Founding History

A Railroad Built Odessa in the 1880s

Odessa was founded in 1881 when the Texas and Pacific Railway extended across West Texas and workers established a water stop on the South Plains.

Ector County History & Culture

Odessa exists because of the railroad. The Texas and Pacific Railway pushed across West Texas in July 1881. Railroad workers — some from Ukraine, according to local tradition — named the settlement after Odessa, their home city. The town was officially platted in 1886.

Odessa became the county seat when Ector County organized in 1891. For nearly fifty years it remained a small ranching center until the oil boom of the late 1920s transformed it. Today, downtown Odessa sits on about 300 acres of the original 1886 townsite.

Source to confirm: Handbook of Texas – Odessa, TX

More Ector County notes

Property Tax Basics

Two Offices Handle Your Property Tax in Ector County

The appraisal district sets your property value; the tax assessor-collector handles payments — they are two separate offices.

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Homestead Exemption

Homestead Exemption Cuts Your School Tax Bill

Texas law gives homeowners a $140,000 exemption from the school district portion of their property tax if the home is their primary residence.

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Senior & Disabled Exemption

Extra Tax Break for Homeowners 65 or Older

Homeowners who are 65 or older or who are disabled get an additional $60,000 school district exemption and may qualify for a tax freeze.

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Ag Valuation

Agricultural Land Can Be Taxed on Productivity, Not Market Value

Landowners who use their Ector County property for farming or ranching can apply to have it taxed on what it produces, not what it would sell for.

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