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: Most of the large, late 19th century residences in the neighborhood south of Palestine’s historic downtown feature wood-frame construction; however, this opulent dwelling has brick load-bearing walls. The house displays Victorian Italianate architectural embellishments, including the segmental-arched hoodmolds, bracketed eaves, and main entrance with its round-arched portal and hoodmold. The fish-scaled, patterned shingles in the front-facing gable and the complex roof plan are also suggestive of the Queen Anne style. Local brick manufacturer and Massachusetts-native Daniel N. Darling built this house in 1881; it is one of the oldest brick dwellings in the city. John Young Gooch (1848-1904) purchased the home soon after its construction; he was a prominent local lawyer who at one time was partners with John H. Reagan in the law firm of Reagan, Greenwood, and Gooch. Gooch also served as a state senator and as mayor and District Judge of Palestine. Judge Benjamin Howard Gardner (1854-1947) and his wife Carrie Bonner Gardner purchased the house in 1892. A native of Alabama, Mr. Gardner was another prominent local lawyer; he served as County Attorney for Freestone County, District Judge for the Third Judicial District, and was appointed by the Texas Supreme Court to be chairman of the ...

Description: This opulent Queen Anne-style house is one of Palestine’s premier historic dwellings. Distinctive features include the asymmetrical massing, a richness in details and materials and superb craftsmanship. The house is a textbook example of the Queen Anne style. A large addition has been built onto the rear, but the owners have been careful to reproduce the kinds of detailing and materials seen on the historic portion of the house. Cotton broker Samuel Lucas, a New Orleans native, and his wife, Esther Goldberg Lucas, purchased this lot in December 1892, and began building this house soon afterwards. Architect John S. Moad designed the dwelling; Moad was responsible for a number of notable Texas buildings, including Palestine’s First Christian Church and the now-demolished Railroad Y.M.C.A. Galveston-native Martin A. Davey purchased the property in September 1927. Davey’s knowledge of the geology of Anderson County led him to the discovery of several oil fields in the region, including the lucrative Boggy Creek field; he is generally regarded as the “father of the East Texas oil business.” In 1936 Palestine voted Davey its “number-one citizen.” Davey donated approximately 300 acres to Anderson County in the late 1930s, which later became Davey Dogwood Park. Mr. and ...

Description: Photo taken during the construction of a new section of the First Presbyterian Church, located at 410 Avenue A - Palestine.

Description: Demolition of an unknown building located on Spring Street - Palestine.