Texarkana, Arkansas

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Texarkana
City
File:Texarkana April 2016 115 (State Line Avenue).jpg
File:Texarkana April 2016 077 (Augustus M. Garrison House).jpg
File:Texarkana April 2016 054 (Texarkana Arkansas City Hall).jpg
File:Texarkana State Line Sign.jpg
From top, left to right: Downtown, Augustus M. Garrison House, Texarkana City Hall, Texarkana state line
Template:Infobox settlement/columns
Nicknames: 
The Arkansas Side, TXK
Motto(s): 
"Twice as Nice"
Location in Miller County, Arkansas
Location in Miller County, Arkansas
Template:Location map
Coordinates: 33°28′12″N 94°00′30″W / 33.47000°N 94.00833°W / 33.47000; -94.00833Coordinates: 33°28′12″N 94°00′30″W / 33.47000°N 94.00833°W / 33.47000; -94.00833
Country United States
StateTemplate:Country data Arkansas
CountyMiller
IncorporatedAugust 10, 1880 (145 years ago) (1880-08-10)
Government
 • TypeCouncil-Manager
 • MayorAllen Brown
Area
[1]
 • TotalTemplate:Infobox settlement/areadisp
 • LandTemplate:Infobox settlement/areadisp
 • WaterTemplate:Infobox settlement/areadisp
Elevation
[2]
Template:Infobox settlement/lengthdisp
Population
 (2020)[3]
 • Total29,387
 • Estimate 
(2025)[4]
29,123 Template:Loss
 • DensityTemplate:Infobox settlement/densdisp
Time zoneUTC−6 (Central (CST))
 • Summer (DST)UTC−5 (CDT)
ZIP Code
71854
Area code(s)870
FIPS code05-68810
GNIS feature ID2405580[2]
Websitecityoftexarkanaar.com

Texarkana is a city in the U.S. state of Arkansas 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.[3] 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.

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. 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

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File:Arkansas - Texarkana - NARA - 23934063 (cropped).jpg
View of Texarkana, 1932

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, 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.[5] 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.[5]

On February 11, 1922, masked men lynched Mr. Norman, an African-American man, in Texarkana, Miller County, Arkansas. Lynchings were perpetrated by white men primarily against black males, although some black women were also lynched in the South.

Geography

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File:Texarkana Municipal Auditorium IMG 67413.jpg
Municipal Auditorium is located in the City Hall complex.
File:Texarkana, AR, Fire Dept. IMG 6412.jpg
The Texarkana Fire Department adjoins the Municipal Auditorium.
File:Highland Church of Christ, Texarkana, AR IMG 6357.jpg
Highland Church of Christ at 1705 Highland Street

Texarkana is 143 miles (230 km) southwest of Little Rock, 72 miles (116 km) north of Shreveport, Louisiana, and 180 miles (290 km) northeast of Dallas, Texas. According to the United States Census Bureau, Texarkana has a total area of 42.2 square miles (109 km2), of which 42.0 square miles (109 km2) are land and 0.2 square miles (0.5 km2), or 0.54%, are water.[1] 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

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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.[6]

Template:Weather box

Demographics

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Template:US Census population

Racial and ethnic composition

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Texarkana city, Arkansas – Racial and ethnic composition
Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos may be of any race.
Race / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic) Pop 2000[7] Pop 2010[8] Pop 2020[9] % 2000 % 2010 % 2020
White alone (NH) 17,191 18,356 16,113 65.00% 61.35% 54.83%
Black or African American alone (NH) 8,163 9,853 10,347 30.86% 32.93% 35.21%
Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH) 122 160 158 0.46% 0.53% 0.54%
Asian alone (NH) 131 166 175 0.50% 0.55% 0.60%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander alone (NH) 6 15 2 0.02% 0.05% 0.01%
Other race alone (NH) 19 30 102 0.07% 0.10% 0.35%
Mixed race or Multiracial (NH) 344 495 1,246 1.30% 1.65% 4.24%
Hispanic or Latino (any race) 472 844 1,244 1.78% 2.82% 4.23%
Total 26,448 29,919 29,387 100.00% 100.00% 100.00%

2020 census

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As of the 2020 census, Texarkana had a population of 29,387 and 11,831 households, of which 7,348 were families. The median age was 39.1 years. 23.0% of residents were under the age of 18 and 17.1% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 94.0 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 91.2 males age 18 and over.[10][11]

86.5% of residents lived in urban areas, while 13.5% lived in rural areas.[12]

There were 11,831 households in Texarkana, of which 30.0% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 37.1% were married-couple households, 19.3% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 36.7% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 31.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.[10]

There were 13,593 housing units, of which 13.0% were vacant. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.9% and the rental vacancy rate was 11.5%.[10]

