Happy Anniversary Texarkana!

“Celebrate Texarkana” is the best gift to give yourself this season

December 8th, 2023, marks the 150th anniversary of the sale of the first Texarkana city lots. This milestone “birthday” deserves a celebration, and to that end, volunteers from the twin cities have been anticipating and planning a huge event for years.

photo by eric ethridge.

The TXK150 committee, composed of people selected by both Texarkana city councils in 2021, has worked to provide different activities to celebrate the sesquicentennial throughout this year. In April, we all watched the excavation of the time capsule buried by the city’s centennial committee 50 years ago, before enjoying the Founders’ Day Festival; in July, the glamorous Sesquicentennial Ball was held; and this fall, an art exhibition, showcasing local artists’ reimaginings of Texarkana images from throughout our history, was held at the Texarkana Regional Arts and Humanities Council (TRAHC). All of these community events have been leading up to December 8th, 2023, the exact birthday of this unique place in the middle of the country called Texarkana. 

In a photo nearly as old as Texarkana itself, W.H. Hakes is shown in the doorway of his newly built Bank of Texarkana in 1879. Photo provided by the TMS Wilbur Smith Research Archive.

December 8th will present numerous opportunities for the community to celebrate together. First, at 4 p.m., the next time capsule (to be unearthed in 50 years, on December 8th, 2073) will be buried at Photographer’s Island. The airtight container, generously donated by East Funeral Home, will be filled with treasures provided by citizens and will straddle the state line for the next half-century.

After the time capsule is buried, the U.S. Post Office and Federal Courthouse will be lit up in a display beyond your wildest imagination. This celebratory lighting sculpture, the product of grant-writing done by community engagements and parks project manager, Keith Beason, will be a permanent fixture and landmark, bringing more people to visit downtown Texarkana. Internationally recognized public artist Bill FitzGibbons (whose works have appeared on The Alamo and other various international landmarks) has designed this special lighting sculpture to be unveiled at dusk.

After the lighting sculpture is revealed, head to the Perot Theatre for a once-in-a-lifetime multimedia production. “Celebrate Texarkana: Experience Your Story” truly has something for everyone.

Music aficionados and casual listeners alike will delight in hearing the exceptionally talented Texarkana Symphony Orchestra, Two Pianos (Josh Lawrence and Dr. Paul Whitt), and jazz vocalist Candace Taylor perform the songs of the unofficial Texarkana soundtrack: Scott Joplin’s “The Entertainer,” Eddy Arnold’s “Texarkana Baby,” and even Elvis and Johnny Cash songs from their days performing at the Municipal Auditorium (among others). Plus, a symphonic piece by Clint Needham (a composer whose work has been described as “wildly entertaining” and “stunning, brilliantly orchestrated” by The New York Times), commissioned specifically for this jubilee, will be revealed—a truly historic event.

Whether you’re a lifelong resident of Texarkana or a newcomer to the area, you have likely wondered about how Texarkana got its name, or who the Caddo people were/are in our story, or how we became two counties in two cities in two states with one name. These stories and more are told in this unique production’s incredible script, written by Judge Josh Morriss and historian Jamie Simmons; they managed to craft something that is historically accurate, educational, and wildly entertaining. Two beloved local actors—Dr. Richard Hornok and Anna-Jo Briggs—will portray citizens who were instrumental in the story of our city’s origins.

This production will only occur once and is for everybody who feels a sense of pride about this quirky little place—the city that raised Corrine Griffith, Otis Williams, Michael Wacha, Ross Perot, and countless other extraordinary people. Secure your tickets at the Perot website or calling the Perot Theatre at 903-792-4992. 

December 8th is THE DAY to celebrate 150 years of Texarkana. Convene with your fellow community members for a momentous, historical day of celebrating the city that is “twice as nice.” A day like this will never happen again; don’t miss it!