Texas Historical Marker #17131

Texas Fruit Palace, Anderson County Fair. #17131

200 E. Coronoca St, Palestine, TX, United States

Texas Historical Marker #15919

N. A. Banks Elementary School. Established in 1912, N.A. Banks Elementary School served African-American children of Palestine's South End Community. Initially the school served grades one through four and was named for the principle of Palestine's Lincoln High School. Nathaniel A. Banks (1854-1930) had great influence on the African-American community of Palestine, serving as Lincoln High School principal from 1898 to 1907. He also organized the area's Colored Summer Normal School, which prepared African-American teachers in ten surrounding counties for the State Teaching Certification Exam. Hundreds attended each summer from 1899 until about 1919, even after Banks left Palestine and the teaching profession to become a farmer. The Banks School was a two-story brick building with four classrooms. When it opened, it was the first elementary school for African-American students living south of the I&GN railroad tracks in Palestine. J.A.B. Strain was the first principal. He and teachers Alma Johnson-Stein, Leonora Howard-Robinson and Louise Scott-Updack each taught here for more than 35 years. The school added fifth and sixth grades and additional teachers in 1949, though in 1953 these grades moved to the Lincoln High School campus when the new A.M. Story High School opened. Twice a year, the school hosted meetings of the City Teachers' Association, an organization of African-American teachers. In May 1965, the Palestine School Board closed Banks School in accordance with desegregation guidelines. The facility operated as the Palestine Kindergarten Center under the federally-funded Headstart Program for an additional five years. The building was razed in the early 1980s. Today Banks School is remembered as the educational foundation for many in Palestine and a source of community pride. #15919

800 West Dye Street, Palestine, TX, United States

Texas Historical Marker #14421

Gilmore's Chapel. #14421

?, Palestine, TX, United States

Texas Historical Marker #13948

Pilgrim Rest Baptist Church. Pilgrim Rest Baptist Church organized in 1892 to serve residents of the area of Palestine known as South End. Following the Civil War, many African Americans moved here, working as laborers in shops and railyards. No church existed in the thriving community and it was sometimes difficult to travel for worship services. Several residents enlisted the help of the Rev. Richard H. Boyd, who was instrumental in establishing churches in Anderson County, to organize Pilgrim Rest Baptist Church. Members first met in the South Union Church sanctuary under the Rev. D.W. Whitting before conducting services in a residence. Services were held there in the winter and in a tent during the summer. The group erected its first building on South Fulton Street in 1898, but built a new facility here in 1928. In 1941, fire destroyed the church building and members rebuilt. The Rev. Shelbia H. Graham, a respected local pastor, ministered during this time, aiding in the development and growth of the church. Another noted pastor, the Rev. Joseph F. Wade, ministered at Pilgrim Rest from 1965 through 1988, further fostering congregational growth. Through the years, the church has been an important institution in the community and state. It has hosted meetings for local business organizations, as well as for church conventions. Members have also been active in helping others, providing goods and donations for those in need. Additionally, the church has long been involved in missions in places such as Africa and Mexico. Today, Pilgrim Rest Baptist Church continues to serve as a spiritual and civic focal point for Palestine. (2007) #13948

1007 S. Fulton St, Palestine, TX, United States

Texas Historical Marker #13794

Site of Knox Glass Company Plant. In 1941, Chester Underwood of Pennsylvania-based Knox Glass Bottle Co. called Jim Keller, a company representative in Texas, with plans for a new plant. Product demand in the western United States for bottling and canning operations had increased, and Underwood asked Keller to scout locations for a plant with good rail access. Keller met with the Palestine Chamber of Commerce and banker Clifford Huffsmith, who in turn worked with bankers Clyde Hanks, J.E. Angly and others to identify area resources, including transportation. The final deal included natural gas provided by brothers Julian and Jack Meeker, and a Missouri Pacific Railroad spur to the plant site. The new facility began production on July 5, 1941. It housed a 90-ton-capacity furnace and equipment for manufacturing clear glass; Frank Hicks served as plant manager for 10 years. Company officials and area residents celebrated with a formal dedication on July 19. Employees belonged to unions related to their jobs, which varied from mixing and machine operations to mold makers and packing. Products included glass jars for the food industry and home bottling. The Knox plant played a vital role in the local economy for decades, with more than 450 employees at its peak. Glass Container Corp. purchased Knox Glass in 1969, but demands of a changing industry led to closure of the plant in 1984. The final glass jars manufactured here, bearing the closing date, Dec. 20, 1984, serve as souvenirs for three generations of area residents for whom the Knox plant represented a secure way of life. (2006) #13794

?, Palestine, TX, United States

Texas Historical Marker #13186

Westwood United Methodist Church. Westwood United Methodist Church (Holmes Chapel Methodist Church) In November 1883, Harriet Mcclanahan Holmes donated one acre of land to Anderson County and William M. Holmes donated funds for the Holmes Community School, where Minnie Lee Holmes served as the first teacher. In the schoolhouse that year, area residents organized the Holmes Chapel Methodist Episcopal Church, South. The Rev. Daniel C. Neel served as the congregation's p. The church outgrew the schoolhouse and built a sanctuary in 1899. At that time, church services were held once a month by the Rev. A. Methvin. The congregation used its second house of worship, located on Holmes Road, until 1948. The church, like the Palestine area, experienced growth due to new industry and a post-war population increase. After selling the Holmes Road property, the congregation worshiped in a large tent while waiting for a new, larger sanctuary, which was completed in 1950. The congregation again outgrew its facilities and added new buildings a decade later. In the 1960s, area school districts consolidated into the Westwood Independent School District. The church, which originally bore the name of the once rural Holmes Chapel School, later changed its name to reflect its place in the community, which had become known as Westwood following school consolidation. During its more than 100 years as a congregation, the Westwood United Methodist Church (Holmes Chapel Methodist Church) has continued to grow, serving its community through its many programs. To commemorate the contributions of families that nourished the growth of the congregation, members over the years have placed memorials around church grounds, continuing the commitment to community and worship made by the founding members in the 1880s. (2003) #13186

