This Week in Odessa History

100 years ago

From The Odessa Record

February 20, 1914

An advertisement for Union State Bank showed a picture of a sliver of moon outside a window with a shady character in a hat lurking at the bottom of the window. The advertisement read in big letters, “ Burglars can’t get your money when it is safe in our bank”.

Underneath it read, “In December 1902 Judge Lewis and wife, an aged couple, were brutally murdered at their ranch between Odessa and Almira. They were known to habitually keep large sums of money about their premises, and their lives were sacrificed because of this fact”.

The movement for a community center was formally launched when the student body of the high school presented to the voters in this school district a pamphlet showing the need of such an institution here, its cost and benefits to be derived from it.

The location of such a center has been decided on as the former Presbyterian church, in case the people should favor the issue of bonds at the school election to be held here on Saturday. If the voters so decide, the school board will bond the district in the sum of $3,000 for the purchase and remodeling of this building, the Presbyterian board at a special meeting held last Tuesday having authorised the sale of the edifice to the shool district for $1,500. The other $1,500 will be used to make necessary alterations in the building to answer the purpose of a civic center auditorium.

75 years ago

From The Odessa Record

February 16, 1939

Crab Creek gave evidence this week of the volume of water it can carry, when rapidly thawing snow sent a heavy stream of water coursing through the creek bed. The creek, dry for several months each year, started running last week, until frost stopped its flow. A snowfall, melting under a chinook wind started the present flow.

Odessa will go on the air on Sunday with a community program in the “Meet Your Neighbor” hour sponsored by Spokane radio station KFPY. The broadcast will be from the high school auditorium. Microphones and other radio equipment will be set up by a technician from the broadcast station and the program will be carried over telephone lines to Spokane for broadcast.

The high school orchestra and glee club will be featured. A talk will be presented by E. J. Wachter, vice-president of the commercial club. Program arrangements are in charge of C.A. Bragg, L.W. Lee and Carver Whelchel.

50 years ago

From The Odessa Record

February 20, 1964

Will Keller had the honor of bringing the first buttercup to The Record office this spring. Will found his buttercup at Bob’s Lake.

Elna Jessett, a florist here for many years, reported on the wedding of Dixie Hardt and James Moore. Jesset described the baskets of pink gladiola and white chrysanthemums flanked by candelabra and white satin pew bows at the English Congregational Church. Hardt is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. William Hardt of Odessa and Moore is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Steve Moore of Spokane.

Attendants were Nancy Parr, Andrea Grosfield, Judy Homberg, William Moore, William Horak and Stanley Parr. Organist was Mrs. James Lyons and the Rev. John Birchard sang “I Love You Truly”.

25 years ago

From The Odessa Record February 16, 1989

Lincoln County farmers who own or operate “highly erodible” cropland may bid their property into the Conservation Reserve Program until February 24.

Land enrolled in the CRP is paid an annual rental which, for this area, has been a miximum of $50 per acre per year for the 10-year term of the program.

Enrolled lands must be planted to a permanent grass to prevent water and soil erosion for th term of the contract. Once established, the seeding must be maintained at the producer’s expense, and may not be grazed by livestock or harvested.

Meanwhile, state conservationist Lynn Brown of the Soil Conservation Service revealed in a separate statement that CRP has more than 870,000 acres statewide contracted. The estimated erosion reduction is 12 million tons per year.

10 years ago

From The Odessa Record February 19, 2004

Mike Nichols shot the first perfect score of the year at the Odessa Gun Club.

Odessa Weight Watchers lost a total of 1,000 pounds in five months.

The Odessa Town Council has accepted an invitation from the Federal Aviation Aministration to submit an application for a $60,000 grant for planning improvements and expansion at Odessa Municipal Airport.

Funding will be for a layout plan of airport facilities, specifically: extension of the runway, perimeter fencing, a new administration building, connection to the town’s water system and the paving of tie-down taxiways.