Texarkana is a city in the
U.S. state of
Arkansas
Arkansas ( ) is a landlocked state in the West South Central region of the Southern United States. It borders Missouri to the north, Tennessee and Mississippi to the east, Louisiana to the south, Texas to the southwest, and Oklahoma ...
and the county seat of
Miller County, on the southwest border of the state. As of the
2020 census, it had a population of 29,387.
It is the
twin city of
Texarkana, Texas, located just across the state line. The city was founded at a railroad intersection on December 8, 1873, and was incorporated in Arkansas on August 10, 1880. Texarkana and its Texas counterpart are the principal cities of the
Texarkana metropolitan area, which in 2021 was ranked 289th in the United States with a population of 147,174, according to the
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau, officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the Federal statistical system, U.S. federal statistical system, responsible for producing data about the American people and American economy, econ ...
.
Within the
Ark-La-Tex subregion of
southwest Arkansas, Texarkana is located in the
Piney Woods, an
oak–hickory forest that dominates the flat
Gulf Coastal Plain
The Gulf Coastal Plain extends around the Gulf of Mexico in the Southern United States and eastern Mexico.
This coastal plain reaches from the Florida Panhandle, southwest Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia, the southern two-thirds of Alabama, over m ...
. Texarkana's economy is based on agriculture. The city has long been a trading center, first located at the intersection of major railroads serving Texas, Arkansas and north into Missouri. Since then three major
Interstate highways constructed crossroads here:
Interstate 30 (I-30),
I-49, and the future
I-69. The
Red River Army Depot is the largest single employer in the city.
The
Texarkana Arkansas School District is the largest public school district on the Arkansas side. The city has a branch campus of the
University of Arkansas Hope-Texarkana (UAHT).
Texarkana College is located on the Texas side.
History
Miller County was formed in 1820 in the
Arkansas Territory; it was named in honor of
James Miller, Arkansas' first territorial governor and a general during the
War of 1812. Much of its eastern border is formed by the
Red River. At the time, there was considerable uncertainty among Americans as to the location of the boundary between the county (and the United States) and national territory of
Mexico
Mexico, officially the United Mexican States, is a country in North America. It is the northernmost country in Latin America, and borders the United States to the north, and Guatemala and Belize to the southeast; while having maritime boundar ...
, which then included Texas.
Consequently, settlers believed that Arkansas levied and collected taxes on land that eventually might be held by Mexico. Moreover, many who resented what they considered
Mexican oppression of European-American Texans were openly declaring allegiance to the Texans.
After the
Texas Republic gained independence from Mexico, regional unrest increased. In 1838, Governor
James Conway proposed that the "easiest and most effective remedy is the abolition of Miller County to an area which is more patriotic." Miller County was dissolved and its land was made part of
Lafayette County, Arkansas.
In 1873 town lots were sold in Texarkana, Arkansas, at the intersection of two railroads, which stimulated its growth as a trading center. In this area and time period, railroads had replaced rivers as the preferred method of transportation and shipping, and new towns were sited for best advantage via the railroad. The next year (1874),
Texarkana, Texas, was founded on the rail line on June 12 across the state border.
That same year, the Arkansas legislature re-established Miller County.
Efforts of the young town in Arkansas to be incorporated were not realized until October 17, 1880, nearly seven years after Texarkana, Texas, was formed. Both Texarkana cities generally recognize December 8, 1873, as the date of organization.
On February 11, 1922, masked men lynched
Mr. Norman, an
African-American man, in
Texarkana,
Miller County, Arkansas
Miller County is a County (United States), county located in the southwestern corner of the U.S. state of Arkansas. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the population was 42,600. The county seat is Texarkana, Arkansas, Texarkana. ...
. Lynchings were perpetrated by white men primarily against black males, although some black women were also lynched in the South.