110 Ridgewood St, Palestine, TX, United States

Texas Historical Marker #13031

South Union Missionary Baptist Church. In 1893, the Rev. Richard Henry Boyd (1843-1927), a native of Mississippi, organized the South Union Baptist Church of Palestine with 31 charter members. Boyd, known as the "Cowboy Preacher," had established churches around Texas, including Palestine's West Union congregation. The South Union Church, named for its geographic location within the city, met in a two-room building on Royall Street until moving to Dorrance Street in 1911. In addition to uniting communities through the formation of congregations, Boyd aspired to create Christian literature for the nation's African American churches. After working with the Southern Baptist Convention Sunday School board in Nashville, Boyd held a conference at South Union Church to discuss religious education with other Black leaders. He later moved to Nashville to publish religious materials. The South Union congregation, which built a larger sanctuary in 1948, has continued to offer its facilities to community groups for meeting and educational purposes. Its pastors have led parishioners in a variety of outreach and educational missions, including radio and television ministries, as well as a library. The congregation has reflected the trends in the community, with the membership roll including a large number of railroad employees in the early 20th century and numerous local and statewide leaders throughout the church's history. The church became South Union Missionary Baptist Church in 1986. Today, it is a long-standing Palestine institution, recognized for its service to the community and for its important history. (2004) #13031

807 S. Dorrance St., Palestine, TX, United States

Texas Historical Marker #12859

Alonzo Marion Story. Alonzo Marion Story Alonzo Marion Story (1882-1966) was born in New Orleans to parents John and Mary Story. He attended public schools and graduated from Louisiana's Leland College before doing post-graduate work in Texas and Colorado. Story came to Texas at the age of 21 and taught mathematics in Midway. He also served as a mail clerk before moving in 1912 to Palestine, where he taught math at Lincoln High School, the school for African American students. He taught there until 1917, when he moved to Austin to be principal of the state's Deaf, Dumb and Blind Institute for African Americans. In 1924, Story was offered a job as principal in Dallas. Instead, he returned to Palestine's Lincoln High School, where he taught math and served as principal. Beloved and respected, Story stayed until retiring in 1949, teaching his last years with no eyesight. After retirement, he tutored from his home. In 1953, the school district opened a new facility and named it Alonzo Marion Story High School in honor of the revered educator. After desegregation, the school became a junior high and then an elementary school before being destroyed by a tornado in 1987. In 1990, the district built a new school named for him. Story dedicated his life to education. In addition to his roles as teacher and principal, he was director of religious education at West Union Baptist Church and served on the executive committee of the Texas State Teachers Association and as vice president of the East Texas Teachers Association. His immeasurable contributions to Palestine are reflected in the community's commemoration of his life. (2002) #12859

5300 N. Loop 256, Palestine, TX, United States

Texas Historical Marker #12803

Site of Lincoln High School. Site of Lincoln High School In 1891, the first high school for African-American students in Palestine opened in the mission church on San Jacinto Street. Four years later, the school moved to this site and became known as Lincoln High School. The first class graduated from Lincoln in 1896. Originally a four-room building, the schoolhouse was expanded over time to accommodate increasing enrollment. In 1922, the Lincoln school building burned, and classes were held in several churches until the new, six-room brick structure was completed in 1923. As rural districts consolidated with Palestine, enrollment at Lincoln continued to increase, and the school became an important cultural center for the African-American community. In 1952, the school board approved construction of a new high school to be named in honor of Alonzo Marion Story, Lincoln's principal from 1925 to 1949. The building that had formerly housed the high school reopened as Lincoln Junior High in the fall of 1953. Serving grades five through eight, it later housed grades two through eight before closing in 1965 when the Palestine schools integrated. After 1965, the Lincoln school building remained in use as an important social center and as headquarters for the Anderson County community council. A 1996 fire resulted in its demolition, but this site remains a significant part of the educational and community heritage of Palestine and Anderson County. (2002) #12803

902 Swantz, Palestine, TX, United States

Texas Historical Marker #12774

Mary Kate Hunter (November 8, 1866 - April 15, 1945). Mary Kate Hunter (November 8, 1866 - April 15, 1945) Born just outside Palestine in 1866 to Nathaniel and Jennie (Beeson) Hunter, Mary Kate Hunter played a significant role in recording, promoting and preserving the history of Palestine and Anderson county. Educated at Palestine Female Academy and Sam Houston Normal Institute, she studied piano with classical musicians across the United States and in Germany, and taught piano to countless Palestine children. As a clubwoman, she was a charter member of the Self-Culture Club in Palestine, organized in 1894; served as a delegate to the first annual meeting of the Texas Federation of Women's Clubs in 1898;organized a local chapter of the Women's National Foundation in 1921 for the preservation and study of local history; and founded and led the Fort Houston chapter of the Daughters of the Republic of Texas. A supporter of voting rights for women, Mary Kate Hunter organized and was first president of the Palestine Equal Suffrage Association, and held statewide office in the Texas Equal Suffrage Association in 1915-16. In addition to her civic duties, Hunter also was a published poet, editor of a local society journal and board member of the Texas State Library. She extensively researched the history of Palestine and Anderson County and conducted dozens of oral history interviews with early area residents. At her death in 1945, she bequeathed her voluminous collection of material to the Palestine Public Library, where it remains in use as an important record of Anderson County history. (2001) #12774

