Beginning August 1 st , 20205, the Texarkana Museums System will present “Texarkana and the Railroads,” an exhibit developed by TMS Staff. The exhibit follows the beginning of the railroad in Texarkana and up to today.
The exhibit includes history of different gauge railways, short lines, freight and passenger service in Texarkana and the surrounding area.
Guests can see how Texarkana came to be after the implementation and influence of railroads. The interaction with the military, Red River Army Depot, support from the community and local economy through the history of the railroad.
A tribute to David Alexander, Black Ivory King, is on display. He was a musician from Stamps, Arkansas. He wrote four songs that represented life and times and the railroad life in the 1930’s and 1940’s. He wrote music and lyrics to, The Flying Crow, Working for the PWA, Gingham Dress (Alexander Blues), Matchbox Blues. Take time to listen to his music playing near our Scott Joplin display.
We are also offering a scavenger hunt for children up to age 10. There is a historic prize from AMTRAK to those children who complete it. And we have a fundraiser for adults, age 25+, with a $50 donation the ticket goes into a drawing for a trip to Austin, TX, January 24-31, 2026. It includes a 7-night stay at Club Wyndham in a two bedroom, two bath unit, sleeps up to six and a $100 gift card for AMTRAK. All details are available at the Museum of Regional History.
The exhibit will be on display to the public from August 1 st -December 31, 2025, at the Museum of Regional History located at 219 N State Line in historic downtown Texarkana.
Our hours are Tuesday-Friday, 10AM-5PM and Saturday, 10AM-4PM.
For more information, please call 903-793-4831.
