This Week in Odessa History

100 years ago

The Odessa Record

August 18, 1916

Popular Odessa couple wed. A pretty ceremony took place Monday morning at the St. Joseph Catholic church, when Miss Mary Shimek became the bride of Jason Bastrom Jr. The ceremony was performed by Fr. Philipp, while Miss Hildegarde Guth, organist Our Lady of Lourdes cathedral of Spokane, presided at the organ. The bride is the daughter of J.F. Shimek, proprietor of Shimek's hardware and has grown to young womanhood in this city. The groom is employed in the John Schafer store and is a young man of sterling qualities and is held in high esteem by all who know him.

Naughty hat. Usually the only kind of hat to create any excitement or unnecessary comment is one which is worn by some young gushing damsel. However, all traditions were shattered Wednesday evening when an insignificant hat belonging to one of the town's prominent doctors, proceeded to create a large amount of perturbation. This said hat was undergoing a through cleansing with a very irascible liquid, when without any warning, the said liquid proceeded to demonstrate its ability as an excitant. In less time than it takes to tell, the room was made into a setting for "Dante's Inferno." An alarm was promptly turned in and the city department quickly responded [but] the members of the company did not have to exert any watery efforts due to the rapid and heroic work of the employees of the confectionery. The flames managed to execute about $15 worth of damage. The headgear of a certain citizen perished and when last seen the superior portion of his anatomy was covered with a cap.

75 years ago

The Odessa Record

August 21, 1941

Stores will stay closed Saturday. There will be no open stores on Saturday night, the harvest season having developed to the extent that merchants believe the night opening will no longer be necessary. Only a few farmers are still cutting, and Odessa's share of the 59 million bushel wheat crop of Washington is safely stored, some of it in makeshift storage units developed during the emergency. The final cutting was delayed by frequent showers. This week, with increased warm weather, work went on rapidly.

Festival is now definite. The festival committee, arranging Odessa's fall festival, recommended to the commercial club on Wednesday that the date be set as September 20 to avoid conflicts with other events. It was recommended that stores close at noon on that day to remain closed during the remainder of the day. A program similar to the ones in the past, with plenty of sports, plenty of free food and ice cream, was adopted. Named to the chairmanship of various committees were: Finance, J.P. Keller and E.J. Wachter; boxing, Julius Winter and Herb Kuest; horseshoes, Robert Brauer and Charles R. Goede; band, Carver Whelchel; pet parade, F.B. Totusek and Jake Wacker, Jr .; foot race program, C.C. Heimbigner; bicycle races, William Weber Jr .; nail driving, etc., J.C. Raugust; carnival, George Schiewe and Nile Graham; dance, Al Wagner and J.C. Michaelsen, speaker, T.C. Anderson; picnic dinner, C.H. Graedel and H.J. Weigand; fire department demonstration, J.W. Scrupps and Dr. T.F. Bresee; nickel scramble, J.S. Schmauder; egg toss, Ed Koth; tug of war, J.H. Miller; greased pig chase, Sol Walter; wheel barrow race, Eldon Heimbigner; police and parking, Walter Schoonover and Fred Lenz; advertising, W.C. Raugust.

50 years ago

The Odessa Record

August 18, 1966

Fall festival here soon. Last-minute preparations for the annual Odessa Chamber of Commerce-sponsored Fall Festival, scheduled next week end, were discussed at the first Chamber meeting of the fall season Wednesday noon at Smith's Cafe. Those responsible for the parade, which is to be held at 10 a.m. on Saturday, Aug. 27, announced that children's sections of decorated vehicles, pets and costumes will be judged separately this year.

A new feature of the Festival this year will be a tennis tournament for high school students and adults. Registration for the tourney should be made with Melvin Schauerman.

Schedule work days at rodeo grounds. At a special meeting of the Odessa Riders Club Tuesday evening it was decided to hold two work days next week, prior to the week-end rodeo. Anyone interested in helping out is urged to be at the rodeo grounds Monday and Tuesday evening at about 5 o'clock. There is painting to be done and the grounds need weeding and watering. If anyone has rabbits or chickens to donate to the kiddie scramble they are asked to contact Mel Zimbelman at Marlin or Roy Zeiler in Odessa.

25 years ago

The Odessa Record

August 15, 1991

Neighbors, friends bring in the harvest. It was a perfect day for harvesting. Brilliant sunshine. Billowy silver clouds. A fresh breeze. It had been a little damp in the morning because of the rain the day before, but things got off nearly on schedule. By 9:30 a.m. last Sunday the combines were ready to go on l450 acres in two fields 10 miles north of Odessa.

Neighbors, friends and relatives banded together to bring the harvest for sisters Cindy and Mandi Groh. It was an old-fashioned harvest bee in the grandest tradition, with everyone helping out. They gave their time, their trucks and their combines, and they brought food to make the day one that would be remembered. Cindy and Mandi Groh were faced with the prospect of having to arrange for the harvest by themselves before the harvest bee was organized. A year and a half ago the girls' mother, Kit Groh, died, and their father, Bob Groh, died earlier this year after a long illness.

10 years ago

The Odessa Record

August 17, 2006

Fair time. Both the Grant and Lincoln County Fairs were in the news 10 years ago. Local Odessa graduate (class of 2004) Jillian Connolly was selected as the Moses Lake Roundup queen. She and her sister, Katie, have been riding the sponsor flags at the Grant County Fair for the past two years. Jill was approached by a rodeo board member and asked if she would consider trying out for rodeo queen. The queen is awarded a beautiful saddle, clothing allowance, travel allowance and scholarship money, as well as several gifts provided by various sponsors.

Work day aims to make Fest bigger, better. A kick-off work day has been set for August 20, from 1 to 4 p.m. to make the 36th annual Deutschesfest the best and better. This is the second year the Chamber has invited everyone, no matter how young or old, to come to paint, sweep, clean or whatever else is necessary to spruce up the town.