1101 N. Cedar, Palestine, TX, United States

Texas Historical Marker #12552

First Baptist Church of Palestine. First Baptist Church can trace its history to 1851, five years after Palestine was founded as the Anderson County seat. Elders McKane and Zachariah Worley (an ordained minister), John and Sarah Smith, J. E. and Rachel Teague, Thomas V. Smith, Theresa Stevens, and Annie Harris organized the congregation. They met for worship in Bascom Chapel, which they shared with members of other early Palestine churches. The Baptists built their first sanctuary at the corner of Perry and Murchison streets in 1853. There they became known as Old Town Baptist Church and hosted the Baptist state convention in 1854. In 1879, the church hosted Palestine's first revival meeting led by Major William Penn. Under Penn's leadership, the congregation raised money through nickel contributions to build a new church on Avenue A. The new building, completed in 1887, became known as Avenue "Nickel" Baptist Church. After a fire destroyed the Avenue Church, a new sanctuary was completed on Sycamore Street under the leadership of the Rev. R. L. Gillon in 1912. Now known as First Baptist Church of Palestine, the congregation continues its commitment to Christian mission and ministry in Palestine, Anderson County and around the world. (2001) #12552

801 N. Sycamore St., Palestine, TX, United States

Texas Historical Marker #11660

Swanson Cemetery. Micam Main of Illinois was granted a league of land by the Mexican government in 1835. One of the area's first brickmakers, Samuel M. Warden, died while working on Main's estate on Christmas Eve in 1847. He was interred on this site. According to oral history, Warden's grave was marked only with bricks of his own manufacture. His is believed to have been the first burial in this cemetery. Virginia native Henry Clay Swanson (1822-1906), a former member of the Alabama state legislature, moved to Texas with his brother, James Madison Swanson, their families and slaves in 1851. "Colonel" Henry C. Swanson owned a farm east of Palestine and later operated a mercantile store in town. He purchased the land around the cemetery from Elisha Main, Micam Main's son and heir, in 1854. The slaves and former slaves of Henry Clay Swanson and James M. Swanson, as well as African Americans from Anderson County and neighboring areas, were interrred on this site. Descendants of slaves attended funerals here from 1872 to the late 1940s and early 1950s. A young girl was among the last interred in the well-populated burial site in the late 1940s. Others buried here include Tom Swanson, a former slave from Virginia to whom Henry Swanson willed $100, and two of his brothers, as well as their descendants. Thirty-six marked and approximately 23 unmarked graves are believed to grace the cemetery. This is the final resting place of many of those whose labor built Anderson County, Houston County, and the state of Texas. (2000) #11660

?, Palestine, TX, United States

Texas Historical Marker #08820

William and Caroline Broyles House. A native of Huntsville, Alabama, William Broyles came to Texas following the Civil War. Traveling by boat to Shreveport, Louisiana, he continued his journey to Texas on foot, finally settling in Palestine. Broyles worked as a carpenter and later opened a mercantile store near the Anderson County Courthouse. Following the arrival of the railroad and the subsequent relocation of the town, he opened the first store in the new townsite. In 1878 he established a lumber business which eventually included a lumberyard, saw mill, and cabinet shop. A real estate investor as well as merchant, Broyles played an important role in the economic development of Palestine. He had this home built for his wife, Caroline, in 1895. Designed by local architect Luther McKlemurry, the home is a fine example of 19th-century eclecticism, exhibiting influences of Italinate, Queen Anne, and Second Empire styles. Outstanding features include its tower, roof cresting, and fine milled woodwork crafted by workers at Broyles' Lumber Company. Landscaping originally surrounding the home included elaborate flower gardens and an adjacent pecan orchard. RTHL 1989 #8820

1305 S. Sycamore St., Palestine, TX, United States

Texas Historical Marker #08816

St. Philips Episcopal Church of Palestine. During the 1850s Mrs. Frances Henderson, wife of Governor J. Pinckney Henderson, helped found St. Philips as a mission. Upon the petition of the Rev. John Owens, who served part-time as the priest here, the Diocese of Texas in 1860 raised the mission to full parish status. During the Civil War, members met in homes, the Masonic Lodge, or the Methodist sanctuary. In 1863 the Rev. Caleb Dow became the first full-time rector. James Firth Brook designed this building, erected in 1875-76 on Oak Street. The congregation grew with the town and in 1903 the structure was moved here. (1979) #8816

?, Palestine, TX, United States

Texas Historical Marker #08802

John H. Reagan Monument. [plaque at base of monument reads:] Reagan Monument. Unveiled July 6, 1911. Sponsored by John H. Reagan Chapter, UDC. Pompeo Coppini, Sculptor #8802

