TEXARKANA, Texas – The chance to stand in the path of totality on Monday for the solar eclipse is drawing visitors to Texarkana from near and far.
Take the Jarvis and Barratt families. The two married couples are from England and have been in the US – one of their many trips to the country over the decades – since March. The Gazette caught them near the Civil War memorial outside the federal building downtown.
Who are they?
Roger and Julie Jarvis and David and Rita Barratt
Where is the house?
The Jarvises are from Milton Keynes, about 50 miles north of London. The Barratts live in Northampton, which is about 60 miles north of London.
What brings them to Texarkana?
“The double state – Arkansas-Texas – line. We are on our way further in Texas to see the eclipse on Monday, and we only hope that it will guarantee us a beautiful sky, without clouds, blue. , but that seems maybe not the case for Monday,” said Roger.
The fourth plans to experience the eclipse in Greenville.
Where have they traveled so far?
“We started in New Orleans, and we saw the Easter parades in New Orleans, which got funnier and busier, more people drinking alcohol. So the afternoon ones were a lot more fun than the morning ones,” Roger said. “And then we go from there to Baton Rouge and a couple of nights there, and then Shreveport and now here.”
After the eclipse, the friends traveled to Florida, near Tampa, before returning home.
What are your impressions of Texarkana?
“It’s very different to some of the places we’ve been. It seems like we’re going back in time,” said Rita.
“We parked near the train station, and there seem to be more police cars than people,” said Roger, chuckling.
