Texarkana is a city in Bowie County, Texas, United States, in the Ark-La-Tex region. Located approximately 180 miles (290 km) from Dallas, Texarkana is a twin city with neighboring Texarkana, Arkansas. The Texas city's population was 36,193 at the 2020 census. The city and its Arkansas counterpart form the core of the Texarkana metropolitan statistical area, encompassing all of Bowie County, Texas, and Miller County, Arkansas. The two cities had a combined population of 65,580 in the 2020 decennial census, and the metropolitan area had a population of 149,482.
History Railroads were quick to see the possibilities of connecting markets in this vast area. In the late 1850s, the builders of the Cairo and Fulton Railroad were pushing their line steadily south across Arkansas. By 1874, they crossed the Red River and reached the Texas state line. Between February 16 and March 19, 1874, trains ran between the Texas border and the Red River, whence passengers and freight were ferried north to Fulton, Arkansas to continue by rail. The Red River Bridge opened on March 20, 1874. Since then, trains have run directly from Texarkana to St. Louis, Missouri. Keen rivalry existed between the 1870s railroad builders. The Texas and Pacific Railroad reached across Texas to the Arkansas state line. The border was the logical place for the different railways to connect. On December 8, 1873, the Texas and Pacific sold the first town lots for the future city. The first buyer was J. W. Davis, who purchased the land where today's Hotel McCartney now stands on the Texas side of the border, opposite Union Station which is split between both the Arkansas and Texas border.
Etymology The name Texarkana is known to be a portmanteau of Texas, Arkansas, and nearby Louisiana. However, accounts of the name's origin differ, and it had been in use some time before the town was founded. The most popular tradition is that when the St. Louis, Iron Mountain and Southern Railway was building its line through the area, Col. Gus Knobel, a railroad surveyor, coined the name. He is said to have painted it on a plank and nailed it to a tree, saying "This is the name of a town which is to be built here." Another story tells of a Red River steamboat named The Texarkana, c. 1860. A third account relates that a storekeeper named Swindle in Red Land, Louisiana, concocted a drink called "Texarkana Bitters".
Geography Texarkana is located at the junction of Interstate 30 and US highways 59, 67, 71 and 82 in extreme northeastern Texas on the Texas-Arkansas border. It is bordered by the city of Texarkana, Arkansas, to the east, and by the smaller cities of Nash, Wake Village and Liberty Eylau, Texas to the west. It is in the Central Time Zone. According to the United States Census Bureau, the Texas city has a total area of 29.5 square miles (76.3 km2), of which 29.0 square miles (75.2 km2) is land and 0.42 square miles (1.1 km2), or 1.39%, is covered by water. The city is roughly 180 miles northeast of Dallas. Several creeks run through the area including Wagner Creek, Cowhorn Creek, Swampoodle Creek and Days Creek.
Climate The warmest month is August. The highest recorded temperature was 117 °F (47 °C) in 1936. On average, the coolest month is January. The lowest recorded temperature was –6 °F (–21 °C) on December 22–23, 1989. The most precipitation on average occurs in December. A humid subtropical climate (Cfa) exists in the region.
On May 22, 2008, a microburst producing winds up to 100 mph occurred over Stateline Avenue and surrounding communities. An analysis of radar data leading up to the damage showed that two severe thunderstorms came together on the south side of the city. One severe storm was moving northeastward from southern Bowie County, while the other was moving northwestward through Miller County. Both storms collided in an area just south of downtown Texarkana. On May 16, 2020, a waterspout tornado formed in adjacent Lake Wright Patman. On December 31, 2021, a rare weather phenomenon called "animal rain" caused fish to fall out of the sky and land in yards, on sidewalks and in business lots.
Demographics
Racial and ethnic composition
2020 census As of the 2020 census, Texarkana had a population of 36,193, 14,408 households, and 8,767 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,228.13 inhabitants per square mile (474.18/km2), and the average household size was 2.42 while the average family size was 3.01. The median age was 37.8 years; 24.9% of residents were under the age of 18, 10.0% were between 18 and 24, 27.6% were from 25 to 44, 20.7% were from 45 to 64, and 17.4% were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 89.1 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 85.4 males age 18 and over. Of those households, 31.8% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 34.3% were married-couple households, 20.1% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 39.4% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 33.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. There were 16,270 housing units, of which 11.4% were vacant. The homeowner vacancy rate was 2.1% and the rental vacancy rate was 10.5%. The housing units averaged 589.4 per square mile (227.5/km2). 99.3% of residents lived in urban areas, while 0.7% lived in rural areas.
2000 census The median income for a household in the city was $29,727, and for a family was $39,119. Males had a median income of $34,155 versus $21,143 for females. The per capita income for the city was $17,815. About 19.4% of families and 24.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 34.8% of those under age 18 and 13.2% of those age 65 or over. The most affluent area of Texarkana is Pleasant Grove, where the median income is $49,562 for each household and the median for a family is $57,219 in 2013.
Economy According to the city's 2021 Annual Comprehensive Financial Report, the top employers in the Texarkana Metropolitan Statistical Area, are:
Government
Local government According to the city's most recent Comprehensive Annual Financial Report Fund Financial Statements, the city's various funds had $36.0 million in revenues, $37.0 million in expenditures, $18.9 million in total assets, $3.5 million in total liabilities, and $7.2 million in investments.
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