?, Palestine, TX, United States

Texas Historical Marker #08801

Providence Church and Cemetery. On March 20, 1858, W. T. Miller deeded eight acres of land here "to trustees Lemuel Mullins, Chairman, D. Capp and Wm. Webb, for school purposes and burial ground." W. M. Hardy added a half-acre to even north line. These gifts met a pressing need for a central place to educate the children in this farmland area. Local residents (including Freemasons) donated work and materials, fenced the churchyard cemetery, and built a two-story structure to house the Providence School and Providence Missionary Baptist Church downstairs, and Providence Lodge No. 400, A.F. & A.M. (later to be Elkhart Lodge), upstairs. Providence was second missionary Baptist church in Anderson County. After tornado damage to building in 1900, school was discontinued. The present one-story building was salvaged and repaired with original materials, and regular church services continued through 1935. The cemetery, still used for burials, has some graves of settlers who arrived in the Republic of Texas days, and for years held school and worship in their own homes. Providence celebrated its centennial July 4-18, 1958, with nightly church services. The annual homecoming is held the first Sunday in June, with morning service followed by dinner on the ground. (1973) #8801

?, Palestine, TX, United States

Texas Historical Marker #08796

Pennybacker-Campbell-Wommack House. "Silk Stocking Row" Victorian residence built in 1890. Noted as family home of Mrs. Percy V. Pennybacker (1861-1938), teacher, author of widely-used school history of Texas, first Texan President General Federation Women's Clubs. Purchased 1900 by Thomas M. Campbell (1856 - 1923), famous lawyer, banker, Governor of Texas in 1907-11. Enlarged by Gov. Campbell, house is now property of great-grandson, Drew Wommack, Jr. Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 1969 #8796

814 S. Sycamore, Palestine, TX, United States

Texas Historical Marker #08790

Palestine High School. A public school system in Palestine was established in 1881 under control of the municipal government. The first classes were held at the old Palestine Female Institute (built in 1858), then a high school was built in 1888 at the Institute site on Avenue A. In 1915 voters passed a $100,000 bond issue for a new high school. The City Council chose this site in newly created, 22-acre Reagan Park for the campus. Fort Worth architects Sanguinet & Staats were chosen for the design, which features Tudor Gothic -- or Jacobethan -- detail in brick, limestone, and occasional tile panels. The 2-story structure, on a raised basement, is framed with reinforced concrete, allowing ample window space for air and light. The original plan included eight lecture rooms, a library, a gymnasium, laboratories, and an auditorium. A principal and 10 teachers comprised the first faculty, and the first graduating class in 1917 contained 38 students. This building became a junior high in 1939, and was named in 1955 for John Henninger Reagan (1818-1905), Texas statesman and Palestine resident. Elementary grades were assigned here from 1966 to 1976, when the school was closed. The building was then preserved and rehabilitated as a museum and cultural center. Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 1986 #8790

400 Micheaux Avenue, Palestine, TX, United States

Texas Historical Marker #08789

Palestine Fire Department. Palestine, founded 1846, acquired fire department when International & Great Northern Railroad extended line here in 1872. Early fire-wagon was horse-drawn flatbed loaded with hose. Motor truck and city water were introduced 1918. Bell from 1895 hangs in front. (1972) #8789

611 Avenue A, Palestine, TX, United States

Texas Historical Marker #08787

Olive Branch Cemetery. This part of Anderson County was settled in the 1850s. Many of the early settlers were from the vicinity of Brushy Creek, South Carolina, and it is believed that is why the streams in this area and the community were named Brushy Creek. A smaller creek near this site became known as Olive Branch. In 1858, as the community began to grow, a small one-room building was erected to serve as a church and school. A cemetery was established on land adjacent to the building. Although the land was not officially deeded as a graveyard until 1858, there are marked burials from as early as 1856. The oldest documented grave is that of Joseph H. Waddell, who died in 1856 at age six. Also interred here are many early pioneers and a number of veterans, including James Eastland (1827 - 1911), who served in the Mexican War and the Civil War, and later represented Anderson County in the Texas Legislature. Daniel Henderson, who deeded the land for the church, school, and cemetery, is also buried here. This cemetery is a visible reminder of the early settlers of Brushy Creek. The Olive Branch Cemetery Association, organized in 1978, maintains the historic graveyard. (1988) #8787

?, Palestine, TX, United States

Texas Historical Marker #08786

Site of Old Magnolia. (one-half mi.S) Founded in 1840s as a ferrying point on the Caddo Trace; later became a major landing for flatboats and steamers on the Trinity River, where cotton and other products were shipped by a four-day trip to Galveston to be exchanged for flour, salt, and sugar. Magnolia -- named for a huge tree in center of town -- reached its zenith in 1863, when it had several hundred people and eight major stores. Focus of social life then was Haygood's Magnolia Tavern, where board and lodging for a man and two horses cost $2 a day. Haygood's was the scene of many gala parties feting riverboat passengers, for when a deep-throated steamer whistle blew a few miles from port, it signaled a rush of people from miles around eager to greet arrivals and collect long-awaited parcels. Growing river traffic spawned many towns like this, and from 1830 to 1880, Texas waterways were dotted with boats. From the first, though, the state's rivers were unsuited for extensive trade, because even the largest were shallow, winding, and often choked with debris. After 1880, trains replaced riverboats. An irony of the transition was that one of the last steamers to pass Magnolia, in 1872, carried rails for the tracks being lad through nearby Palestine. (1967) An irony of the transition was that one of the last steamers to pass Magnolia, in 1872, carried rails for the tracks being laid through nearby Palestine. #8786

