Texarkana, city (1990 pop.: in Tex., 31,656; in Ark., 22,631), Bowie co. (Tex.) and seat of Miller co. (Ark.), on the Tex.-Ark. line; inc. 1880. Physically one city, Texarkana is actually two separate municipalities. The state line runs through the center of the post office. Texarkana is a major railroad junction and a transportation and trade center for a large agricultural and pine forest area. Its many industries include cotton processing, lumbering, and the manufacture of tires, ammunition, paperboard, medical equipment, railroad ties, and cooking oil. The U.S. army has a huge depot there. Texarkana has a campus of Texas A&M Univ. and a junior college. Wright Patman Lake, a large reservoir to the southwest, serves as a resort area.

Texarkana is the largest city and county seat of Miller County, Arkansas, United States. It effectively functions as one half of a city which crosses a state line — the other half, the city of Texarkana, Texas, lies on the other side of State Line Avenue. According to 2006 Census Bureau estimates, the population of the city is 30,006, ranking it as the state's 13th largest city, behind Jacksonville. The city, along with its Texas counterpart forms the core of the Texarkana, Texas–Texarkana, Arkansas Metropolitan Statistical Area, encompassing all of Bowie County, Texas and Miller County, Arkansas.

Geography

Texarkana is located at (33.433075, -94.020514).

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 83.0 km² (32.0 sq mi). 31.9 square miles (82.5 km²) of it is land and 0.2 square miles (0.5 km²) of it (0.59%) is water.

Demographics

As of the census of 2000, there were 26,448 people, 10,384 households, and 7,040 families residing in the city. The population density was 830.5 people per square mile (320.6/km²). There were 11,721 housing units at an average density of 368.1/sq mi (142.1/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 65.93% White, 31.00% Black or African American, 0.48% Native American, 0.50% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.61% from other races, and 1.46% from two or more races. 1.78% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 10,384 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 $37,157. 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.

Notable natives

• Martin Delray, country music singer
• Parnelli Jones, 1963 Indianapolis 500 champion
• Jeff Keith, lead singer of the rock band Tesla
• Rod Smith, American football player with the Denver Broncos in the NFL
• Conlon Nancarrow, innovative composer who specialized in works for the player piano
• Ryan Mallett, college quarterback
• Don Rogers, American football player with the Cleveland Browns in the NFL

Transportation

• Texarkana (Amtrak station)

References

External links

• History of Texarkana's Jewish community (from the Institute of Southern Jewish Life)
• Texarkana, Arkansas
• Encyclopedia of Arkansas History & Culture entry: Texarkana (Miller County)
• Texarkana Business Reviews