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History
in a Pecan Shell
The name supposedly comes from railroad workers who claimed it reminded
them of the Odessa region in Ukraine. The name did spring up at the
same time the Texas and Pacific tracks were set down in July of 1881.
Odessa got a post office in 1885 - a year before the town was platted.
It was officially organized in 1891, but they didn't get around to
incorporating until 1927.
The population was only 750 in 1925, but after oil was discovered
in 1926, the population shot up to 5,000 by 1929. During WWII
the increased need for oil swelled the population to 10,000. |
| "Stampede"
by Tom Lea. Painted for Odessa's 1940 Post Office, it was moved in
1970. The mural weighs 700 lbs. and measures 5' 7" by 16' 9". It currently
hangs in the Post Office on 200 North Texas Avenue. - Photo courtesy
Terry Jeanson, June 27, 2006. Click on photo for larger image. |
Odessa Attractions
Odessa Meteor
Crater: I-20 (West) Exit FM 1936
Parker House
Museum: 1118 Maple Street
Presidential
Museum: 622 Lee Street
White-Pool
House c.1887 112 E. Murphy Street
American Airpower
Heritage Museum and Commemorative Air Force Headquarters: At Midland
International Airport
Ector
Theater
The Jack Rabbit
Statue
Odessa
Hotels
Book Your Hotel Here & Save
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"'Black Gold'
One of the many oil gushers of the rich Odessa oil fields"
Postcard
courtesy rootsweb.com/~txgenweb// postcards/Index.html |
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Odessa High
School
Postcard courtesy rootsweb.com/~txgenweb// postcards/Index.html |
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Odessa
postcard showing watertower, courthouse, airport, high school and
gusher
Postcard courtesy rootsweb.com/~txgenweb// postcards/Index.html |
Odessa Texas
Forum
Subject:
Post Office Mural
Please try to include a picture of the mural in the Odessa post
office. It's said to be the best of all the p.o. murals. I believe
the name is "stampede". - Larry Gaultney, October 19, 2005
Subject:
The Name Odessa
Quote from your site "The name supposedly comes from railroad workers
who claimed it reminded them of the Odessa region in Ukraine. ..."
In its turn the name of Ukrainian Odessa (established in 1794) has
such a story: When the seaport was planned, Russian Empress Catherine
II the Great said - it should be named in Hellenic style and feminine.
While ancient Hellenic settlement Odessos situated nearby - its
name was taken as the base and transformed into Odessa ("Odess"
Hellenic part + "a" feminine end in Ukrainian and Russian) - the
name of your Texas town and of my city - The Black Sea Pearl :)
- Sincerely yours, Eugene, Odessa, Ukraine, August 09, 2005
Subject:
Odessa Texas History
Original Odessa is NOT in Russia!!!!!!!
Original Odessa is a wonderful city on the Black Sea and belong
to the UKRAINE, that is very
principal. I would appreciate if you could change "Russia" on "Ukraine"
in historical description of Odessa in Texas. Thank you in advance.
- Yours Faithfully, S Preobrajensky, September 23, 2004
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