Odell, Texas facts for kids
Odell is a small, unincorporated community located in Wilbarger County, Texas, United States. An "unincorporated community" means it's a place where people live, but it doesn't have its own local government like a city does. In the year 2000, about 131 people called Odell home.
Where is Odell?
Odell is found in the northwestern part of Wilbarger County, Texas. It's located where three important roads meet: Farm Road 91, Farm Road 432, and Farm Road 2379. The community is about 15 miles northwest of a larger town called Vernon. A small stream named Wanderers Creek flows along the western edge of Odell. 34°20′45″N 99°25′08″W / 34.34583°N 99.41889°W
Odell's Story
Odell began in 1908 as a station along the Kansas City, Mexico and Orient Railway train line. It was named after J. T. Odell, a civil engineer from New York. Many of the first people to live in Odell came from a nearby settlement called Haulk. When the railroad arrived, many Haulk residents moved to Odell because T. H. Holloway donated land for the new community.
A post office opened in Odell on April 27, 1909. By 1919, Odell was growing fast, with thirty businesses operating there. The community continued to do well throughout the 1920s. In 1928, Odell officially became an incorporated town, meaning it had its own local government. By 1930, its population reached 424 people.
However, Odell's growth soon slowed down. Several things caused this decline. The Great Depression, a time of great economic hardship, affected the community. Also, a series of fires in the mid-1930s caused more problems. The population dropped to 301 in 1940, then to 238 in 1950, and 131 by 1960. Soon after, Odell went back to being an unincorporated community.
By the mid-1980s, only a few stores and churches were still active in Odell. The local economy mainly relied on growing cotton and grain, raising cattle, and producing oil. Through the end of the 20th century and into the year 2000, Odell remained home to about 131 residents.
Learning in Odell
Public schools for students in Odell are part of the Chillicothe Independent School District.
