Along with the county courthouse, the historic county jail was a prominent symbol of local government and law enforcement within Anderson County. Located diagonally from the courthouse square, the Anderson County Jail occupies a highly visible corner in the original town site of Palestine. The building replaced an 1879-1880 brick building which had ably met the needs of the county for a half century. By early 1931 the jail was considered unsafe and Anderson County Commissioners deemed it necessary to replace the old structure with a new one. Palestine's increasing growth and development since the boom years of the 1870s and 1880s led to a resolution passed by the Court in April 1931. In 1931, this art deco style building was built and served as the county jail for almost 55 years. Today, the historic facility serves as a private residence and is home to the Texas Jailhouse, which hosts events such as the Haunted Little Jail in October and the Grinch’s Lair during November & December.