Union Station could receive $25,000 in grant funds for refurbishing

Members of a Main Street Texarkana Leadership Class are trying to secure a $25,000 grant to help refurbish Texarkana's downtown Union Station.The station, built in 1929 is now 92 years old.( Staff photo by Les Minor)
Members of a Main Street Texarkana Leadership Class are trying to secure a $25,000 grant to help refurbish Texarkana's downtown Union Station.The station, built in 1929 is now 92 years old.( Staff photo by Les Minor)

By Greg Bischof

Texarkana Gazette

TEXARKANA -- At age 92, Texarkana Union Station may be in for a facelift.

Presently, a Main Street Texarkana Leadership Class is trying to secure a $25,000 grant to help improve the 1929 station's exterior, said Main Street Texarkana Director Ina McDowell.

About six people in the class are working to get the grant from a Virginia company called Independent We Stand.

If received, the grant will be used to clean and touch up the building's exterior in order to improve visitors' first impression of Texarkana.

Similar to the Texarkana Regional Airport constructing a new airflight passenger terminal, McDowell want to do the same with Amtrak passengers.

"When Amtrak stops here, we want the Amtrak riders to get a good impression of downtown Texarkana," she said.

Built and completed in 1929, Union Station's vintage passenger terminal was the setting for some scenes in the film "The Town That Dreaded Sundown."

By the mid-1990s, the station briefly housed a restaurant, followed more briefly by an adult entertainment club that became an alcohol beverage club in the late '90s. From there, it transferred to private ownership.

Upcoming Events