Grand Saline is located in Van Zandt County east of Dallas between Terrell and Longview on US 80 and Hwy 110 near the Sabine River and Lake Holbrook.
Morton Salt acquired all the local salt companies in 1920, sank the Kleer Salt Mine into the area's salt dome by 1931 to produce up to 500 tons of salt daily, and became the sole salt-mine operator in the county, employing 950 by 1945.
The discovery of the Van oilfield in 1929 brought twelve petroleum-supply companies and five lumberyards to the community, and a local well was discovered in 1963. In 1982 Morton Salt produced 400,000 tons of salt from its mines. Main Street Salt House, with huge salt crystals from the Morton mines, is a local attraction.
In 1990 Grand Saline had a population of 3,402, shipped fruits and vegetables, and celebrated a June Salt Festival and Rodeo and a December Christmas Parade.