Geography
Texarkana is southwest of
Little Rock, north of
Shreveport, Louisiana
Shreveport ( ) is a city in the U.S. state of Louisiana. It is the List of municipalities in Louisiana, third-most populous city in Louisiana after New Orleans and Baton Rouge, Louisiana, Baton Rouge. The bulk of Shreveport is in Caddo Parish, Lo ...
, and northeast of
Dallas
Dallas () is a city in the U.S. state of Texas and the most populous city in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex, the List of Texas metropolitan areas, most populous metropolitan area in Texas and the Metropolitan statistical area, fourth-most ...
, Texas. According to the
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau, officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the Federal statistical system, U.S. federal statistical system, responsible for producing data about the American people and American economy, econ ...
, Texarkana has a total area of , of which are land and , or 0.54%, are water.
The city is mainly drained by
Nix Creek, a southwest-flowing tributary of Days Creek, part of the
Sulphur River watershed leading to the
Red River.
Climate
The climate in this area is characterized by hot, humid summers and generally mild to cool winters. According to the
Köppen Climate Classification system, Texarkana has a
humid subtropical climate, abbreviated "Cfa" on climate maps.
Demographics
2020 census
As of the
2020 United States census, there were 29,387 people, 11,404 households, and 7,348 families residing in the city.
2016
As of the
census
A census (from Latin ''censere'', 'to assess') is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording, and calculating population information about the members of a given Statistical population, population, usually displayed in the form of stati ...
of 2016, there were 30,283 people, 13,565 households, and 7,040 families residing in the city. The population density was . There were 11,721 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 65.93%
White
White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no chroma). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully (or almost fully) reflect and scatter all the visible wa ...
, 31.00%
Black or
African American, 0.48%
Native American, 0.50%
Asian, 0.03%
Pacific Islander
Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, Pacificans, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the list of islands in the Pacific Ocean, Pacific Islands. As an ethnic group, ethnic/race (human categorization), racial term, it is used to describe th ...
, 0.61% from
other races, and 1.46% from two or more races.
Hispanic
The term Hispanic () are people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or broadly. In some contexts, Hispanic and Latino Americans, especially within the United States, "Hispanic" is used as an Ethnici ...
or
Latino of any race were 1.78% of the population.
There were 13,565 households, out of which 32.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 45.3% were
married couples living together, 18.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.2% were non-families. 28.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.45 and the average family size was 2.99.
In the city, the population was spread out, with 25.9% under the age of 18, 10.1% from 18 to 24, 28.5% from 25 to 44, 21.5% from 45 to 64, and 14.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females, there were 92.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.0 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $31,343, and the median income for a family was $38,292 . Males had a median income of $35,204 versus $21,731 for females. The
per capita income
Per capita income (PCI) or average income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year.
In many countries, per capita income is determined using regular population surveys, such ...
for the city was $17,130. About 17.2% of families and 21.7% of the population were below the
poverty line
The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line, or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for ...
, including 33.0% of those under age 18 and 15.7% of those age 65 or above.
Government and infrastructure
The
Arkansas Department of Correction operates the
Texarkana Regional Correction Center in Texarkana.
Arkansas residents whose permanent residence is within the city limits of Texarkana, Arkansas, are exempt from Arkansas individual income taxes.
The
Federal Courthouse (which holds the city's only post office) is located directly on the Arkansas-Texas state line. It is the only federal office building to straddle a state line.
According to the city's 2018 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report,
the top employers in the area are:
#Red River Army Depot & Tenants 4,135,
#Christus St. Michael Health Care 1,800,
#Cooper Tire & Rubber Company 1,750,
#AECOM/URS 1,300,
#Southern Refrigerated Transport 1,235,
#Wal-Mart 1,200,
#Texarkana TX Independent School District 1,150,
#Domtar, Inc. 900,
#Graphic Packaging 800,
#Wadley Regional Medical Center 755,
#Texarkana Arkansas School District 785,
Transportation
*
Texarkana (Amtrak station)
*
Texarkana Regional Airport
Education
Public education for elementary and secondary school students is provided by two school districts:
*
Texarkana Arkansas School District, which leads to graduating from
Arkansas High School. The high school mascot is the Razorback. The
University of Arkansas selected this mascot in exchange for giving the school some used athletic equipment. This practice no longer occurs.
