Things to Do in New London, Texas

The heart of any visit to New London is the London Museum, across the highway from the school site on State Highway 42. The museum preserves the story of the 1937 school explosion through photographs, newspaper clippings, telegrams and condolence letters, survivor accounts, and personal artifacts — a deeply moving and important record of the tragedy and the community that endured it.

The attached London Museum & Cafe is a piece of living history in its own right: it has an old-fashioned soda fountain. Visitors can view the exhibits and then enjoy an old-fashioned treat at the fountain. Nearby, a cenotaph memorial honors the victims — a place for quiet reflection and remembrance.

New London sits in the heart of the East Texas Oil Field, the boom that brought the town its prosperity. Just up the road, Kilgore — about twelve miles north — is home to the East Texas Oil Museum, which re-creates the 1930s boomtown days, and the famous 'World's Richest Acre,' a dense cluster of oil derricks downtown.

For anyone interested in the oil history that shaped New London and the whole region, these nearby sites bring the boom era to life. The oil story and the school memorial together tell the full, layered history of this small community.

Beyond the historic sites, New London's location puts outdoor recreation and nearby towns within reach. Lake Cherokee and other area lakes offer fishing and boating in the rolling Piney Woods, and the surrounding country is good for scenic drives.

Henderson, the Rusk County seat, lies nearby with its Depot Museum and historic downtown, and Kilgore and Longview to the north add shopping, dining, and college-town energy. Tyler, the commercial hub of East Texas, is a short drive west with its Rose Garden, zoo, and museums. Between the London Museum, the oil heritage, the lakes, and the nearby towns, New London offers a meaningful and well-rounded visit.