This Week in Odessa History

100 Years Ago

The Odessa Record

September 7, 1917

Council proceedings.

Council met in regular session Monday, September 3, 1917, at the town hall at eight p.m. Present Councilmen Schoonover, Michaelsen, Weber and Smith, Marshall Jenks, Clerk Nevins, Water Sup’t Durland. By unanimous vote of the councilmen present and in the absence of Mayor Kemp, Councilman Michaelsen acted as mayor pro tem.

The petition of Christ Hemmerling, et al, for a light on Fourth Avenue at its intersection with Fifth Street was read and on motion of Councilman Schoonover was referred to the committee on streets and public improvements to report at the next meeting. George Hulbert addressed the council relative to the transfer of Lot One, Block Twelve, Original Town of Odessa for a consideration of $25.00 to Odessa. On motion of councilman Schoonover the town bought the lot from Mr. Hulbert for said consideration.

The estimates of the receipts and disbursements for the year 1918 and for the Town of Odessa were made by the Council as provided by law.

Additional local news.

Miss Emma Werner left yesterday to spend a week visiting friends at Bridgeport.

Con Miller’s Hudson and Henry W. Heimbigner’s Ford collided Sunday night east of town when the two cars met head on. The little Ford came off second best in the wreck and was put out of commision. Mr. Heimbigner was thrown through the windowshield, though none of the occupants of either car were hurt, with the exception of some bad bruises. Mr. Heimbigner came back to Odessa and secured another car to complete his journey.

Fred Balmer opened his restaurant and temperance hall, known as Doc’s place, in the new Finney building Saturday. The entire equipment is new and thoroughly up to date. The restaurant department, of which Mrs. Balmer has charge, is equipped with a large electric range, water heater, hot plates and coffee urn and is claimed by Manager Scholer of the W.W.P. Co. to be one of the finest installations money can buy and superior to anything in his knowledge outside of Spokane. The new stand serves regular meals and short orders, and is doing a thriving business.

Over forty young people of the Pilgrim Congregational Christians Endeavor attended the farewell party given three of Odessa’s soldier boys, Gotleib Brauer, Gustave Reiman and John Friske, who have received orders to be ready to report to the colors on twenty four hours notice, at the William Reiman place four miles north of Odessa. A very pleasant evening was spent in games and music, after which short talks were made by Rev. W.F. Essig, J.P. Weber and David Jasman. After the speeches, refreshments were served and the participants in the enjoyable occasion returned to their homes.

School opened Monday with an attendance somewhat smaller than usual on opening day, except in the primary room which was full to overflowing. The shortage in the other departments and the high school is due to the fact that a number of pupils are still assisting in harvest and threshing and it is expected that in less than two weeks a full enrollment will be secured.

The opening day found 49 pupils in the primary room, 26 in the second grade, 29 in the third, 37 in the fourth, 28 in the fifth, 28 in the sixth, 24 in the seventh, 6 in the eighth and 35 in the high school. Prof. Cherry has requested the Record to announce that after next Tuesday no pupils will be permitted to enroll in the primary room regardless of age.

75 Years Ago

The Odessa Record

September 7, 1942

The ladies aid of the English Congregational church observed its 29th anniversary on Wednesday with four of the original members present, including Mrs. B.J. Lyons, Mrs. C.C. Dobson, Mrs. L.C. Weik and Mrs. Fred Krell.

Odessa schools resumed on Tuesday morning after the summer vacation with a drop of 16 percent in attendance. Later enrollments have cut this figure somewhat.

At a candle light ceremony in the Christ Lutheran church on Saturday evening, Miss Dorothy Gies, daughter of Henry Gies, became the bride of Dr. Robert Tanck, with the Rev. M. Pempeit officiating.

At a 7 o’clock nuptial mass in St. Joseph’s Catholic church on Saturday the Rev. Fr. Moscopp read the marriage vows of Miss Mary Louise Giessler, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Fred Giessler, who became the bride of Mr. Francis John Horak, son of Louis Horak, Sr., uniting two pioneer families.

Dr. William Dietz has closed his office here and has left the community. He came here a few years ago from Spangle, Wash.

