Border towns with names derived from put together phrases (also known as “portmanteaus”) have constantly intrigued me, but expanding up in Texas, a person in specific captured my fascination: Texarkana.
It took a couple decades, but I lastly experienced the opportunity to investigate this historic border city, which includes the legendary article business courthouse located proper in the coronary heart of the border.
Under, I’ll share my encounter and provide you with all the crucial information you have to have in advance of setting up your pay a visit to.
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What is the Texarkana publish place of work?
The Texarkana submit office environment is a special landmark situated instantly on the border in between Texas and Arkansas. Developed in 1933, it is the only federal developing in the United States that straddles two states. Site visitors flock to see its distinctive condition line boundary marker and explore the historic downtown location nearby.
Make sure you’re stating it suitable: tek-sahr-KAN-uh. Teks-AR-Kana is the out-of-tow way to say it.
Visiting the Texarkana post office
The write-up business is found at: 500 N Condition Line Ave Ste 101, Texarkana, AR 71854.
It is positioned on “Photograph Island” and that title is pretty fitting, as the courthouse within this federal creating is reputed to be the 2nd most photographed courthouse in the region, subsequent only the Supreme Court in Washington DC.
It’s pretty quick to investigate the place.
There are parking spaces obtainable adjacent to the put up office environment as perfectly as some added parking in the bordering place. They even have free of charge EV parking which was a wonderful shock.
Lots of tourists pass through here, so you’re likely to encounter other people snapping photographs on the border. Nonetheless, there are loads of various spots for capturing exclusive border-associated shots yourself, so prospects are you can always uncover somewhere to get a excellent shot.
The principal shot will be specifically in entrance of the write-up business office, the place you can capture the huge “T” state boundary line separating the two states.
Moreover, the marked point out outlines on the floor give an intriguing standpoint, probably making for an exciting video clip as you wander, stretch, cartwheel, etc. across the boundary. (We had been in city in the course of the weekend of the 2024 eclipse which is why you see the celestial item on the border under.)
On the road and crosswalks in front of the publish office environment, you’ll see small plaques labeled with “TEX” and “ARK,” providing some intriguing views noticed under. Just make certain you’re searching for oncoming website traffic!
On top of that, seeking towards the historic downtown spot from atop the measures supplies a further great prospect.
Do not overlook to examine the north aspect of the article place of work, wherever you’ll locate an intriguing fountain marking the state line. It is not each day you see a drinking water fountain splitting the border concerning two states.
I designed sure to stop by on a weekday so that I could go inside of of the federal constructing and discover whilst I would not say that’s accurately the spotlight of the experience. For all those who do not know, the developing homes the write-up office but also United States District Courts for each Arkansas and Texas.
The courthouse was shut in the course of my go to, but the publish business office was open, so I determined to explore inside. It appeared to be a typical article office environment with walls of submit place of work containers and a number of different desks and stations.
I inquired about any unique stamps for Texarkana, but sad to say, they did not have any. General, there’s not a great deal cause to go within unless you are merely curious, like me, to see what it seems like.
A single thing that caught my interest was a plaque committed to JFK, uncovered just outside the house the front doorways. Having adopted JFK’s very last few times in Texas intently, it was intriguing to see the Texarkana relationship.
In the speech JFK was making ready to deliver on the working day he was assassinated, he intended to mention a prior pay a visit to he had designed to Texarkana in which he pledged that the place would decide on up initiatives in the house war. Of course, those people initiatives would deliver us to the moon which designed it even far more fitting to be checking out on the weekend of the solar eclipse.
Checking out Texarkana beyond the put up business
Some roadtrippers may possibly make a speedy detour just to see this exceptional post workplace, but there’s a whole lot additional to explore than just that.
1st, immediately throughout from the courthouse there is a awesome minimal cafe bakery, The Rabbit Gap, which also serves up some tasty drinks. It was a bit warm exterior so we grabbed a couple of refreshing drinks and then were on our way.
Just west of the publish business office, you will come across a stunning WWI Memorial truly worth checking out, adorned with flags from Arkansas, Texas, Oklahoma, and Louisiana.
It was interesting to me to see Oklahoma and Louisiana clumped in with some of these memorials. I grew up a Texan but hardly ever listened to the expression “four state” area but apparently that’s much more of a popular factor in northeast Texas, I suppose?
Do not overlook the time capsule that was just placed there at the conclude of 2023. It is specified to be there undisturbed for 50 several years!
To the north of there is a Korean War and Vietnam War Memorial, which I observed to be nicely finished. It honors veterans from the four-point out area, and it was below that I discovered about the horrific frostbite endured by US troopers in the course of the Korean War.
As you make your way by way of the streets in excess of listed here just be knowledgeable that some of the avenue layout is a small funky. Cars type of come out of nowhere but frequently it seems persons don’t push much too fast all-around in this article so you must be okay.
If you go on north on Point out Line Avenue, you are going to see Texas flag banners on the west facet and Arkansas flag banners on the east facet. We began to walk down that road but it didn’t look terribly intriguing in that way and so we turned about shortly.
A bit to the south there is the Accomplice Mothers Monument statue, very likely controversial to some. It was committed in 1918 on April 21 by the United Daughters of the Confederacy and is a bit particular as it’s a person of the several Accomplice monuments that functions a female.
Continuing on, you can stroll into the Arts & Historic District, the place you will come upon numerous stunning churches on the Texas aspect and other historic properties. Although some are however in have to have of restoration, other people have been preserved pretty nicely.
I savored seeing Scott Joplin Way, named after the “King of Ragtime.” I discovered him just after delving into the historical past of the Crash at Crush (he composed a music after the function). He was born in Texarkana.
After wandering about for a little bit, we stumbled upon TOC Burgers, a hugely rated burger joint in the metropolis. I specially enjoyed their cheeseburger, so if you are craving a fantastic burger, in particular a no nonsense common burger, this could be a fantastic location to strike up.
There are rather a few big and colorful murals scattered all through the Historic Arts District, making it a excellent spot to consider a stroll and admire the local art scene.
Given that this was the weekend of the solar eclipse of 2024, there have been a great deal of events happening. We seen an complete stage spot set up, along with a area for food stuff vans.
Apparently, I later discovered that Texarkana County is positioned in a dry county. Nonetheless, above time, they’ve permitted beer and wine to be offered and served in places to eat. As far as I know, liquor is still not permitted to be offered?
Nevertheless, they do have an enjoyment zone wherever open up containers are authorized in the course of selected several hours, as extensive as you stay on the suitable facet of the inexperienced line. Type of humorous to me that a town can go from being so dry to in essence Bourbon Road permitting open containers. But be absolutely sure to preserve an eye out for indicators to be certain you keep on being in the selected region.
If you have even far more time to spare, look at checking out other points of interest in the city. As a Texas A&M graduate, I was interested in going to the Texas A&M-Texarkana campus.
Although lesser than I predicted, it’s a picturesque campus, and we appreciated getting our puppy in this article for a walk, specifically all-around the lake region. Just beware that there’s tons of poo on the sidewalks immediately after you cross the bridge!
Ultimate term
We were lucky to expend a night time in Texarkana and investigate the city a bit. Nonetheless, even if you’re small on time and can not visit the historic downtown place, it’s still value halting by to see these a exclusive creating and to witness the state line boundaries firsthand.
Daniel Gillaspia is the Founder of UponArriving.com and the credit score card application, WalletFlo. He is a former attorney turned journey pro masking places together with TSA, airline, and hotel insurance policies. Considering that 2014, his content has been featured in publications these kinds of as National Geographic, Smithsonian Journal, and CNBC. Browse my bio.