Historic ballpark built in 1947 still serves East Texas youth

KILGORE, Texas (KLTV) - In the heart of Kilgore, on the Gregg and Rusk county lines, sits Driller Park, a baseball field that has been in use for more than 70 years.

In the late 1940s, thousands of servicemen came home to East Texas, and small towns found ways to provide entertainment.

Driller Park was erected in 1947 and hosted the Kilgore Drillers for four years.

The park was built of oil field pipe, tank steel and concrete. It had an infield underground drainage system, making it one of the best-constructed parks of its day. It seated around 3,100 baseball fans.

A working oil well sits just beyond the right-field side of the park.

Driller Park continues to host baseball today, this time for amateur youth in East Texas.

Driller Park received its state historic designation in 1998.

The ballpark straddles the Gregg and Rusk county lines on Commerce and Hunter streets.