Before there was a city incorporated on the spot, Texarkana was the name given to the juncture of the three states of Louisiana, Arkansas and Texas. The incorporated city lies in Bowie County, Texas, named after James Bowie, and in Miller County, Arkansas..Beginning about the time of the American Civil War, the name Texarkana was bestowed on entities such as riverboats, beverages, businesses, crossroads, and others.

By the 1940s, several railroads crossed through Texarkana, creating the transportation avenues needed to make Texarkana a regional shipping and industrial hub. Agricultural products, timber, and mineral deposits formed the local economy. US Army installations during WWII added to this economy.

Today, Texarkana is one city, but has a separate mayor for each of the Texas and Arkansas portions of the city. The combined population was approximately 135,000 in 2007.

Healthcare is a leading industry in the Greater Texarkana Area, along with Retail and Wholesale Sales (gauging by the numbers of sales-related positions open in the city and county). Although Agriculture, child care and elementary and middle school level Education are projected to expand currently though 2016, no evidence is seen of this in actual 2009 job listings. The projected growth might appear in the wake of large Stimulus projects beginning Summer 2009. The area population is increaing gradually and would justify the additional educational and child care services. These additional services are funded by Stimulus funds in most states.

Texarkana is considered a crossroads in the three-state region for transportation, commerce, culture, historical installations, and retirement living. A number of developed retirement communities exist in Texarkana in both sides of the city, along with upscale golf courses and family recreation. Historic sites and annual festivals of many types attract additiional Travel and Tourism dollars yearly.

Below are the forecasted new job openings in Texarkana through 2016. A few of the occuational titles listed match current and increasing job openings found on Indeed.com, the search engine providing the widest coverage of job openings and trends.

Several of the job titles listed in the column below left match those listed in the column below right, and the matches are printed in bold type. Those in the left hand column are projected to offer the most job openings in Texarkana through the year 2016, while the occupational titles in the right hand column are forecasted to increase at the highest percentage rates of all job titles in the city through 2016.

1. Personal/Homecare Aides
2. Retail Salespersons
3. Farmers & Ranchers
4. Registered Nurses (RNs)
5. All Food Prep and Service Staff - Includes fast food and full service waitstaff
6. Farmworkers and related Laborers - Agricultural crops, not animal production.
7. Mainstream Elementary School Teachers
8. Customer Service Reps
9. Child Care related workers
10. Nursing Aides and related support staff
11. Home Health Aides (HHAs)
12. Slaughterers and Meat Packers

1. CNA - Certified Nurse's Aides - This job title matches government projecions shown above for the list of highest numbers of job openings and fastest increasing job titles.
2. Physical Therapist - Full-Time And Part-Time
3. Registered Nurses (RNs)
4. Bilingual Retail Sales Consultant
5. Nurses-LVN/LPN – Vocation and Practical
6. Merchandisers
7. Store Managers
8. Service Technicians
9. Occupational Therapists
10. Financial Advisors
11. Assistant Managers
12. Staff Pharmacists

During the summer of 2009, only the largest category of job listings found advertised online, Certified Nurse's Aides, matches the government projections for most/fastest increasing jobs. The projections themselves are recalculated every two years to adjust for current trends and technological advancments, inlcuding brand new job titles.

Hospitals in Texarkana

• CHRISTUS St. Michael Health System Texarkana Hospitals
• Dubuis Hospital of Texarkana
• Wadley Regional Medical Center

Having been a crossroads for multiple railway lines and systems, Texarkana is considering high speed rail as the future of transportation in the metro area. The Arkansas Highway Commission has sought funds to study the benefits of high-speed rail to connect Texarkana to Little Rock and Little Rock to Memphis, Tennessee.

High speed passenger rail service between Little Rock and Memphis would create new jobs, because previous rail tracks were taken up after rail service became unavailable in that transportation corridor. Stimulus Package fund may be applied to the high speed rail study and toward the creation of related rail construction jobs.This additional mode of transport will bolster the Travel and Tourism Industry and provide business people with quick travel options.