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Texarkana, Texas

  By Ron Souza

Texarkana lies in the far eastern portion of the State of Texas in Bowie County. It has the unique distinction of being only half of a city whose other half is located in a different state, Arkansas. State line Avenue, the town’s main thoroughfare, divides Texarkana, Texas form Texarkana, Arkansas.


The town was established in 1873 at the junction of two railroad lines. The name is a mixture of Texas, Arkansas and nearby Louisiana and can be traced back to several different and conflicting origins. Some believe it was the name of an 1860 Steam Boat while others believe a local storekeeper invented a drink and called it Texarkana Bitters while there are those who think it was coined by a railroad surveyor. No one really knows for sure, but in 1876, the city was granted a charter by the Texas State Legislature and in 1886, the city was given a post office with the name, Texarkana.


RV Travel to Texarkana will give you an opportunity to visit the city’s Museum of Regional History. The museum is situated in the city’s oldest brick structure and features exhibits and galleries that explain the history of the region. Museum displays offer deep insight into the area’s agriculture, industry and its participating role during World War II and the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s.You will see amazing pottery made by the region’s Caddo people and learn what the French and Spanish explorers experienced when visiting the area. And don’t miss the interactive music display featuring the work of the town’s most famous native, Scott Joplin. Mr. Joplin was considered as the “Father of Ragtime” and his music has spanned the test of time to remain quite popular today.


The American Baptist Association has its headquarters in Texarkana and its churches are plentiful throughout Texas and its surrounding states including Arkansas, Oklahoma, Louisiana and Mississippi.


Because of the continued access and expansion of the railroad, the city has become the transportation, commercial and industrial center of East Central Texas as well as portions of Arkansas and Louisiana. Industries in the area include the manufacturing of many products including tile, sand and gravel, hardware, tires, mobile homes, railroad cars and paper products while farming produces crops of cotton, corn, pecan nuts, soybeans and rice. The largest portion of farm income is derived from livestock and poultry.


A Good Sam Club RV Park with outstanding Camping Discounts for members can provide you with information about things to see and places to go in Texarkana. A town favorite as pointed out by the local population is the Ace of Clubs House. The house was built in the shape of a club on a playing card. It is believed that the builder was inspired to erect the house after winning a large poker hand.


Culture continues to expand within the city. In 2005, the Texarkana Symphony Orchestra was established to promote an appreciation for classical music. The orchestra performs several concerts each year and has led to the organization of the Texarkana Youth Symphony Orchestra.


If you are seeking an interesting journey to a part of our country that remains rural and peaceful, let RV Travel to Texarkana be your choice.

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