Texarkana in Bowie County, Texas — The American South (West South Central)
The Texarkana Streetcar System
City of Texarkana, Texas
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Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, July 1, 2025
1. The Texarkana Streetcar System Marker
In 1886, the Texarkana Street Railway Company was founded by Frank Whitley, Alfred Deutschmann, and Ben Foremen. One of its destinations was Spring Lake Park. For a nickel, Texarkanians could travel to the park in a streetcar which rode on railway tracks and was powered by two mules.
Texarkana's streetcar system grew and expanded with the city. By 1902 the mules were replaced by an electric streetcar system. Everyone looked forward to summer cars that were open and longer than those used in the winter. Running boards ran alongside the cars where mischievous children could hop a free ride. The seats extended across the car without a center aisle. When the streetcar arrived at the park, the driver simply flipped over the seats, reversing them for the trip back to the city.
Beginning in 1925, family owned automobiles became more common. Families increasingly used their own vehicles for transportation throughout the city and the streetcar system received less traffic. The system soon declined with no clear way to reverse the trend. For additional information please visit the Texarkana Museums System in historic downtown Texarkana.
Erected 2021 by City of Texarkana, Texas.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Parks & Recreational Areas
this page online
Location. 33° 27.68′ N, 94° 3.285′ W. Marker is in Texarkana, Texas, in Bowie County. It can be reached from North Park Road Ό mile north of West 40th Street. The marker is on Spring Lake Park Trail in Spring Lake Park. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 4303 North Park Road, Texarkana TX 75503, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in the American South, specifically in the Deep South, and in the Piney Woods. Globally, it is in North America, a Gulf of Mexico state, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once New Spain, the Republic of Texas, one of the Confederate States of America, and the Antebellum South.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 3 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies: William Wooten & Anthony Ghio (within shouting distance of this marker); Aviation in the Park (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); The Legend of Hernando de Soto (about 500 feet away); The Phantom Killer (about 600 feet away); Wooten Springs Cemetery (about 700 feet away); Spring Lake Park (approx. 0.2 miles away); Spring Lake Park Fairgrounds (approx. 0.2 miles away); Sacred Heart Catholic Cemetery (approx. 2.1 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Texarkana.
Related markers. Click here for a list of markers that are related to this marker. Spring Lake Park Walk Through History
2. Marker detail: Texarkana Streetcar transporting passengers to College Hill in Texarkana, AR
3. Marker detail: Postcard of Texarkana Streetcar departing to Rose Hill community in Texarkana, TX
Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, July 1, 2025
4. The Texarkana Streetcar System Marker
Credits. This page was last revised on January 5, 2026. It was originally submitted on January 3, 2026, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. This page has been viewed 45 times since then. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on January 5, 2026, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.
