Cruisin’ Memories: Texarkana’s Lost Hangouts of the ’70s

All towns across the U.S. have them, local hangouts where friends gather on the weekend after a high school football game or during those long summer nights.

Growing Up in Texarkana

Growing up in Texarkana brings back fond memories of cruising out to Wright Patman Lake, which during the 1970s was known as Lake Texarkana. Crippled Children's Landing was a swimming beach where friends would cruise around in circles while loudly blaring their tunes on an 8-track player or the radio, well before the digital world we live in today. Back then, there was no social media, so the only way you had to communicate with friends was to meet up on the weekends.

Here are a few comments from friends who mentioned their favorite 1970s high school hangouts.

10 Popular Hangouts in the 1970s in Texarkana

1. Tastee Freeze and a Gas Station - Summerhill Road and College Drive.

2. Safeway Grocery Parking Lot - Summerhill Road and 40th Street.

3. A&P Grocery Store -  Several stores in Texarkana were a regular hangout in the parking lot.

4. Wamba Shuffle at Waterworks - Now known as Bringle Lake Park.

5. Spring Lake Park - Drive around in circles, meeting friends.

6. Summerhill Skating Rink -  Popular Texarkana skating rink and a popular hangout.

7. Texas High School - People would hang out in the parking lot for hours.

8. Arkansas High School - Same thing, hang out in the parking lot.

9. A&W - Texarkana had two of them, but the most popular one for cruising was at the corner of 9th and Hickory Street.

10. Crystal Springs in Maud, Texas, was the hot spot to hang out in the summertime.

It's funny how time has changed; all the businesses mentioned are now closed, and most of the other places where people hang out for long periods are not allowed. Looking back, those were some good times in Texarkana and memories I would never change.

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