This Week in Odessa History

100 years ago

Dec. 30, 1921

One hundred years ago, Odessa residents were gearing up for the New Year’s Eve dance sponsored by the American Legion. World War I was in the past, and life had returned to normal. Businesses were doing well, and their proprietors took out ads to thank people for their patronage, including Farmers & Merchants Bank, W.H. Luher & Co., the German-American Mutual Farmers Fire Insurance Association, the Odessa Meat Market, the Odessa Hardware & Implement Co., Michaelson & Koth, the Rieker Motor Co., the Union State Bank of Odessa, the Quality Store of A. Wagner, The Men’s Shop of J.C. Janikula, the G.W. Finney Lumber Co., the Odessa Furniture Store of C.E. Weber, the Main Street Garage of Thomas Goodwin, the Stardard Tire and Battery Shop of B.V. Cunningham, the Farmers Union Grain & Lumber Co. (located at Batum), the Big Bend Garage, as well as various professionals such as dentist T.F. Bresee, contractor and builder Con H. Eckhardt, attorney W.M. Nevins, photographer J.P. Theodoroff, the Oriental Laundry proprietor Sam Wo, physician Dr. L.M. Thompson, veterinarian Dr. Fred Balmer and notary public H.C. Phillips.

Front page stories were a mixture of local, regional, national and international news. The local Masonic Lodge elected new officers, various clubs and organizations did likewise and/or met socially.

75 years ago

Dec. 26, 1946

Two Marlin grade school pupils placed second and third in a statewide essay contest sponsored by the Washington TB Association. Effie King took second and Betty Starkel third.

New automobiles, a long-awaited item for most people, came as Christmas treasures to local drivers. The Odessa Trading Co. delivered Chevrolets to Harold Suchland and Henry P. Wacker, a Buick to Harold Franz. Wolf Motor Sales delivered a Plymouth to Manford Giese and Suko Motors delivered Fords to Alvin Goetz and Al Suko.

Among college students home for the holidays are Betty and Bill Raugust, Art Derr, James Odell, Delbert Schafer, Vern Fink, Alvin Birge, Dick and Betty Laney and Bill Jesset.

Cpl. Eddie Hein returned on Friday on a six-day leave after which he will get his discharge. He has been stationed on Oahu in Hawaii.

Mr. and Mrs. Leland Boyk, Aberdeen, Wash., are spending the holidays at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Carl Kiehn and with Mr. Boyk’s parents at Davenport.

50 years ago

Dec. 30, 1971.

Matmen show strength with Medical Lake. Forfeiting three weight classes cost the Odessa Tiger matmen 18 point and a win with Medical Lake, 37-30, in wrestling matches held here Wednesday. In the best performance of the season, Coach Jack Hester’s wrestlers won by pins or decisions in five of the nine individual matches. Richard Weber pinned his opponent in the first round, and Tom Walter pinned his man also in the first round. Dennis Goetz and Alan Voise each got a pin in the third round of their respective matches, and Tom Weishaar pinned his man in the first round.

Gun Club to begin practice shoots. Practice trap shooting begins at the Odessa Gun Club range on Sunday afternoon, Jan. 2, it is reported. Shooting for the annual Spokesman-Review Telephonic Trap Shoot competition is scheduled to begin at 1 p.m. on Sunday, Jan. 9.