one, covering over 480 square miles. Lou Della Crim No. 1 initially produced 20,000 barrels per day. It was plugged in 1961.
Erected by Texas Historical Commission
The Story
After oil was discovered in East Texas in October 1930, Kilgore businessman J. Malcolm Crim bet there was more to find and began drilling on land owned by his mother, Lou Della Crim. The well came in on December 28, 1930, and the strike sent Kilgore's population rocketing from 700 to 10,000 in three days. Producing 20,000 barrels a day, Lou Della Crim No. 1 helped prove the East Texas oil field to be one of the largest ever found, spanning more than 480 square miles before the well was plugged in 1961.
Why it matters
This well was one of the discoveries that confirmed the giant East Texas oil field, a Depression-era bonanza that reshaped the state's economy and the global petroleum industry.
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Related people
- · J. Malcolm Crim
- · Lou Della Crim
Related events
- · East Texas oil field discovery, 1930
Themes & tags
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