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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 the south of Russia. (See Forum
below.) 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:
The Name Odessa
Dear TE, A previous
writer convinced you to change the "History in a Pecan Shell" to
read as follows: "The name supposedly comes from railroad workers
who claimed it reminded them of the Odessa region in Ukraine." This
statement is historically incorrect. Throughout the 19th century,
Odessa was a city in the Russian Empire. In fact, territory which
includes present-day Odessa was won in the Russo-Turkish War of
1787-1792 by Russian forces on September 25th, 1789 and Empress
of Russia, Catherine the Great named Odessa - the city being built
on top of the ruins of the Turkic fortress - on January 10, 1795.
From its founding and until the Soviet revolution of 1917, Odessa
was certainly not in Ukraine, which did not even exist independently
at that point anyway. After the revolution there was much turbulence
on the territory comprising present-day Ukraine and control of Odessa
changed hands several times until on December 30th, 1922, Ukrainian
Soviet Socialist Republic officially joined the Union of Soviet
Socialist Republics. Odessa was included in this Ukrainian Republic,
but this republic was not at all independent! On August 24th, 1991,
Ukraine proclaimed independence and a constitution came five years
after that. Thus, to claim that Odessa region was in Ukraine at
anytime prior to 1917 is a mistake. Even asserting such claims for
the time period between 1917 and 1996 is on very shaky grounds.
After 1996, Odessa is certainly a city in Ukraine. Please consider
revising your statement again to the following historically accurate
one: "The name supposedly comes from railroad workers who claimed
it reminded them of the Odessa region in the south of Russia." -
Sincerely, Jake Berzon, Odessa Page newspaper, http://Odessa.OdessaPage.Com,
May 18, 2007
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
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
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