Downtown Live takes place in the Entertainment District of Historic Downtown Texarkana from 6:00 - 9:00 pm on the second Friday of every month. During the event, visitors can enjoy artists producing unique works and listen to local musicians share their talents. June’s Downtown LIve includes this exciting addition: the Lofts at the Grim will be conducting guided tours of this beautiful, 100-year-old hotel.
“The Grim Hotel restoration is nearing completion and we are thrilled to see this landmark given new life,” says Main Street Texarkana director, Ina McDowell. “We are grateful for the chance they are giving the public to see the progress.”
Built in 1924 to be a modern luxury hotel, the Grim Hotel was named for William R. Grim, Texarkana philanthropist and financier who first proposed the idea. Unfortunately, Mr. Grim died shortly before the project started, so the committee responsible for the construction decided to honor his vision by giving the new structure his name. Grim also donated land to the local school district for an athletic field and school.
The hotel opened in June 1925 with a banquet that welcomed 1300 visitors including 250 railroad executives from Missouri Pacific, Cotton Belt, and Kansas City Southern. Governor Terral of Arkansas and Texas Senator Morriss Shephard were also in attendance. The Grim was very modern for the time. Electric lights, restrooms, and bathing rooms in each stateroom. There were ballrooms and banquet rooms as well as a beauty shop, barber, newsstand, and restaurant. In the 1920s through the 1940s, the hotel played host to Hollywood stars such as Mae West and Orson Welles.
Downtown Live is scheduled for June 14, 6-9 p.m. in historic downtown Texarkana. Musicians and artists will line the streets to entertain visitors and local shops, clubs, and restaurants will be open late to serve everyone. Downtown Live is held every 2nd Friday of the month. For more information or to participate, please contact Main Street Texarkana at 903-278-6441 or email [email protected].
Main Street Texarkana, accredited through the National Main Street program, combines economic development with historic preservation. Main Street Texarkana is the only two-state program in the country and is a recognized leader among the national network of more than 1,200 cities who share both a commitment to creating high-quality places and to building stronger communities. To become a Main Street investor, visit www.MainStreetTexarkana.org