?, Palestine, TX, United States

Texas Historical Marker #08785

Northeast Texas Christian Theological and Industrial College. Led by the Rev. A. J. Hurdle, the Northeast Texas Christian Missionary Convention of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) was formed in Daingerfield in 1900. Established to serve black members of the denomination, its primary purpose was the creation of a college. The Christian College Building Association was formed by a group of women within the organization, and by 1904 enough funds had been raised to purchase 49 acres of land near Palestine, Texas. Contractor J. L. Randolph was hired in 1910, and on May 26, 1911, the cornerstone was laid for the main college structure. Opening with seven students in January 1912, the Northeast Texas Christian Theological and Industrial College consisted of several large frame buildings and had a faculty of four. D. T. Cleaver served as the first president and was succeeded by I. Q. Hurdle. In addition to their classroom studies, the students farmed the college lands and raised livestock. After the main college building was destroyed by fire about 1920, the school closed. The remaining buildings were later razed, leaving no visible reminders of the institution that once provided an education to students from several states. (1989) #8785

?, Palestine, TX, United States

Texas Historical Marker #08783

Mount Vernon United Methodist Church. Early denominational records indicate that this congregation was in existence as a mission church as early as 1880. In 1896, A. L. and Susanna Herrington donated one acre to the county to be used for a free school. A one-room school building was erected on the site, on Walnut Creek twelve miles north of Palestine, and also served as a church meeting place. The community was known as Mount Vernon, and the Methodist church assumed that name, also. The one-room building was moved in 1907 two miles north of its original location, and two rooms were added to the structure for the growing school. The congregation continued to meet in the building until 1913, when this site, across the road from the school building, was deeded to the Mount Vernon Methodist Episcopal Church, South. A sanctuary was completed the same year. The church has maintained active programs over the years, and has served as a training ground for many young ministers and student pastors from nearby Lon Morris College. For over one hundred years, the Mount Vernon Methodist Church has served as a center for its rural community. Texas Sesquicentennial 1836 - 1986 #8783

?, Palestine, TX, United States

Texas Historical Marker #08782

Mount Vernon A.M.E. Church. Freedmen organized this African Methodist Episcopal Church in 1873. The first sanctuary, a frame building at Mulberry and Birch streets, was shared with a group of Missionary Baptists. In the late 1870s, the Methodists built their own chapel at this site and adopted the congregational name Mount Vernon. The present brick sanctuary, with influences of the Gothic Revival style, was completed in the 1920s. Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 1986 #8782

913 E. Calhoun, Palestine, TX, United States

Texas Historical Marker #08778

Site of the McClean Massacre. Daniel McLean and John Sheridan, expert Indian fighters employed by the settlers as guides and protectors, were killed here in 1837. By holding the savages in check until the settlers could escape, both sacrificed their lives. #8778

?, Palestine, TX, United States

Subjects

Texas Historical Marker #08777

McClure-McReynolds-Fowler Home. Built in 1849 by Judge Alexander E. McClure (1815 - 1870), who came from Tennessee to Texas in 1840 and lived for a number of years at Old Fort Houston. Judge McClure was the first district clerk in Anderson County, co-owner of the "Trinity Advocate," and one of the most prominent lawyers in East Texas. The house was purchased from the McClures in 1884 by Zachariah Aycock McReynolds (1846 - 1928), who immigrated to Texas in 1875 from Adairsville, Georgia. He was a Confederate veteran who had fought in the sieges at Vicksburg and Atlanta in the Civil War, 1861-1865. About 1890 the house was remodeled using the old timber, including well preserved hand-hewn sills. From 1880 to 1908, Z. A. McReynolds held the offices of district clerk, county clerk, county judge, tax collector, and postmaster. In 1934 Colonel Godfrey Rees Fowler (1876 - 1958) and his wife Ella Sue (McReynolds) returned to Palestine to retire to her old family home. Colonel Fowler was a grandson of Judge John H. Reagan (first Texas Railroad Commission chairman). Fowler had fought in the Spanish-American War, the Philippine insurrection, the Nicaraguan uprising, and World War I. The McClures and McReynoldses have been the only property owners since 1848. (1970) #8777

921 N. Perry St., Palestine, TX, United States

Texas Historical Marker #08776

John Byler Mallard, Judge. Born 1820 in Alabama. An honor graduate, University of Tennessee Law School. Married in 1844 Miss Susan Scott, Tippah County, Mississippi. In 1845 settled in Republic of Texas. Built one of first homes in Palestine, 1848. First lawyer in Palestine, formed partnership with Judges Wm. Alexander and John H. Reagan, later state and national leader. Was a member of the Fifth Texas Legislature. Died in 1854. Recorded, 1965 Incise in base: Erected by Miss Ruth R. Eppner #8776

?, Palestine, TX, United States

Texas Historical Marker #08775

Lone Pine Baptist Church. This congregation traces its history to a small group of worshipers who gathered together in the early 1890s to hold services in a small schoolhouse near this site known as Rocky Point. A plot of land was purchased by the church in 1903, and a one-room frame structure was built for school and church purposes. The one pine tree on the property gave the church its name: Lone Pine Baptist Church. Although the congregation met regularly before then, the church was formally organized on July 8, 1908, with 34 charter members. The Rev. A. M. Thompson was called as first pastor, a position he held until his death in 1911. In 1916 a larger building was erected for the combination church and school. About one year later the two institutions were divided, and a church structure was built in June 1920. Called the tabernacle, it had permanent walls and a roof, but the interior floor was of dirt. Continued growth over the years enabled the congregation to improve the tabernacle and build additional facilities. A new church auditorium was dedicated in 1957. The church continues to serve the community as it has for over eight decades. (1989) #8775

