This Week in Odessa History

100 years ago

Oct. 28, 1921

Catholics buy cemetery site. The Odessa Catholic church has purchased from Joss. Reitner, two acres and a half of land just west of the Odessa cemetery, of which F.L. Kucera is now drafting a plat for a cemetery site. The present Catholic cemetery on the hill southwest of town was thought by members of the church too far from town to keep up in the way that they would like to have it, and offers have been made to those having relatives laid away at the old cemetery, a place to inter them in the new if they will move their remains there.

Rock Point cut 7½ feet. A trip to Harrington Wednesday showed great improvements made on the road between this place and Lamona by the work that Road Supervisor Peter Luiten’s crew has been doing. From Nemo on, where in some places the road has been rather narrow, it has been brought up to the standard specifications required by the state. Rock men are at work blasting on the bad rock point that has been the eyesore of the highway and a seven and a half foot cut at the deepest place is being made there.

75 years ago

Oct. 24, 1946

Henry Seibel was the first successful hunter reporting back to Odessa. He shot his deer within 10 minutes after starting, in the Loomis area near Tonasket Sunday. He was accompanied by Bill Hardt.

Adrian Werner, Mohler, Harold Suchland and W.F. Zagelow, Odessa filed recently as candidates for hospital commissioners from the proposed Odessa hospital district, which will be voted upon November 5, along with the three hospital commissioners.

50 years ago

Oct. 21, 1971.

Ten appointments to the 1972 Odessa Deutsches Fest Steering committee were made by [Chamber] President Paul J. Hopp. They are: Harold Keller, Jim Walter, Marsh Roberts, Mel Schauerman, Laurence Libsack, Mrs. Terry Goetz, Mrs. Emil Hammerling, Jerry Schafer, Rev. A. Hausauer and Dr. John Gahringer.

The Chamber secretary reported that just over $3,100 in receipts had been realized by the organization from the Deutsches Fest. Expenditures, including the purchase of a used public address system, leaves a net balance in the chamber treasury of $900 with at least one outstanding bill.

Entries for the Coat of Arms contest are due next Wednesday. The chamber wishes to obtain a symbol which can be utilized in many ways to promote the annual Odessa Deutsches Fest.

25 years ago

Oct. 24, 1996

Planning for Christmas Fest on Dec. 4 was well underway in Odessa. The event kicks off the holiday season with a Christmas tree lighting, street decorations, live local music performances and an arts and crafts show.

The Odessa Senior Housing Committee members at their previous meeting voted 8-3 not to apply to the IRS for 501(c)3 status. At their most recent meeting, however, they reversed themselves because the designation would allow the committee to act independently from the Odessa Healthcare Foundation in seeking financing for retirement housing.

Sewer maps prepared by Wyatt Engineers to be used to determine placement of sewer lines were made available for viewing at the office of the town clerk.