This Week in Odessa History

100 years ago

From The Odessa Record

March 18, 1915

Mayor Kemp designated two days as the annual clean up days for Odessa, when all residents are asked to clean up all rubbish about their residences and business places and deposit it in receptacles to be carted away by the city to the dump.

The most important happening of the war during the week was the sinking of two British battleships and one French battleship while engaged in operations against the Turkish forts defending the Dardanelles. The allies attribute the loss to drifting mines.

Jacob Walter made a trip to Ruff in his auto returning home with Dr. and Mrs. Emil Jantz.

Last Sunday was the warmest March day in Odessa since the establishment of the local weather station according to Observer Hy. W. Rieke. The government thermometer here registered 83 in the shade that afternoon.

Schoonover & Son completed the furnishing of their new ice cream parlor.

Mrs. J.R. Smolkowski returned this morning from Spokane where she has been spending the week buying her spring millinery stock.

75 years ago

From The Odessa Record

March 21, 1940

A drowning tragedy was narrowly averted on Saturday afternoon, when Rodney Nichols, two-year-old son of Mr. and Mrs. Tony Nichols, fell into Crab creek and was carried two blocks downstream, where shouts of other children attracted the Rev. J.G. Rott, who waded waist deep into the stream to make the rescue.

The child’s aunt, Mrs. Emanuel Bartalamay, who lives close to where the rescue was made and who is a Red Cross trained senior life saver, gave artificial respiration and resuscitation until the arrival of Dr. L.J. Bonney. The inhalator squad from the Odessa fire department stood by for possible need. The George J. Kissler home, adjoining the creek, was thrown open to the rescue party.

The boy, wearing a woolen play suit, had wandered to the creek, and had dropped one shoe in the water, it was stated. The youngster, reaching for the shoe, lost his balance and was thrown into the water. The play suit, of heavy material, successfully retained air, which permitted floating.

Taken to his home and placed under care for exposure and possible lung injury, the boy responded swiftly.

Crab creek, dry during most of the year, but carrying a big head of water at that season, had claimed the lives of four small boys since the town was founded.

50 years ago

From The Odessa Record

March 18, 1965

Sixty-seven street lights have been increased in lighting capacity from 2500 lumen to 4000 lumen, according to Mayor R.L. Tanck. Approximately three times as much light has been made available at the 67 locations by this change.

The Washington Water Power company recently reduced its rates on this type lighting in small communities making the rate equivalent to cities. As a result, Odessa will have better lighting at about the same cost.

Lincoln Electric has been contacted by the Air Force to provide service to the four Intercontinental Ballistic Missile sites in Lincoln County. Power will be provided in order to dismantle the sites.

Many new irrigation pumps were also being served by Lincoln Electric. New lines were run to Reuben Finkbeiner’s, Robert Hemmerling’s and Don Schibel’s farms. Extensions were planned for farms of Ivan Hemmerling and W.C. Raugust.

25 years ago

From The Odessa Record

March 18, 1990

Manager Mavis Smith of the Odessa branch, Seafirst Bank, on behalf of her employer presented a check for $1000 to the Odessa Historical Society to support the construction of a second building on the society’s museum site.

U.S. Census Bureau figures revealed Lincoln County population decreased more than 10 percent since 1970. The county population decreased by 944 people in two decades.

Brandi Deife was named to an all-star volleyball team that played feature matches in mid-summer.

10 years ago

From The Odessa Record

March 17, 2005

Andrea Kuch was crowned Miss Odessa 2005 at the Miss Odessa Scholastic Program. For the talent portion, Kuch had the audience laughing as she did a dance skit to the “Blues Brothers.”

Dale Hunt joined Denny’s Foods as the new store manager in Odessa.