?, Palestine, TX, United States

Texas Historical Marker #08774

Link House, The. Built and continuously occupied by family of early Palestine physician Henry Harnsbarger Link (1820 - 90) and wife, Hypatia McGee (1829 - 88). First rooms, built 1852, now form front hall. Dr. H. R. Link, one of builders' three sons, remodeled house in 1912. Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 1972 #8774

1003 Link St., Palestine, TX, United States

Texas Historical Marker #08773

Link Family Cemetery. This cemetery was established when John and Mary Otelia Link buried their young daughters Annie and Allean at this site within a week of each other in July of 1887. Both children died of diphtheria. At that time no Catholic cemetery existed nearby and local tradition suggests the children were buried near their home because transportation of unpreserved bodies over a long distance in the heat was impractical. John Link died in 1888 and was buried next to his daughters. The Links practiced burial procedures commonly used in rural Texas in the 19th century. The deceased was washed and laid out on a cooling board with bags of saltpeter or silver coins placed over the eyes in an undertaking shared by friends and neighbors. Pallbearers lowered the locally manufactured casket with the use of three traditional cotton straps. After the burial, participants gathered at the home of the deceased to eat and express sympathy. John and Mary's eldest son Andrew B. Link formally set aside the cemetery in a deed transferring family land to his youngest brother John F. Link in 1919. Of the 32 burials currently in the cemetery, 11 are of children under the age of 6. The Link Family Cemetery is maintained by an association of family members. (1993) #8773

?, Palestine, TX, United States

Texas Historical Marker #08771

Captain William Kimbro. In Memory of Commanded a company at San Jacinto; came to Texas in 1831; born in Tennessee; died in Anderson County, September 14, 1856. #8771

?, Palestine, TX, United States

Texas Historical Marker #08767

I & GN Hospital and Nurses' Quarters. Established in 1884, the International & Great Northern Railway Employees' Hospital Association built a complex of frame structures at this site adjacent to the railroad tracks. The hospital, which operated on monthly employee dues, provided service to all railroad employees along the I&GN lines. In 1920 the frame structures were razed and replaced with a new brick hospital building. In addition to patient rooms, the institution included a pharmacy, laboratories, medical clinic, and emergency room with ambulance service. An adjacent two-story nurses' quarters building was added to the site in 1925. Designed by prominent Houston architect Alfred C. Finn, both buildings exhibit elements of Georgian Revival style architecture. Prominent features of the hospital include its raised basement, central bay, and ornate Georgian portico. The nurses' quarters features an offset classical portico and hipped roof. The Missouri-Pacific Railroad took over the I&GN lines in the 1930s, and after that time the institution was known as the Missouri-Pacific Lines Hospital Association. The hospital continued to operate until 1970. The buildings stand as reminders of the railroad's impact on the City of Palestine. Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 1990 #8767

919 S. Magnolia St., Palestine, TX, United States

Texas Historical Marker #08766

Col. G. R. Howard House. Built 1851 by Col. G. R. Howard, merchant and public official. Owned by family until sold to city, 1965, for a museum. Recorded Texas Historic Landmark, 1966 #8766

1011 N. Perry St., Palestine, TX, United States

Texas Historical Marker #08764

Hodges-Darsey House. In the 1870s, after the International & Great Northern Railroad line reached Palestine, brothers A. B. and Dan Hodges moved here from Tennessee Colony settlement and became leading merchants. This house was built in 1895 by Dan Hodges for his wife Margaret Sue (Jackson) and their five children. A good example of Queen Anne style residences of the late Victorian era, the house was purchased in 1959 by William Gray Darsey, Jr., (who restored and preserved it) a leader in the area oil industry. Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 1973 #8764

517 E. Hodges St., Palestine, TX, United States

Texas Historical Marker #08763

Harmony Baptist Church. The community of Harmony began in 1855, when several families from South Carolina and Mississippi settled here and established homes and family farms. Originally named Harmony Missionary Baptist Church, this congregation was established in 1891 under the leadership of the Rev. L. D. Funderburk and the Rev. A. H. Sowell. Beginning with nine charter members, the congregation conducted early worship services in a small building on the Jepthia D. Harris farm. The church building also housed the community school, and a Sunday School began in 1892. By 1917 the congregation had outgrown its small facility, and plans were made for the construction of a new church building at this site. As the congregation continued to grow over the years, additional facilities were added to the church complex, but the need for a larger sanctuary arose again in 1958. Completed in December 1958, the new building was dedicated on March 15, 1959. An indoor baptistry was built in 1976, ending a long tradition of conducting baptism services in nearby creeks, lakes, and ponds. (1991) Throughout its history, Harmony Baptist Church has served the community with a variety of programs. #8763

?, Palestine, TX, United States

Texas Historical Marker #08759

Grace Methodist Church. Methodist missionary efforts in this area date to the late 1830s. Circuit-riding ministers served Methodists in Palestine from the time of its founding as the Anderson County seat in 1848. In 1850 church members built a frame sanctuary and in November of that year the East Texas Conference was held in the new building, named Bascom Chapel in honor of an early Methodist bishop. The arrival of the railroad in 1872 resulted in a population boom for Palestine, and in 1884 a new church, named Centenary for the 100th anniversary of Methodism in the United States, was built. Three years later, the congregation divided to form the present First United Methodist Church and Grace United Methodist Church. Initially called Methvin Chapel in honor of the Rev. Alex Methvin, this congregation built Howard Avenue Methodist Church in 1898. After it burned in 1913, a new sanctuary was constructed at this site and named Grace Methodist Church. Long a supporter of local and foreign missionary efforts, Grace United Methodist Church continues to serve the community with a variety of worship, educational, and outreach programs. (1995) #8759

