This Week in Odessa History

Civic leaders campaigned for growth in 1909

 


Odessa has grown into the community it is today as a result of civic leadership.

Back when the town was new, the Odessa Commercial Club, later to become the Odessa Chamber of Commerce, campaigned for new businesses, recruited new residents and sought better roads and railroad schedule.

The Odessa Record in its issue of April 16, 1909, gave this report of the meeting of the Commercial Club held earlier that week.

The monthly meeting of the Odessa Commercial Club was held at the Town Hall Tuesday evening, and several matters of interest to the town were considered. A new booklet issued by the club was the subject of favorable comment, and the best method of distributing the 10,000 copies which have been printed was discussed. The matter was referred to the publicity committee, to place them as they saw fit. The same committee was also authorized to purchase space in the special homeseekers’ edition of The Spokesman-Review to advertise the opportunities awaiting new settlers in the Odessa country.

The matter of installing a booth at the depot to exhibit the products of the Odessa country to people passing through on trains was discussed, but action was deferred until the next meeting. The publicity committee was instructed to secure a site and get estimates on the work of painting a large sign in some conspicuous place along the railroad, setting forth Odessa’s claim to prominence as the largest wheat shipping station on the Great Northern.

C.O. Harvey brought to the attention of the meeting that the ladies of the town had taken steps to organize a women’s commercial club and a resolution was adopted favoring the movement and pledging the club’s support.

Professor Neeley suggested that the club encourage the planting of flowers by the children of the town by offering some small prizes to those who can make the best showing during the coming summer. He believed that such a contest would interest the children in the work and instill in their minds an appreciation of the beauties in nature and at the same time would be a means of beautifying the town. The contest will be open to children between the ages of 8 and 11 years. The Civic Improvement Committee with the aid of Professor Neeley will fix rules for the contest and award the prizes.

100 Years Ago

From The Odessa Record

April 14, 1911

The letter that follows was written as a Letter to the Editor in the April 14, 1911 edition of The Odessa Record by an Odessa resident, S. Rodman Manning:

As Decoration day approaches would it not be well for the people of Odessa and vicinity to determine upon some program worthy of the occasion? If the reason for the neglect of patriotic demonstration on that day in former years has been that no soldier’s of the civil war are buried here the object of the ceremonial has been misunderstood. It is as truly a national as a local matter and pays tribute not only to our personal friends, of who we have been bereaved, but to all who have fallen throughout the land.

There is, however, one soldier for the union buried here recently. His surviving friends and relatives will place garlands upon his resting place. Let us not permit them on that day to do such a duty alone.

The survivors of all the wars should feel that the day is theirs. Let equal honor be given to those who saved the union and those who planted the flag on distant islands.

75 Years Ago

From The Odessa Record

April 9, 1936

Trout fishing was good in the Odessa region on the first day of the season, it was discovered by those who ventured to the creeks, but to the lake fishermen the day was disappointing. From Crab creek came reports of many choice catches, while practically every fisherman caught fish, in lesser numbers.

Two perch were reported taken out of Pacific lake on Sunday, while Bob’s lake was reported to have yielded one carp. Throngs of fishermen gathered at the lakes, attempting to lure bass and crappie, but without success.

Trout bit slowly, but were plentiful. Lengths up to 16 inches were reported from the successful anglers.

The legion conference, which will bring the posts from the eighth district to Odessa on Wednesday, April 15, for an all-day convention is ready for visitors entertainment, it was announced by the legion post officials this week.

The convention parade will beheld shortly after 7 o’clock, at which time the 30-piece drum and bugle corps from Spokane, present state champions, will be here. The parade will be followed by the convention dinner.

50 Years Ago

From The Odessa Record

March 31, 1961

Assistance in collecting pieces of the Navy A-3D patrol bomber that crashed Saturday near Odessa is being sought by officials of the Whidbey Island naval air base at Oak Harbor, Wash.

Two men died in the crash on the George H. Main farm 14 miles northeast of Odessa. A third parachuted to safety and was released Tuesday from the Fairchild air base hospital.

Navy officials said pieces of the plane are believed to have fallen over a radius of about 12 miles in the Harrington area. Personnel from Whidbey were at the scene Tuesday to launch an investigation into the case of the aerial tragedy.

Wreckage is being sought because of the lack of witnesses to the explosion that downed the plane.

When the Odessa Drug holds it grand opening on Friday and Saturday, workmen will be putting the finishing touches to the front of the building. The porcelain blocks that complete the building design are being placed.

25 Years Ago

From The Odessa Record

April 3, 1986

Dr. Jim Cornell and his wife, Laurie, were house-hunting in Odessa March 21-23, even though the couple won’t be coming from California to settle here until August.

Meanwhile, Donald James was hired as Memorial Hospital administrator after his selection by the board at its March meeting. James accepted the position when it was offered, and has begun his new duties effective April 1.

Recent findings in grain shipments have caused state and federal health officials to urge improvement of quality control in storing and shipping according to assistant manager Mark Cronrath of Odessa Trading Co.

“Much attention has recently been focused on improving the visible quality of train shipments,” Cronrath pointed out, “but state and federal health officials are warning of the need to watch closely those quality factors that affect the nutritional value of our grain.” He emphasized the word nutritional.

10 Years Ago

From The Odessa Record

April 12, 2001

When Mayor Carl Ryan suggested that the Town of Odessa apply to the U.S. Forestry Department for a grant to prune, trim and replace some of the aging trees in Reiman park, the Odessa Tourist Park and the Lions Kiddie Park, he advised that it might be a long shot.

But last week, Ryan received word from the state Department of Natural Resources, which administers the grant, that funding in the amount of $8,200 was available for Odessa on a 50-50 matching basis.

Many of the trees in Reiman Park date back to the time they were planted, 85 years ago this spring, in 1926, the year the park was developed. Some of them are diseased and must be removed and replaced. Others can be improved simply by pruning or trimming.

Odessa’s population growth in the past decade was the lowest among incorporated towns in Lincoln County and far below the growth rate of the state, according to 2000 census data recently released by the U.S. Census Bureau.

Odessa remained the second largest town in the county, with 957 inhabitants, a gain of 14 percent-- a paltry .15 percent-- over the official census count of 943 in 1990.

 

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