What Lake Palestine is known for

The Lake Palestine Destination is located in the southern part of the state of Texas. Notably, the region lies southwest of the city of Dallas, which is a relatively well-known city in the state. The namesake of the destination, Lake Palestine, is situated near Tyler, Texas, a city in the region. Another urban area that can be found within the borders of the destination is Palestine; however, the city is not home to Lake Palestine and is instead located south of the lake. Tyler, the closest city to the namesake, was named after the tenth president of the country, John Tyler. Tyler is also known for being the location where the internal "Adopt-a-Highway" movent started in 1985. Signs stating, "First Adopt-A-Highway in the World" can be seen throughout the city's limits. The city of Tyler is also noted for its cultivation, processing, and production of roses, which, in turn, earned it the nicknames of "Rose Capital of America," "Rose City," and "Rose Capital of the World."[6] 

There is a wide range of activities and attractions in the Lake Palestine Destination. As previously mentioned, Tyler is one of the multiple cities in the region. Tyler offers attractions such as the Bonner-Whitaker McClendon House, a 19th-century home used by a notable female journalist named Sarah McClendon; Caldwell Zoo; Camp Ford Historical Park, one of the largest Confederate prisoner of war camps; Cotton Belt Depot Museum; 1859 Goodman-LeGrand House and Museum; and the Texas Horse Park, to name a few.[4] Lake Palestine also offers activities on and off the water, including camping, kayaking, and visiting the local water park and villages.[2]

When coming to visit the destination, it is recommended to come between late May to mid-September. This recommendation is based on the "beach/pool score" by WeatherSpark, as it states that this is the "best time of year to visit Palestine for hot-weather activities." Depending on the time of the year, the region experiences temperatures ranging from 39 to 95 degrees Fahrenheit on average.[5]

Cities within the region include the aforementioned Tyler and Palestine, as well as other cities, including Waxahachie, Ennis, Corsicana, Athens, and Jacksonville. Each town varies in size and population; particularly, Tyler has a population of 107,815 people, while Palestine was reported to have a population of 18,544 people as of the 2020 census.[1][7] Tyler has varying racial demographics, with the most prominent race of residents being white (67.52%). Other constituents of the demographic include black or African American at 23.46% and Asian at 2.54%.[1]

Geography

In the state of Texas, the Lake Palestine Destination can be found. The destination encompasses the cities of Tyler, Waxahachie, Ennis, Athens, and Palestine. Though, the latter city is not necessarily near the namesake of the destination, Lake Palestine, and is instead located south of the water mass. Tyler is one of the closest cities to the lake. Other bodies of water in the area include Cedar Creek Reservoir and Richland-Chambers Reservoir, with accompanying rivers that connect to the lakes and reservoirs. The destination is near the Louisiana border, though it does not directly border the state. However, the region does border the city of Dallas and surrounding areas.

Lake Palestine covers a surface area of 25,560 acres (40 square miles). In parts of the lake, the depths of the water can reach 50 feet, though the average depth of the lake is 16 feet. Also associated with the lake is the 135 miles of shoreline that can be utilized by those in the area.[8] Based on the Weather Spark's "beach/pool score" for the area, specifically Palestine, the best time to visit the area for hot-weather activities is between late May to mid-September. Though on average, the area experiences temperatures ranging from 39 degrees to 95 degrees Fahrenheit throughout the year. June to September is typically the hot season for the town, with the average temperature being 88 degrees. The cool season experiences an average daily high of 65 degrees Fahrenheit, specifically between the months of November to February. Over half of the year, on average, falls under the wetter season of the region, with there being a 28% chance of a day being wet between the months of October to July. The month of May reportedly has the most rainfall on average, producing 4.1 inches of precipitation on a typical basis.[5]

Those in the area can often view the variety of wildlife that lives within the Lake Palestine Destination. Common fauna to be found in the area are white-tailed deer, squirrels, foxes, coyotes, opossums, skunks, salamanders, armadillos, and raccoons. There are also over 200 species of birds found in a park near Tyler. Flora in the area, specifically in Tyler State Park, include trees such as dogwood, eastern redbud, Mexican plum bloom, shortleaf pine, black walnut, sugarberry, slippery elm, pines, and oaks. Wildflowers are also common for the land, such as brown-eyed Susans, spiderwort, butterflyweed, standing cypress, verbena, yucca, and beebalm.[3]

History

The Lake Palestine Destination has a relatively broad history, considering it covers various cities and natural attractions such as lakes and reservoirs in southwest Texas. Lake Palestine, the destination's namesake, has a history starting in 1960 when the dam for the lake was constructed. The dam took two years to build and has since gone under construction for an enlargement project. Blackburn Crossing Dam is the new name of the dam, which currently enables visitors to engage in recreational activities. The dam is also utilized for water conservation and wildlife preservation.[8]

Tyler is one of the closest cities to the namesake of the destination. The city of Tyler was named after one of the United States Presidents, John Tyler, in 1846. From the time the town gained its name to 1930, the area was utilized as a farming center. This focus shifted once an oil field was discovered. Later the region shifted its focus primarily to transportation. "Tyler became the administrative headquarters for oil companies and now has refineries and commercial and light-industrial developments."[9] 

Tyler has a population of 105,995 people as of the 2020 census. Since then, the town has experienced a growth rate of 0.85%, which has led the population to grow by 1.72% since the last census. The primary race of residents who live in the area is white, making up 67.52% of the population. Other ethnicities include black or African American (23.46%) and Asian (2.54%).[1] Another notable city in the destination is Palestine, which was reported to have a population of 18,544 residents as of the same 2020 census. Palestine is "notable for its natural environment" and its various historical sites that are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.[7]