FEDERAL COURT HOUSE and POST OFFICE, Texarkana AR/TX, U.S.A.

Back to a few of the interesting (to me) buildings I photographed in Texarkana AR/TX recently, this one is likely the most-photographed (in general, by any and everybody) of all of them by a long shot. The handsome structure shown here is also, most happily, very well maintained as well as remaining in current constant and full usage for its intended purposes, as-built. :-) :-) :-)

This FEDERAL COURT HOUSE AND POST OFFICE (built 1933) was specifically sited to literally straddle the Arkansas and Texas State Line, which otherwise follows a path (highway/street) aptly named STATE LINE AVENUE in Texarkana, bisecting the town. (a fact about the place which is most amusing by itself sometimes, often for reasons one wouldn't think of offhand like 'liquor laws', for instance...) It was and is the only such federal building to be so sited, as well as the only U.S. Post Office which officially bears ZIP codes belonging to two different states. I think I've been told that, at least at some point in time, there were separate but identical postal *windows* in the lobby for each state but I'm not certain of that with this writing -- the dual ZIP code thing was no doubt somebody's special conundrum to figure out years later (after construction, that is) when they got around to *inventing* ZIP codes... <ooops><eeek><lol>

Photos 1 & 2 are the front facade of the structure. (built of Arkansas limestone, on a Texas granite foundation) The signpost and flagpole behind it in #2 form a visual (virtual, but I hate using that word these days) representation of the State Line which splits the building equally left (TX) and right (AR), and there's also a painted line on the pavement of the street/sidewalk in front to further show it -- a very plain indication and invitation for tourists to visit and make their own photo-ops while 'standing in two States at the same time'. [think the 'four-corners' national park monument out west, but with much less traffic! <lol>] The sign in my pic 2 blocks one other fun detail immediately above the three beautiful bronze entrance doors, the name TEXARKANA with TEXAS and ARKANSAS on either side below. (it can be seen in pic 1 if zoomed in)

Pic 3 is a historical information marker placed on the building by the State of Texas with its concise 'story in a couple short sentences' below it. There is also another freestanding bronze memorial/tribute marker in front of the building honoring President John F. Kennedy, including a quote mentioning Texarkana from a speech Kennedy was to have given on the evening of his assassination.

Pic 4 is the side of my (AR) half of the building. Here's a couple extra links about it, if anybody is curious:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Post_Office_and_Courthouse_(Texarkana)

https://www.roadsideamerica.com/story/14354