Description: The Palestine Herald building was originally completed during 1924 and housed the newspaper until 1981. As per the January 24, 1925 issue of the Palestine Daily Herald, "It was a 40 x 100' building of fire-proof construction, and modern in every sense of the word. The plant consists of a Goss Comet newspaper press, models 14 and 8 linotypes, pony cylinder, a battery of job presses and all other necessary equipment for an up-to-date newspaper plant and job printing office." The newspaper was moved in 1981 to a building on Elm and Lacy Street and the building was sold to the First Presbyterian Church. The inside of the building was refurbished by the church and has been named the W.B. Robinson Hall.

Description: Georgia-native Nathaniel Royster Royall (1846-1905) and his wife Annie Richardson Royall built this house in 1883-84. Local historians suggest that the house incorporates elements of Galveston homes Mr. Royall had seen; the fanciful original paint scheme (red and white) was indeed suggestive of a summer resort hotel. A Confederate veteran, Mr. Royall moved to Palestine in 1873 and purchased a one-third interest in a general mercantile and banking business. By 1893 he had taken over active control of the business, which he continued solely as a private bank. Public operations began in April 1904 with the opening of the Royall National Bank of Palestine. This same bank later became the Hibernia Bank and then was purchased later by Capitol One. It is still open today. The house is still in the Royall family.

Description: Georgia-native Nathaniel Royster Royall (1846-1905) and his wife Annie Richardson Royall built this house in 1883-84. Local historians suggest that the house incorporates elements of Galveston homes Mr. Royall had seen; the fanciful original paint scheme (red and white) was indeed suggestive of a summer resort hotel. A Confederate veteran, Mr. Royall moved to Palestine in 1873 and purchased a one-third interest in a general mercantile and banking business. By 1893 he had taken over active control of the business, which he continued solely as a private bank. Public operations began in April 1904 with the opening of the Royall National Bank of Palestine. This same bank later became the Hibernia Bank and then was purchased later by Capitol One. It is still open today. The house is still in the Royall family.

Description: The St. Mary’s Academy Building encompassed a large lot in the west end of the Palestine’s central business district, behind the Sacred Heart Catholic Church. The two-story brick facility had an H-shaped plan with a central rising from the “Hyphen”. Gothic Revival stylistic features are seen most prominently at the primary entrance, with its pointed-arched opening, and the tower. Relatively few changes detracted from the property’s historic character and integrity. St. Mary’s Academy was originally a Catholic girls school founded in 1877 in a small, wooden, three-room building. In 1885 the school was moved to this site. This building was built in 1901; the architect is unknown. It was part of the Sacred Heart Catholic Church complex, which forms the core of the vibrant local Catholic community in predominately Protestant East Texas. It was torn down in 1993 to make room for new buildings for the parish.

Description: The Centenary Methodist Church is one of 13 historic religious buildings identified in the survey. With its pointed, arched openings and corner towers, this institutional building is one of the city’s best examples of the Gothic Revival style, especially as interpreted on ecclesiastical buildings. The construction of massive additions on the north side have somewhat compromised the historic character but the building retains sufficient integrity to be recognizable to its period of significance. There has been an active Methodist presence in Palestine since about 1850. At that time the only local congregation met in Bascom’s Chapel, an extant building located at 812 N. Mallard, which has since been converted into a private residence. During the early 20th century the original congregation split, with some members establishing this church, the Centenary Methodist Church, and some founding Grace United Methodist Church, located just north of downtown. Locally prominent contractor John H. Gaught constructed the sanctuary of this church in 1910-11. It was renamed the First Methodist Episcopal church by the mid-1920s, and today is known as the First United Methodist church. This photo was taken when the windows could be swiveled open to catch air during the warm months of the year.