This Week in Odessa History

There were great plans 76 years ago in late November 1935, for the rabbit drive to be held in the Irby area, which was expected to draw hundreds of Spokane sportsmen.

Rabbit drives had been held since Odessa’s earliest days. Rabbits were pests, and throughout the 20th Century they posed a problem because they ate crops and spread disease.

The 1935 drive was set for December 8, west of Odessa, in an area bounded by Batum Road on the east, a point one mile west of Irby Road in the west and the North Central highway (now Highway 28, which has been rebuilt and is relocated several yards to the south of the old highway) on the south.

The drive near Irby was to come on the heels of a highly successful drive staged early that November in the Schrag area, which saw hunters form Spokane, Ritzville and Odessa kill approximately 1,000 rabbits. The hunters, marching in a solid line, carried the drive through fields and range areas.

Odessa dentist Dr. T.F. Bresee, chairman of the Odessa Commercial Club’s rabbit drive committee, reported in the week following the announcement of the drive that Spokane hunters had been invited to participate and that it was expected that a special train would be chartered to transport them to Odessa. The club’s lunch committee had budgeted $43 for a lunch to be served on the hunting grounds.

As in previous rabbit drives, which had been conducted at several times during the early 1930s, the rabbits would be donated for food for the need in Spokane. It was arranged to have trucks standing by on which to lay the slain rabbits to transport them to Spokane.

When the long-awaited day of the drive arrived, about 125 hunters arrived, including employees of the Goetz brewery and a contingent from the Jensen-Byrd Company. Rather than coming by train, they hired a bus and came in several cars, as well. They were joined by a group of hunters from Odessa.

Greeted with a dark and foggy day, The Odessa Record of November 18, 1935, reported the hunters found but few rabbits which were quickly killed.

And there was no call for the rabbits in Spokane. The returning hunters told The Record that the rabbits were not wanted there.

Times have changed since earlier drives. By 1935, wild rabbits in the area were suspected of being diseased, and food and health regulations precluded distribution of wild game without inspection.

100 Years Ago

From The Odessa Record

November 10, 1911

Fine progress is being made with the play, “The Deacon,” which will be staged by a home talent cast in the near future. The proceeds will go to any deficit that may occur in the lyceum course fund. Those who will take part are: O.F. Minch, Harry Bennigson, L.D. Jenks, Dr. Ganson, Dr. Balmer, H.H. Thiel, Weldon Williams and Cecil Jenks, Mrs. Fred Balmer, Mrs. H.C. Phillips, Miss Clara Weingerber, Miss Pauline Guth, Miss Bess Stevenson and Helen Schock.

Miss Anna Rhuby has been selected for the honor of representing Odessa at the national Apple Show in Spokane, Nov. 23-30 according to the vote in the Odessa Princess contest. Of the total number of votes cast Miss Rhuby received 9350, Miss Weingerber was second with 7950 and Miss Preusse third with 3500.

Nearly every town of importance in the Inland Empire is sending a princess to act as escort to King Apple during the Apple Show.

Odessa will be represented in the big industrial parade, which takes place on Nov. 27, when the many and varied resources of the Inland Empire will be displayed by means of floats, each float being accompanied by a band and members of the booster clubs from the different towns represented.

75 Years Ago

From The Odessa Record

November 12, 1936

Odessa wheat men are in hopes that they can restore a wheat market during this weekend, having been without a market since November 2, when the maritime strike was called on the coast, making the market there inactive.

The initial showing of the 1937 Ford car is set for Saturday, November 14, it was announced by J.P. Keller, local dealer. Among the data that has been released to date is the fact that two motors will be available, one for economy and the other for utmost in speed and power.

The showing of the Chevrolet car on Saturday brought a large crowd anxious to participate in the contests held in connection with the showing.

Chevrolets on display included a deluxe sedan, coupe, coach and sedan, all of which were sold during the demonstration.

Odessa residents paid homage to their world war dead on Wednesday by closing business houses, and by the display of flags. No organized Armistice day program was arranged.

Schools were forced to hold session during the morning, as the state law requires that all schools hold a program in recognition of states admission day, which falls on the same day.

50 Years Ago

From The Odessa Record

November 16, 1961

Who is the man who shot at Aunt Tessie? Who threw Sylvia into the well? These are but part of the mystery of the junior class play, “Three Fingers in the Door”, to be given at the high school auditorium.

The play is coached by Mrs. Roy Larson. The cast includes Dick Zagelow, Joan Heimbigner, Evan Schafer, Ann Horak, Janet Sackmann, June Haase, Carol Michaelsen, Elaine Eckhardt, Tug Graves, Mike Weber, Jim Stephens, Terry Burghard, with Linda Haase as prompter and Jack Stephens in charge of stage settings.

25 Years Ago

From The Odessa Record

November 13, 1986

For the first time in its 12-year history the Washington Association of Wheat Growers will hold its state convention in Seattle, Dec. 7-10.

“It’s time we take the story of agriculture to the political and population base of the state,” explained Jim Walesby, president of the WAWG.

“Agriculture plays an enormous role in the economic health of the entire state. The infrastructure around agriculture creates thousands of jobs in Western Washington as well as Eastern Washington,” Walesby said.

After the one-game playoff against Freeman at Ritzville Monday, November 3, took the Odessa High School volleyball Tigers past the Bi-County playoffs into a so-called championship game against Reardan for seeding into the district tournament, they fell in the headliner at Wilbur to the Indians 10-15, 15-13, 6-15.

“Although we lost, our girls did some good things on the floor,” mentor Ken Scherr said after the game.

10 Years Ago

From The Odessa Record

November 22, 2001

Odessa’s High School’s Tigers will likely continue to play 11-man football for the next two years, Principal Doug Johnson said at the meeting of the Odessa School Board in a discussion about the possibility of the team returning to 8-man status.

Odessa for several years has been a borderline case in WIAA football league classification. Last year, the Tigers no longer qualified to compete in B-8 football because 9-12 enrollment had soared to more than 120. The cut-off enrollment figure for B-8 eligibility is 99.

There were turkeys, turkeys and more turkeys to give away as prizes at the 60th annual Odessa Lions Club Turkey carnival last Saturday at the Odessa Community Center.

There were also winners, winners and more winners at bingo, which went on until the turkeys were gone.

The annual event also featured games for youngsters and a fishing pond for the smaller children. Hamburgers and a wide variety of pies were served.