Odessa History

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The History of Odessa In Photos. If you should have any photos or notes you would like to see added,
please contact us.

Odessa was founded as a water stop and cattle shipping point on the Texas and Pacific Railway. As early as 1881 promoters of the Railroad encouraged immigration by offering to haul farm machinery and household goods for prospective settlers at no charge.

The Odessa Jail 1904
Used From 1888 to 1924 / Sold To Crane In 1927 for $175

Odessa's name came from Russian Railroad workers who saw a resemblance of the landscape to Odessa, Russia. In 1882 the town became one of nine stopping places on the railroad's route through West Texas. In 1886 the Odessa Land and Townsite Company was formed in Zanesville, Ohio, to sell farmland in Ector County. The limited rainfall was not mentioned when they predicted a splendid agricultural potential for the area. The company's exaggerated promises and bi-monthly excursion trains failed to attract enough buyers and by 1889, the company was banckrupt. The land region was most suited for ranching and for many years Ector County was known mainly for it's fine Hereford cattle. Much of the land was owned by the University of Texas. Odessa became the county seat in 1891 when Ector County was first organized and incorporated in 1927 after oil was discovered. With the opening of the Penn Field in 1929 and the Cowden Field in 1930, oil became a major draw for new residents

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