These two early pumping units serve as historic reminders of Kilgore's development as an oil boom town. The boom era began on Dec. 28, 1930, when the well known as the Lou Della Crim No. 1 blew in. With it, Kilgore became part of the great east Texas oil field. These reciprocal pumps, manufactured by Allis-Chalmers and first used in west Texas, were brought here in 1931 by the Shell Pipe Line Corp. to move crude oil to Houston area refineries. In service until 1985, it is estimated they pumped a combined total of over one billion barrels of oil. Texas Sesquicentennial 1836 - 1986