* A very small portion of the city is within the
Genoa Central School District, which leads to graduation from
Genoa Central High School. The high school mascot is the Dragon; green and white serve as the school colors.
Private education opportunities include:
*
Trinity Christian School, a Baptist school serving pre-kindergarten through grade 12.
In 2012, a branch of the
University of Arkansas Community College at Hope was established at Texarkana. It is known as University of Arkansas Hope-Texarkana (UAHT). In 2015 UAHT began partnering with the
University of Arkansas Little Rock, to offer bachelor's degree programs through UALR Texarkana, with classes held on the UAHT Texarkana campus.
Pop culture
* In 2016, a video of a Texarkana minister defending LGBT rights in a speech went viral online.
* Cornelius, a random sorghum seedling that struggled to survive in a crack in the sidewalk in 2024. By early October of 2024, Cornelius had sprouted and found a Facebook following numbering in double digits.
* The town, along with its counterpart across the state line of Texas, is the location setting of the cult-classic film,
The Town That Dreaded Sundown.
Notable people
*
Buster Benton, blues singer-guitarist
*
Ben M. Bogard, founder in 1924 of the
American Baptist Association
*
Mike Cherry, New York Giants football, Murray State quarterback
*
Willie Davis, player with
Green Bay Packers in the NFL and Super Bowl champion
*
Martin Delray, country music singer
*
Wayne Dowd, Arkansas state senator and lawyer
*
Wilhelm L. Friedell, U.S. Navy rear admiral, Navy Cross recipient, and submariner
*
Mike Huckabee, governor; pastored Beech Street First Baptist Church, 1986-1992
*
Parnelli Jones,
1963 Indianapolis 500 champion
*
Scott Joplin, composer and pianist of
ragtime music
*
Jeff Keith, lead singer of rock band
Tesla
*
Dana Kimmell, actress
*
A. Lynn Lowe, farmer and former
Arkansas Republican Party state chairman
*
Jimmy Means, NASCAR driver and owner
*
Bryce Mitchell, professional
mixed martial artist competing in the
UFC
*
Dustin Moseley, Major League Baseball player with the
San Diego Padres in the
MLB
*
Conlon Nancarrow, composer who specialized in works for the
player piano
*
Charles B. Pierce, director and movie producer of ''
The Legend of Boggy Creek'' and ''
The Town That Dreaded Sundown''
*
Don Rogers, football player with
Cleveland Browns in the
NFL
*
Mike Ross, former
congressman and 2014 Arkansas gubernatorial nominee
*
Max Sandlin, former congressman from Texas, and husband of former congresswoman
Stephanie Herseth Sandlin
*
Rod Smith, football player with the
Denver Broncos in the
NFL; two-time Super Bowl Champion
*
Jasper Taylor, early jazz drummer, recorded with
Jelly Roll Morton,
Freddy Keppard, many others
*
Jerry Turner, former Major League Baseball outfielder
*
Pamela Veuleman Trammell, President General of the
United Daughters of the Confederacy
*
Dennis Woodberry, player with
Washington Redskins in the NFL and one-time Super Bowl champion
References
External links
*
Texarkana Business Reviews(from the
Institute of Southern Jewish Life)
* ''Encyclopedia of Arkansas History & Culture'' entry
Texarkana (Miller County)
{{authority control
.
Cities in Miller County, Arkansas
Cities in Texarkana metropolitan area
Cities in the Ark-La-Tex
Arkansas placenames of Native American origin
Divided cities
Twin cities
County seats in Arkansas
County seats in the Ark-La-Tex
Cities in Arkansas