Abandoned Towns

Ghost town record · Lawrence County, Indiana

Palestine

Extinct town in Indiana, United States.

Record

About Palestine

Palestine is an abandoned city in Shawswick Township, Lawrence County, Indiana. Palestine was the original county seat of Lawrence County from 1818 to 1825, when Bedford took the position.

This is a site record: what public sources say about Palestine, gathered in one place. We haven't written a full guide yet, so history, current access and photos are still to come. Treat the status as unknown until a guide confirms it.

Map

Where Palestine is

USGS topographic map around Palestine
USGS topographic map, The National Map (public domain). The pin marks the coordinates in the record; old townsites are often a little off.

Historic maps

10 historic USGS maps cover Palestine

Topographic sheets from the USGS Historical Topographic Map Collection (public domain), oldest first. Older sheets often show the camp, mines and roads while the place was alive. The downloads are large map scans; USGS topoView shows them in the browser.

Directions

Getting there

Google Maps directionsApple MapsOpenStreetMap

Before you go

  • Many ghost town sites are on private land, active mining claims or tribal land. Check land status and ask permission.
  • Roads to old townsites are often unmaintained dirt. Map apps may route over closed or impassable tracks.
  • Removing artifacts from public land is illegal under federal and most state laws.

Nearby

Other sites near Palestine

Straight-line distance to other mapped sites in our Indiana index.

Sources

Sources

  1. Wikipedia, "Palestine, Lawrence County, Indiana": coordinates and summary.
  2. Wikidata Q25025258.
  3. USGS 3D Elevation Program, elevation at the coordinates.
  4. USGS The National Map and Historical Topographic Map Collection (public domain).