Mr. and Mrs. Sam Espie have closed the Night Lunch for the duration and will leave for Tacoma to be employed in war industries. They are leaving the restaurant intact and plan to return to open it as soon as the emergency is over.

Among the nineteen Lincoln county men reporting in Spokane for induction Saturday were Joseph Schafer, Herman A. Walther, Theo. C. Anderson and Edwin

Carl Delzer.

A group of friends gathered at the American Legion hall on Friday night to honor J.P. Keller, who was to leave to enter the army service.

Mrs. Frances Wonnacott of Seattle, accompanied by Mrs. Fred Smith (Hannah Iltz) and Miss Vivian Warren, both of Tacoma, drove over from the coast for the week end, arriving Friday evening. Mrs. Wonnacott visited her parents, Mr. and Mrs. B.J. Lyons, and Mrs. Smith and Miss Warren visited Mrs. Smith parents, Mr. and Mrs. George Iltz, Sr.

50 Years Ago

The Odessa Record

September 7, 1967

Fire threatens homes on hot, windy afternoon.

Several homes in Odessa along Amende Drive and Third Avenue East were threatened when a grass fire burned from Mrs. Pauline Rodeck’s home on Fourth Avenue East, across Ed Heimbigner’s pasture, past Clarence Hemmerling’s residence and dropped down over the rocky cliff east of the Christ Lutheran Church parsonage.

The wind-whipped blaze, on a hot, dusty Friday afternoon, threatened the Paul Lightbody home in the 700 block of East Amende Drive as well as other homes up to the Orville Preston residence where trees and a fence were seared.

Three local fire trucks and seven volunteer firemen fought the stubborn blazes, which whipped through the area from the strong winds.

Part of the area had been previously burned by a controlled fire conducted by the fire department, however, conditions were such Friday afternoon that the blaze, source unknown, still spread very rapidly.

At noon on Saturday an overheated bearing set a grain auger box on fire at the Schoonover elevator of the Odessa Union Warehouse. Two fire extinguishers quelled the blaze leaving a little charred wood but no serious damage. Quick action by personnel on the scene saved the potential loss of an elevator.

A small fire burned on Labor Day about noon. An old dump had been set afire approximately four miles west of Odessa, the fire beginning to spread. One truck with two volunteer firemen from the department extinguished the blaze.

25 Years Ago

The Odessa Record

September 3, 1992

Fest plans shift into high gear.

With the opening of Odessa’s 22nd annual Deutschesfest, organizers of the event were gathering up early this week to make Lincoln County’s biggest show a greater success than ever before.

The Fest’s dates are September 18, 19 and 20.

Kraut ranzas by the hundreds have been completed by members of St. Joseph Alter Society, who will sell them at their chalet in the German food plaza. Kuchens are in the freezers all over town, as well as cabbage rolls, pies and other German delicacies which are among the Fest’s attractions. Another specialty much sought after during Deutschesfest, apple strudel made by women of Christ Lutheran Church, will go into production on September 8, 9 and 10.

The operators of Odessa businesses are being asked to clean the sidewalks and front of their buildings by 6 a.m. on September 15 so that town crews can clean the streets before food and concession booths are placed on the streets and before the community comes alive with visitors.

The Odessa Golf Course has had its RV hookup area reserved for Fest time for several months. The golf course management has stated that it would try to fit in as many RV’s as possible in other areas in order to accommodate as many golfers as possible.

It is the first year in Odessa for golf course operators Gary and Kate Valenta. They say they aren’t quite sure what to expect in respect to either golfers or RVs. They are preparing for the hole-in-one, and they are also recruiting extra help for the three days of Fest. A sandwich bar has been installed to provide food for hungry golfers.

It has been announced that golfers will need tee times for Saturday and Sunday because of the large number of players expected on the course.

“We will start taking tee times for September 19 and 20 this weekend,” Gary Valenta said.

“With the hole-in-one offering a car and having a winner in last year’s $10,000 event, I think we will see many more golfers on the course,” he said. He added that calls have been received on how to qualify for the hole-in-one and inquiries made about schedules.

FFA advisor Ron Nash, in charge of the hole-in-one, which is sponsored by the Odessa chapter of the FFA, says he also is receiving calls asking about qualifying times for the event and schedules.