Four States Living Magazine

10/13/2026

THE FOUR STATES FAIR
A tradition built by generations
By Dr. Robin Rogers

The Four States Fair wasn’t built by one person. It was built by generations of local people who treated it almost like a family responsibility—people who showed up, worked hard, passed along what they knew, and, when their time came, handed the reins to someone else.

That may be the best way to understand how an event that began in 1945 has become such a lasting part of Texarkana.

The official story begins at Spring Lake Park, where the Four States Fair & Rodeo was chartered and organized on March 6th, 1945. Even then, the idea of a regional fair and rodeo was already familiar to local residents: there are records of a “second annual rodeo” held on September 19th, 1941, at Texarkana Baseball Park. Sponsored by the Four States Livestock Association, the event featured bronc riding, bulldogging (steer wrestling), calf roping, and bull riding. Between the competitions, a performer named Charlie Schultz entertained the crowd with trick riding, fancy roping, and other stunts.

Read more about the Four States Fair's history here:
https://www.fourstatesliving.com/feature-stories/2026/9/30/the-four-states-fair

10/11/2026

Picklefest was a blast! The weather was perfect and the people came out!

10/10/2026

FARMERS BANK & TRUST COMPANY
120 years of community connections
By Jamie Simmons

Farmers Bank and Trust Company was founded in 1906 in Magnolia, Arkansas, by T.S. Grayson and Robert Warnock Sr. with a philosophy of serving their neighbors. The company started with $75,000 in assets, equivalent to approximately $2,782,500 in 2026 dollars. Since its founding, the bank has reinforced its founding philosophy by heavily investing in the communities it serves.

“The ethos of the company has always been that banking is about relationships,” said James Bramlett, Texarkana market president. “We serve our neighbors, local businesses, schools, and nonprofits, not just accounts. When the community succeeds, we all succeed.”

When FBT opened, the primary focus was providing deposit services to the farmers, sawmill employees, and working-class families of Columbia County. Neither Grayson nor Warnock had extensive formal education, which makes the success of the bank even more impressive. The former was an acknowledged “math whiz,” and the latter served as the company’s front man until 1916, when Warnock was elected to the state legislature. At that time, Grayson stepped into the lead role and served for 33 years.

Read the full history of Farmers Bank & Trust here:
https://www.fourstatesliving.com/feature-stories/2026/9/30/farmers-bank-and-trust-company

10/09/2026

Congratulations to FSLM contributor Brandon Shoemaker on his first-place win!

10/09/2026

Proud to support LifeWise Academy. Congratulations to Erin Alexander on your first successful golf tournament today!

10/04/2026

Downtown has been hopping tonight with Main Street Texarkana's Oktoberfest 2026! 🍻PROST!🍻

10/03/2026

We are all about history at FSLM this month. If you are looking for something different to do tonight, support Hospice of Texarkana at the Texas Convention Center. The band will be Satisfaction: The International Rolling Stones Touring Show, with Texarkana native Chris LeGrand as lead!! Chris has performed as Mick Jagger over 4,000 times across 20-plus years.
Scan the QR code for info. Note the throwback picture from when Chris played at the Four States Fair. It’s going to be a blast tonight!

10/02/2026

Once a bustling intersection at State Line and Broad (around 1943), you see the original Offenhauser building (also the first brick building in Texarkana- now the Texarkana Museum) and the Grim Hotel in the background. How many busses were running the streets in the 1940s? Enjoy history? Find the October issue of Four States Living - out now!

10/02/2026

TEACHERS!! These grants are wonderful. Take the time to apply.❤️

🍎✈️ TEACHER TAKE WING APPLICATIONS ARE OPEN! ✈️🍎

Do you know an outstanding teacher who goes above and beyond for their students and their classroom? Now is the time to nominate them for Teacher Take Wing!
The Junior League of Texarkana is proud to support educators who are making a difference every day.

📚 Applications are NOW OPEN from
October 1–November 16.
Teachers, this is your opportunity to share the impact you’re making in your classroom and community.

👉 Apply today: https://www.jltexarkana.org/projects/teacher-take-wing/

Help us spread the word! Tag a teacher who deserves to TAKE WING! 🪽🍎

10/01/2026

HOW AREA CITIES GOT THEIR NAMES
H. Pope Briley (1875–1970) was a pioneer real estate dealer in Texarkana. At various times, he served as president of the Chamber of Commerce, president of the Public Library, president of the Rotary Club, president of the Community Chest, and president of the Boy Scout Council. Around 1950, he made this interesting study of the towns, tracing some back through several changes in names which occurred over the years.

Read his findings here:
https://www.fourstatesliving.com/blog/2026/9/30/how-area-cities-got-their-names