209 W. Kolstad, Palestine, TX, United States

Subjects

The Rt Rev. Henry Bidleman Bascom
(1796-1850) Bishop

Texas Historical Marker #08757

Site of Four Pines School. In 1911 school trustees D. Barry, C. F. Everett, and W. L. Pickle purchased one acre of land here to establish a school. An old tobacco barn at this site was converted for use as a schoolhouse. The school was named for four prominent pine trees near the school entrance. By 1918 the barn/school building had been razed and replaced with a 3-room frame schoolhouse. The school offered instruction in grades one through eight. Funds raised by students through the sale of farm animals and cotton grown on school grounds were used by trustees to purchase an adjacent lot in 1925. In 1946 Four Pines had four teachers and a student enrollment of 67. The Harmony and Pleasant Grove Consolidated School Districts merged with Four Pines in 1949, and three classrooms and a gymnasium/auditorium building were added to the school complex. Athletic teams wore the school's green and gold colors and were known as the "Pine Burrs." In 1937 the nearby Magnolia, Long Lake, and Tucker schools formed the Woodhouse School District. In 1959 Woodhouse merged with Four Pines to form the Tucker common School District which in 1976 was renamed Westwood. Westwood Elementary School is currently on the same site as the original Four Pines School. (1993) #8757

2305 Salt Works Rd., Palestine, TX, United States

Texas Historical Marker #08753

Fort Houston. (site one-fourth mile south) A stockade and blockhouse of the Republic of Texas. Built in 1835-1836 to protect settlers who founded Houston, a pioneer town, now in Anderson County. Friendly Indians would come to trade at the site, but wary settlers often slept inside the 25-foot-square blockhouse, built of heavy logs. Trappers bought supplies there and men from Houston formed one of the first Ranger units in Texas. The fort defended a large area of the frontier, 1836-1839, but it was abandoned about 1841. The site later became part of home of John H. Reagan, Texas Statesman. #8753

?, Palestine, TX, United States

Texas Historical Marker #08752

Fort Houston. A fort and stockade built about 1836 on the public square of the town of Houston (then in Houston County), as a protection against the Indians, by order of General Sam Houston, Commander-in-Chief of the Texan armies. The town was abandoned in 1846 for Palestine, the new seat of Anderson County, the fort about 1841. The site is now a part of the historic home of John H. Reagan, which is called Fort Houston. #8752

?, Palestine, TX, United States

Texas Historical Marker #08751

First Presbyterian Church. Organized Nov. 3, 1849, with 18 charter members, by the great pioneer leaders, Revs. Daniel Baker and John May Becton, home missionaries. This Gothic building of handmade brick was erected in 1888; enlarged since by two additions. Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 1966 #8751

410 Avenue A, Palestine, TX, United States

Texas Historical Marker #08747

Fields Chapel Methodist Church and Cemetery. Pioneer settlement began in this vicinity in the late 1830s and early 1940s. This area was the location of several camp revival meetings. The Rev. John W. Fields organized the Methodist Episcopal Church in 1852 and the church was named for him. Trustees elected were W. R. Anglin, J. J. O'Quinn, E. W. Hassell, Joseph Shaver, A. J. Killion, L. D. Fulton, and A. K. W. Jones. Adrian Anglin donated land to this congregation and property deeds were signed on June 23, 1853. The church members built a church that also served as a school. That structure was in use until the late 1940s, when a white brick sanctuary was erected. The cemetery may have been in use prior to the date of the church organization, as there is evidence of more than 100 unmarked graves identified only by iron ore rock, native to the area. The oldest marked grave dating to November 8, 1858, is that of Arminda Florence Langston, infant daughter of Willis B. and Amarillo Anglin Langston. The burials include many pioneer settlers and their descendants and veterans of the Civil War. The community has gathered for homecoming, a social event held annually on these grounds. The church and cemetery continue to serve this area of Anderson County. (1996) #8747

?, Palestine, TX, United States

Texas Historical Marker #08746

Henry Fields. A San Jacinto veteran; born in South Carolina, May 8, 1806; died Oct. 15, 1890 #8746

?, Palestine, TX, United States

Subjects

Texas Historical Marker #08745

Eilenberger's Bakery. F. H. Eilenberger (1878 - 1959), a German immigrant, worked at bakeries in Galveston and Fort Worth before starting this company in 1898. Originally located on the corner of John and Oak streets, the operation was moved to this site in 1918. Eilenberger also lived here for several years. Although he sold the business to his two sons and his son-in-law in 1949, his baked bread continued to be distributed throughout East Texas until 1968. Today the bakery is noted for fruit and pecan cakes, which are produced from a family recipe and marketed worldwide. #8745

512 N. John, Palestine, TX, United States

Texas Historical Marker #08743

Concord Baptist Church and Cemetery. Three families named Fitzgerald moved to Texas in the 1840s and purchased land at Mound Prairie Creek, eleven miles north of Palestine. The area in which they settled became known as Fitzgerald. As other families moved to the area, interest grew in organizing a church. Fifteen charter members met at the Fitzgerald schoolhouse in 1871 and formed a Baptist church. It is believed they named it Concord for a community in Louisiana, the former home of some members of the church. By 1883 the congregation was holding services in its own church building. A wooden frame sanctuary was erected at this site in 1901-02 that served the congregation until 1940 when it was destroyed by fire. A brick structure was begun in 1940. The cemetery and church were located on land previously owned by pioneers William A. and Michael R. Fitzgerald. The oldest marked grave is that of Joel Kelley in 1872, although it is believed the site was in use before that time. Among those buried here are early settlers and their families and three Confederate Civil War veterans. The site continues to serve the Concord community and is maintained by a cemetery association. #8743

