This Week in Odessa History

Fifty years ago this week things were looking up in Odessa, which was believed to have become the largest town in Lincoln County.

There was a scramble for housing, in fact, living quarters of any kind, as dozens of construction workers moved in to work on the ICBM launching site under construction south of Batum. Test drilling for oil was going on, attracting more people.

Prosperity was in the air. A front page report in The Odessa Record on the town’s new growth was headlined “Odessa Heading for County Top”. It appeared in the issue of November 9, 1961:

The 1960 census that showed Davenport with 1,494 persons and Odessa is 1,231, a difference of 263, is a changed figure today, Odessa sources say.

Odessa is on its way to becoming the leading town in census figures in the county.

At the time, Davenport rated 104th in size in the state, and Odessa was 119th. This figure has changed now, it is explained, with all available housing in town carrying capacity and with some 5 persons living in a new trailer center.

This week, Merritt Lawson purchased more lots in the vicinity of the trailer park to add 17 more trailers, making a total of 37 in all.

In the downtown area, there is one vacant building. There have been demands for rental of this unit, but the prospective tenant has not reached an agreement.

Restaurants in Odessa give an interesting picture of their activity. Breakfast hour is a mad house with breakfasters seated at every available place, including bar stools, while a harried crew serves food and packs lunch pails.

When shifts at the missile base change and the workers leaving the grounds have had time to drive to town, First Avenue becomes a busy place. A stop at the food markets, drug stores and the taverns are made by those who must drive on to Spokane. Wives of some of the workers have a family car waiting, and the husband, who shares a ride to work joins her for a trip to their Odessa home.

Many of the workmen’s wives are experienced in the way of living in crowded conditions. At the trailer camp, they get together and assign turns at the washing facilities and other utilities for smooth operating neighborliness. Those assigned hours are posted so that no one encroaches knowingly on another’s time.

The average resident has not been affected greatly by the influx of the workmen. They may have all the extra rooms in their homes rented out as sleeping rooms and they may find the restaurants crowded at times, but as a whole they go about their normal pattern of living.

Construction on the new substation of the Bonneville Power Administration which will take power from Washington Water Power lines at Odessa has further complicated the housing problem. The workers who were able to get space have remained here, while others drive to neighboring towns where they could find rooms.

Consideration of Odessa’s future must necessarily include the oil possibilities, as test drilling continues in the area. No activity has appeared as yet at the first test hole which has been drilled. The fact that drilling continues indicates that the possibility of oil cannot be ruled out. If it is discovered, the growth of the area could be unlimited.

100 Years Ago

From The Odessa Record

October 20, 1911

The Great Northern has established a new record for operating freight trains over its lines. A silk train, starting at Seattle, making the trip to New York in 81 hours and 50 minutes, and beating all previous records for trains of this class between Seattle and St. Paul by nine hours.

E.E. Crandell, commercial agent for the Pacific Telephone & Telegraph Co., who has been in Odessa for about ten days soliciting new business for his company, in order to put the local exchange on a basis that would furnish sufficient revenue to enable his company to give 24-hour service, finished his labors early this week. Twenty-seven new subscribers were secured in the canvas, in which he was assisted by a committee appointed from the Commercial Club, which, when the phones are installed, will increase the total number by 91, eleven more than was asked by Mr. Crandell at the Commercial Club meeting two weeks ago.

75 Years Ago

From The Odessa Record

October 15, 1936

The migration of eastern families to Washington continues daily. It is evident by the numbers of trailers and furniture loads crossing the state on this highway.

It is estimated that Washington has received 2,329 families during the year, of which 1,327 required relief and 513 required farm loans. The state is making an effort to direct the settlement of these families. Estimates state that 469 of the families were self supporting and there were 446 farm units available for them.

John Napier, northwest field representative of the Shorthorn Breeders’ Association, has completed the purchase of three carloads of Shorthorn cattle for shipment east. Fifty calves will be shipped to Decatur, Ill., where a large sugar company will use them for breeding cattle. The six-month-old calves are from the Babcock herd at Ewan and the Mathieson herd at Sprague.

The two other cars are being sent to Minnesota and Illinois for use by 40-H club members. Mr. Napier states that western cattle are in demand in the east, as the outdoor life permitted the cattle here provides more rugged stock than the barn and paddock raised cattle of the east.

50 Years Ago

From The Odessa Record

October 26, 1961

Otto Amen, Ritzville farmer, has been appointed state coordinator of the National Food of Peace Regional council by Governor Albert Rosellini.

The council acts in an advisory capacity in a program calling for the disposition of surplus United States food in foreign nations.

Amen said President John F. Kennedy set up the program after he took office. Each state governor was asked to appoint one representative to serve on a regional council, which will advise the national organization.

The new rainfall season has been on two months and only about an inch of rain has fallen during that period. What little rain has fallen followed a long dry spell that went back into last summer.

Fall seeding responded well to available moisture and the growing grain crop seems about normal for this time of year.

25 Years Ago

From The Odessa Record

October 23, 1986

The third meeting of individuals interested in planning a retirement center in Odessa has been called.

“A good deal of interest has been expressed in the project,” a spokesman said. “At the first meeting we selected a steering committee, a financial committee and a site selection committee. These committees reported at our September meeting and they will report again at the coming meeting.”

Those interested in the planned project are urged to attend the session next week, since involvement and evidence of continued interest are necessary if the retirement center planning is to continue.

10 Years Ago

From The Odessa Record

November 1, 2001

About 25 percent of the cost of the new Invensys heating, lighting and ventilation system in the Odessa school plant will be covered through the rebate from Avista Utilities energy saving incentive program.

Superintendent Warren Reeves said at the meeting that the Avista rebate amounted to $61,838.50

P.C. Jantz Elementary School fifth graders and the Odessa School District in general this week were jubilant over the Award for Reading Achievement from the State of Washington for their efforts in reaching their 2001 fourth grade reading goals.

The fifth graders were fourth graders last spring when they were given the Washington Assessment of Student Learning (WASL) reading tests.

Odessa’s fourth grade students achieved a combined score of 80.2 percent in successful completion of the reading assessment.