Editing Palestine, Texas (section)

===Modern era===
In 1914, the county's fifth courthouse was completed. It is still in use. One of the many historical sites is [[Sacred Heart Catholic Church and School|Sacred Heart Catholic Church]], which was designed by [[Nicholas J. Clayton]].

In 1928, oil was discovered at Boggy Creek, east of Palestine. The production of oil resources added to and diversified the town's economy. Palestine became a center for oil-well servicing and supplies in support of other producing fields found later elsewhere in Anderson County.<ref name="Texas State Historical Association - About Palestine">{{cite web|url= https://tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/hep01|title=Texas State Historical Association |access-date= September 16, 2016}}</ref>

Construction of the earth-filled Blackburn Crossing Dam on the [[Upper Neches River]], creating Lake Palestine as a reliable source of water, was begun in 1960, and completed in 1962. A municipal water authority manages this resource. The dam was enlarged from 1969 to 1972 to 75 feet high, and 5,720 feet long.<ref name="Upper Neches River Municipal Water Authority - About Blackburn Dam">{{cite web|url= http://www.unrmwa.org/aboutus/blackburndam.html|title= Upper Neches River Municipal Water Authority|access-date= September 16, 2016|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20161009020959/http://www.unrmwa.org/aboutus/blackburndam.html|archive-date= 2016-10-09|url-status= dead}}</ref>

About 40% of the content from the 2003 [[Space Shuttle Columbia disaster]] was recovered, seven astronauts were killed in the accident.<ref>{{cite magazine  |magazine=[[Wired (magazine)|Wired]]
   |url=https://www.wired.com/2008/10/dairy-survived
   |title=Diary Survived Shuttle Accident, Goes On Display
   |quote=cardboard-covered, three-ring bound .. found wet and crumpled .. field .. Palestine, Texas.
   |author=Loretta Hidalgo Whitesides  |date=October 2008}}</ref> Debris from ''Columbia'' was found in and outside Palestine and other East Texas towns.<ref>{{cite news  |newspaper=LATimes.com [[Los Angeles Times]]
   |title=Pride Turns to Grief and Disbelief in Israel
   |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2003-feb-02-na-israel2-story.html
   |date=February 2, 2003}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.universetoday.com/19198/astronaut-diary-survives-columbia-accident/|title=Astronaut Diary Survives Columbia Accident |date=6 October 2008|publisher= Universe Today}}</ref> Palestine's [[NASA]] [[Columbia Scientific Balloon Facility]] (renamed in honor of the shuttle crew), has flown 1,700 high-altitude balloons for universities and research agencies.

On November 15, 2015, a [[Gun violence in the United States|mass shooting]] took place at a campsite several miles northwest of Palestine. Six people were killed by an intoxicated neighbor who was upset about losing his family's land. The shooter was charged with capital murder.<ref>{{cite web
   |author=KLTV Digital Media Staff
   |url=http://www.kltv.com/story/30528560/sheriff-six-killed-in-campsite-homicide-suspect-charged
   |title=Sheriff, six killed in campsite homicide, suspect charged
   |website=KLTV ABC|date=November 16, 2015
 }}</ref> He was convicted and sentenced to death by a [[Brazos County, Texas|Brazos County]] jury on November 15, 2017.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://cbsaustin.com/news/local/man-convicted-of-killing-6-in-texas-gets-death-penalty|title=Man convicted of killing 6 in Texas gets death penalty|work=Associated Press|agency=KEYE-TV}}</ref>