?, Palestine, TX, United States

Texas Historical Marker #08742

C. S. A. Iron Works. Nearby, between old towns of Plentitude and Mound Prairie, John Billups as early as 1847 used Anderson County ore for iron to manufacture cotton gins and grist mills. In the Civil War, with D. D. Hassell as partner, made rifles and bayonets for Confederacy. To obtain military goods, the State of Texas subsidized war plants and exempted workmen. Other factories at Lancaster, Houston, Bastrop, Fredericksburg, Waxahachie, Corpus Christi, San Antonio, Austin, Burnet, Rusk and Tyler made pistols, percussion caps and gunpowder. (1964) #8742

?, Palestine, TX, United States

Texas Historical Marker #08741

Campbell Cemetery. Typical of a number of small family cemeteries located throughout the state of Texas, this graveyard was established by the Campbell family, who moved to the Mound Prairie community in this area in 1844. Albert Gallatin Campbell (1808 - 1876), his wife Jenny Elvira, and their children John Bartlett, Isadore, and James, established a farm. Soon the family grew with the addition of another daughter, Jettie, and another son, Alexander. John Bartlett Campbell (1834 - 1915) returned home after service in the Civil War and worked in a hardware store to earn money to purchase his own farm. He eventually purchased 270 acres and built a large home, where he and his wife Mary Elizabeth (1853 - 1927) reared their twelve children. John Bartlett Campbell set aside one acre of land on his farm for a family burial ground, and in 1876 his father, Albert Gallatin Campbell, became the first person buried here. Albert's was the only burial in the graveyard for twenty-four years, until his grandson, 23-year-old John Bartlett Campbell, Jr., died in 1900 of scarlet fever. The cemetery is still in use by Campbell family descendants. #8741

?, Palestine, TX, United States

Texas Historical Marker #08735

Bell Cemetery. Confederate veteran Uriah Jasper Bell (1839 -1915) brought his family to northeast Texas in 1871. An ordained Baptist minister, he relocated to this area to lead the Ft. Houston Baptist Church. He and his wife Nancy (d. 1918) were the parents of seven children. Their only daughter, Lula Bell Kent, died in a fire in January 1890, three months after her marriage to Will Kent. She was buried on the family farm, and hers is the first burial in what became the Bell Cemetery. Also buried here are the Bells' six sons, as well as several generations of Bell family descendants. (1991) #8735

?, Palestine, TX, United States

Texas Historical Marker #08734

Antioch Missionary Baptist Church. According to local tradition this congregation traces its origin to informal services held in various homes in Palestine as early as 1856. Although referred to as "Antioch Under the Hill" the congregation was formally named Antioch Baptist Church in 1873. The church built its first sanctuary that year on land deeded to the Rev. Bristow Smith, Bob Johnson, Virgil Campbell, and Thomas Hughes by John H. Reagan. Church membership increased and in 1885 and again in 1887 the congregation purchased town lots near here for the purpose of building a parsonage and a new sanctuary which was completed in 1895. Two ministers, the Rev. T. W. Dailey and the Rev. J. B. Atkins, are credited with substantially improving church facilities during the first quarter of the 20th century. The church building, which had served the congregation well, was destroyed by fire in 1962. Services were subsequently held in a community center until a new sanctuary was erected at this site in 1964. The structure was later remodeled for use as a fellowship hall with the construction of a new church building here in 1980. Antioch continues to serve the local African American community with a variety of Christian educational and family programs. (1993) #8734

907 E. Murchison St., Palestine, TX, United States

Texas Historical Marker #08733

Anderson County Poor Farm. Although county records show some attempts to care for the poor as early as the 1860s, property for a poor farm was not purchased until 1884. Various buildings were erected, including housing for residents and a caretaker, storage barns, a cotton gin, and a canning operation. A jail building was also in use for convict laborers who worked on the farm and on county roads. The ruins of several wells can still be seen throughout the property. A cemetery containing some 75-100 graves is located near the southern edge of the original farm site. Texas Sesquicentennial 1836 - 1986 #8733

?, Palestine, TX, United States

Texas Historical Marker #08731

Anderson County. Created March 24, 1846, from Houston County. Organized July 13, 1846 with Palestine as the county seat. Named in honor of Kenneth Lewis Anderson, vice-president of the Republic of Texas, 1844-45 #8731

?, Palestine, TX, United States

Texas Historical Marker #08729

Judge William Alexander. Born 1814 in Scotland. Settled in Palestine 1851. Trustee in first school. Practiced in Supreme Courts, Alabama, Texas. Was a partner of John H. Reagan, C.S.A. Postmaster-General, U. S. Congressman, U. S. Senator, Railroad Commissioner. Married 1857 Mrs. Susan Scott Mallard, widow of another law partner. Had two daughters. Chief Justice, Anderson County, 1860-1865. Died in Palestine, 1872. Recorded, 1965 Incise in base: Erected by Ruth R. Eppner, Granddaughter #8729

?, Palestine, TX, United States

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