This Week in Odessa History

100 years ago

From The Odessa Record

July 30, 1915

The biggest crop that the Odessa country has had in eight years, and probably the biggest in its history, is now being harvested, and the end of the week will see in the shock or headed practically wheat which is to be threshed. Wheat that is being cut with combines will not be in the sack for some time after this week, although these big machines are busy on all sides now. Reports from Harvest fields are so large and exceptional for this country as to be unbelievable, and the prediction in the early season that this was a most favorable year is being borne out on all sides. Yields of 30 bushels and more are common, Bluestem in many cases running up to that yield and better. The winter yields are from 35 to 40 bushels in lots of places and there are a few who are reporting better than 40 bushel wheat.

The local good roads committee last Friday and Saturday marked the route of the North Central highway through this place with sign boards for the benefit of tourist travel which has increased to large proportions during the present month. The sign boards are placed at cross roads from Lamona to Krupp (Editor's note: now Marlin), and also at the eastern and western limits of Odessa.

75 years

From The Odessa Record

August 1, 1940

Gottlieb Koth, 84, died Wednesday morning at his home here, after a four-hour illness. Mr. Koth had carried his age well and only within the last three years had his health started failing.

Born in Russia, February 19, 1856, he was married there in 1878 to Miss Kathlina Weiss, who survives him, and left shortly after for the United States to make his home. He spent the first 26 years of his stay in this country in the vicinity of Parkston, S.D., coming to Odessa 35 years ago, where with a son, Edward, he started a hardware store. After two years the firm consolidated with the Odessa Mercantile company and he retained his membership in this firm until 1908, retiring from active business. His partners continued the firm until 1913, when fire destroyed the store building. Two of his sons, Edward and Nathaniel, in partnership with J.C. and H.E. Michaelsen, started the present firm of Michaelsen & Koth.

While the rest of the region was receiving one of its heaviest rains in years, Jacob Kagele, farmer near Moody on the old Neppel highway suffered the effects of a cloudburst, accompanied by thunder and lightning, and lasting half an hour. The water poured down the coulee in swift muddy streams, surrounding the farm home of Kagele to a depth of several feet and carrying off and scattering 11 cords of wood piled in the yard. The bridge across the highway below the Kagele home remained intact , but was covered with water many feet deep and spreading 60 feet in width on each side of the bridge. Kagele said 500 acres of his wheat were laid flat, and in places a sheet of water 200 feet wide had spread across the field. The Moody and Batum highways suffered much washing from the same storm.

50 years ago

From The Odessa Record

July 29, 1965

Odessa golfers, competing in match play this summer, are well along with the schedule. E.J. Wachter emerged as winner of flight 1, with Chuck Boyk as runner up. Leland Boyk and Cecil Schell are matched for the top place in flight 2. In flight 3 Harold Weber was the winner with Rod Nichols as runner up. Flight 4 is nearing completion with Al Fink vs. Ken Hoffstrand for the right to meet Merle Janke for the title. Plans are under way for a city tournament to be played in August.

25 years ago

From The Odessa Record

August 2, 1990

Odessa’s summer recreation program has moved within three weeks of its final moments but director Becky Coe said Tuesday and abundance of activities remain. The second session of swimming lessons at the municipal pool is under way and will extend through August 10. Meanwhile, today’s action centers around A Winter Day in August beginning at 2 p.m. in the community center. And tomorrow the Camp Out in the Park gets under way with a 5 p.m. tent pitching followed by dinner. Coe has issued a reminder about the senior citizen trip to Cashmere and Leavenworth August 10. A computer camp taught by Odessa High School business teacher Terri King will come on August 14-16.

10 years ago

From The Odessa Record

July 28, 2005

Ron and Maxine Ferderer, Odessa’s newest business owners purchased the Tiger Inn on July 21. The drive-in restaurant was owned by Ken Zweig for the past 13 years. Zweig bought the business from his parents Evelyn and Clark Zweig. Maxine has worked off and on at the Tiger Inn for six years.

The 112th harvest was going on Monday at the wheat farm of Mike Hardung southeast of Odessa. In 1893, Mike’s great grandfather Jacob Hardung, harvested the first wheat crop grown in the Odessa area. The grain was hauled to a warehouse in Lamona where the Great Northern Railway had gone through in 1892. The first settlement at the Odessa siding did not come into existence until 1898.