Racial composition as of the 2020 census[11]
Race Number Percent
White 16,427 55.9%
Black or African American 10,408 35.4%
American Indian and Alaska Native 182 0.6%
Asian 175 0.6%
Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander 2 0.0%
Some other race 604 2.1%
Two or more races 1,589 5.4%
Hispanic or Latino (of any race) 1,244 4.2%

2016 estimates

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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 for the city was $17,130. About 17.2% of families and 21.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 33.0% of those under age 18 and 15.7% of those age 65 or above.[13]

Government and infrastructure

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The Arkansas Department of Correction operates the Texarkana Regional Correction Center in Texarkana.[14]

Arkansas residents whose permanent residence is within the city limits of Texarkana, Arkansas, are exempt from Arkansas individual income taxes.[15]

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:

  1. Red River Army Depot & Tenants 4,135,
  2. Christus St. Michael Health Care 1,800,
  3. Cooper Tire & Rubber Company 1,750,
  4. AECOM/URS 1,300,
  5. Southern Refrigerated Transport 1,235,
  6. Wal-Mart 1,200,
  7. Texarkana TX Independent School District 1,150,
  8. Domtar, Inc. 900,
  9. Graphic Packaging 800,
  10. Wadley Regional Medical Center 755,
  11. Texarkana Arkansas School District 785,

Transportation

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Education

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Public education for elementary and secondary school students is provided by two school districts:

Private education opportunities include:

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.[18]

Pop culture

[edit]
  • In 2016, a video of a Texarkana minister defending LGBT rights in a speech went viral online.[19]
  • Cornelius, a random sorghum seedling that struggled to survive in a crack in the sidewalk in 2024. By early October 2024, Cornelius had sprouted and found a Facebook following numbering in double digits.[20]
  • 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

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References

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  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 "2021 U.S. Gazetteer Files: Arkansas". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved May 31, 2022.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Template:GNIS
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 "P1. Race – Texarkana city, Arkansas: 2020 DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171)". U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved May 31, 2022.
  4. ↑ "Vintage 2025 Total Population Estimates for Incorporated Places and Minor Civil Divisions; Housing Unit Estimates for the Nation, States and Counties". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved May 20, 2026.
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 "Texarkana Chamber of Commerce". Texarkana.org. Archived from the original on April 5, 2015. Retrieved April 7, 2015.
  6. ↑ "Texarkana, Arkansas Köppen Climate Classification". Weatherbase.com. Retrieved July 25, 2016.
  7. ↑ "P004: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2000: DEC Summary File 1 – Texarkana city, Arkansas". United States Census Bureau.
  8. ↑ "P2: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2010: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Texarkana city, Arkansas". United States Census Bureau.
  9. ↑ "P2: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Texarkana city, Arkansas". United States Census Bureau.
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 "2020 Decennial Census Demographic Profile (DP1)". United States Census Bureau. 2021. Retrieved March 28, 2026.
  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 "2020 Decennial Census Redistricting Data (Public Law 94-171)". United States Census Bureau. 2021. Retrieved March 28, 2026.
  12. ↑ "2020 Decennial Census Demographic and Housing Characteristics (DHC)". United States Census Bureau. 2023. Retrieved March 28, 2026.
  13. ↑ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
  14. ↑ "Arkansas Department of Corrections". Adc.arkansas.gov. Archived from the original on July 5, 2008. Retrieved July 25, 2016.
  15. ↑ "State of Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration Texarkana Exemption Letter" (PDF). Dfa.arkansas.gov. Retrieved March 26, 2011.
  16. ↑ "History of Texarkana: Did You Know?". Texarkana Arkansas School District. Archived from the original on February 22, 2013. Retrieved November 5, 2012.
  17. ↑ "SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP (2010 CENSUS): Miller County, AR." U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved on October 15, 2017.
  18. ↑ "University of Arkansas at Little Rock". Ualr.edu. Archived from the original on June 8, 2017. Retrieved June 5, 2017.
  19. ↑ "Facebook". Facebook. Retrieved July 25, 2016.
  20. ↑ Wyatt, Mallory (October 6, 2024). "Children of the Cornelius: Grain stalk cultivates social media following". Texarkana Gazette. Retrieved May 26, 2025.
  21. ↑ Bill Dahl. "Buster Benton | Biography & History". AllMusic. Retrieved July 9, 2017.
  22. ↑ "Benjamin Marcus Bogard (1868–1951)". encyclopediaofarkansas.net. Retrieved August 2, 2013.
  23. ↑ "Mike Cherry, QB at". Nfl.com. Retrieved July 25, 2016.
  24. ↑ "Wilhelm Lee Friedell". Military Times. Retrieved December 17, 2021.
  25. ↑ Mike Huckabee, From Hope to Higher Ground, New York: Center Street Publishers, 2007, p. 5
  26. ↑ "Jimmy Means • Career & Character Info | Motorsport Database". Motorsport Database - Motor Sport Magazine. Retrieved August 8, 2021.
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Template:Miller County, Arkansas Template:Arkansas county seats

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