This Week in Odessa History

Most farms in the Odessa area were self-sufficient 101 years ago, producing fruit and vegetables not only for the families’ own use but also to be marketed.

The Odessa Commercial Club’s display of Odessa products in the Odessa Hardware and Implement Company’s window has attracted much attention from the people of Odessa and the surrounding country, and many who viewed the exhibit had their eyes opened to the possibilities offered by the productive soil of this region.

Some of the apples shown would do credit to any of the famous fruit districts of Washington, and of root crops, such as potatoes, carrots, beets, parsnips, cabbage and melons a better assortment would be hard to find.

Potatoes weighing from 1½ to 2 pounds apiece raised by L.D. Jenks without irrigation were shown, and John Werner brought in 29 potatoes raised under similar conditions that were dug from one hill and weighed 17 pounds.

100 Years AgoFrom The Odessa Record

August 29, 1913

Odessa farmers are taking an interest in the creamery talk which has been heard hereabouts for the past few weeks. Several have expressed a desire to see this project mature and are so much in favor of it that they will increase the size of their dairy herds and sell cream to a local concern if one is put in at Odessa.

The carnival being given here this week by the Gaule VanRonk Carnival company is drawing large crowds of people every afternoon and evening. A special feature of the day will be a balloon ascension and double parachute jump, either a monkey or a do going up with the aeronaut in the balloon swing.

Trixie, the educated horse, has drawn large crowds, as well as the Vaudeville show.

75 Years Ago

From The Odessa Record

September 1,1938

Schools opened on Monday with an enrollment of 400 pupils, 255 in the grades and 145 in high school. This was an increase of 25 over the opening day last year.

Students were greeted with a renovated school building. Improvements made to the wiring and new fixtures for the grade school building cost $3,000. The landscaping started last year has greatly improved the grounds about the high school building.

Details of the program for the second annual Lincoln county and 4-H club fair to be held in Davenport September 15, 16 and 17, are rapidly being worked out, and everything points to a more successful fair than last season’s, which was regarded as an exceptional one. Odessa 4-H club members wanting display room for stock should contact W.C. Raugust, Odessa trading company manager, as his company has purchased a stall for the use of local club members. David Weber, who also purchased a stall, has turned his over to the fair management for the use of 4-H club members.

100 Years Ago

From The Odessa Record

August 29, 1913

Odessa farmers are taking an interest in the creamery talk which has been heard hereabouts for the past few weeks. Several have expressed a desire to see this project mature and are so much in favor of it that they will increase the size of their dairy herds and sell cream to a local concern if one is put in at Odessa.

The carnival being given here this week by the Gaule VanRonk Carnival company is drawing large crowds of people every afternoon and evening. A special feature of the day will be a balloon ascension and double parachute jump, either a monkey or a do going up with the aeronaut in the balloon swing.

Trixie, the educated horse, has drawn large crowds, as well as the Vaudeville show.

50 Years Ago

From The Odessa Record

August 29,1963

Most of the Odessa wheat farmers are starting to seed winter wheat and there is a definite trend toward seeding “fence to fence.”

With the rejection of the quota program and the uncertainty of an improved federal wheat program, these farmers are returning allotment acres to crop.

Omar and Columbia wheats seem to be the popular choice. Gaines, while successful in irrigated operations, has not proven itself in dryland use.

25 Years Ago

From The Odessa Record

August 25, 1988

There’s a story in Davenport these days that it only takes 19 years to get the state to erect a sign where travelers can follow it to their destination.

The story may be an embellished tale – but after a period as long as memory serves, the town has finally convinced the State Department of Transportation to add the county seat name to a huge green sign just outside Spokane on I-90. Travelers will now be directed northwest on US-2 through Airway Heights – and they’ll be able to find Davenport.

10 Years Ago

From The Odessa Record

August 28, 2003

K-12 enrollment in the Odessa schools is expected to be about 275 as the 2003-04 term begins this week.

Schutz reported there are 18 brand new students who have registered, including three new members of the senior class.

Shirley Groh, the administrative secretary of the Odessa School District, will end more than 35 years of service in school administration when she retires this week.

She began here career with the Creston School District, where she was business manager/secretary for 14 3/4 years.

She has been with the Odessa School District for the past 21 years. During her tenure, the new Odessa High School building was completed.