Welcome to Palestine!

Palestine continues to maintain its status as a transportation and shipping hub. Maintaining an ideal location for distribution to Texas, Louisiana, Arkansas, and Oklahoma, and centered just over two hours from Dallas and Houston, Texas and Shreveport, Louisiana, The longstanding relationship between the Union Pacific Railroad and the city continues to this day. Palestine now ships by highway as well as by rail. In the early 1980’s, Walmart saw the advantage of Palestine’s central location and built their first distribution center outside of their home state of Arkansas. That distribution center still operates today as one of only seven Fashion Distribution Centers in the U.S. The successful operations of that center led Walmart to build a second distribution center in Palestine in 1994. It is one of only 43 Regional Distribution Centers across the United States and ships and receives $2 billion in merchandise annually. Palestine is also the home to wholesale beverage distributors, aerospace parts distributors, and a wholesale gift ware company. Palestine has existing structures available, as well as space to build and develop new facilities.

From its inception, the city of Palestine has been characterized by a commitment to development and emerging opportunities. The city is developing effective strategies to promote growth and development in a dynamic environment. Transportation infrastructure, available low-cost labor force, education and training programs, growing medical industry, lower cost of living and quality of life offerings all make Palestine an effective place to locate your business. The Palestine Economic Development Corporation offers several incentives and can assist your business with relocation.

With such a rich history, it is only natural that Palestine has developed into a tourist destination. The Texas State Railroad is the oldest and most widely known heritage railway within the State. Thanks to a longstanding commitment by the community to conserving and local investment in historic resources, the city currently features charming bed & breakfasts in restored Victorian homes, modern hotels, and restaurants filled with diverse fare for visitors to enjoy. Popular attractions include the Museum for East Texas Culture, The Texas Theatre, and Eilenberger’s Bakery. Second only to Galveston, Palestine is home to over 1,800 historic sites. These include churches, buildings, monuments, cemeteries, museums and more. View a full list of area attractions and accommodations at our Visitors Center Online and start planning your visit today! The historic Texas State Railroad offers both steam and diesel excursions that travel between Palestine and the nearby town of Rusk. Special events throughout the year include The Polar ExpressTM, Spring Excursions, and the specialty food and wine trains. Palestine is a designated Texas Main Street City and exhibits historic architecture from the early 1800’s through the 1950’s. Our Main Street District covers 44 blocks and is filled with eclectic boutiques, antique stores, cafes, bakeries, and diverse restaurants. Visit the Main Street Facebook page to keep up with special events, festivals, and downtown Palestine.

Palestine is the proud home of Davey Dogwood Park. The annual Texas Dogwood Trails Celebration began in 1938. Davey Dogwood Park became the main location of the annual event in 1944, when Mr. M. A. Davey, a local oil man, bought the land and donated it to the county to be used as a park. The park is especially beautiful in the spring with the dazzling white blossoms of the Dogwood trees and many other native area wildflowers. In the fall, the natural beauty shifts to the autumn colors of the native trees and the rich red of the Dogwood trees. Picnic areas are provided at Manley Mountain (near the entrance of the park) and near the center of the park. Visitors may view the scenic beauty along walking trails located near the picnic areas. Seeing the Dogwood blooms in Palestine was #56 in Texas Monthly’s article “The Bucket List: 63 Things All Texans Should Do Before They Die”. Contact the Chamber of Commerce for full details on the annual Texas Dogwood Trails Celebration.