Odessa, Missouri

Odessa, Missouri
City
Odessa, Missouri in 2018
Location of Odessa, Missouri
Coordinates: 38°59′56″N93°58′00″W / 38.99889°N 93.96667°W / 38.99889; -93.96667
Country	United States
State	Missouri
County	Lafayette
Area [1]
• Total	4.13 sq mi (10.69 km2)
• Land	4.10 sq mi (10.61 km2)
• Water	0.03 sq mi (0.09 km2)
Elevation [2]	978 ft (298 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	5,593
• Density	1,365.48/sq mi (527.17/km2)
Time zone	UTC-6 (Central (CST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC-5 (CDT)
ZIP code	64076
Area code	816
FIPS code	29-54038 [3]
GNIS feature ID	2395299 [2]
Website	www.cityofodessamo.com

The Odessa Ice Cream Company Building was added to the registry of historic places.

Odessa is the largest city in Lafayette County, Missouri, and part of the Kansas City metropolitan area within the Midwestern United States. The population was 5,593 ^[4] at the 2020 census. Located along Interstate 70 Odessa's historic downtown is home to a range of boutique shops and restaurants. The city is host to the annual Puddle Jumper Days town fair, ^[5] the Odessa Rodeo, ^[6] a Christmas lighting ceremony ^[7] and various other community events held throughout the year.

History

Odessa was platted in 1878, and named after Odesa, Ukraine. ^[8] A post office called Odessa has been in operation since 1879. ^[9]

The Odessa Ice Cream Company Building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1996. ^[10]

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 4.13 square miles (10.70 km²), of which 4.10 square miles (10.62 km²) is land and 0.03 square miles (0.08 km²) is water. ^[11]

Odessa is located roughly 45 minutes from downtown Kansas City and approximately three hours from St. Louis.

Demographics

Historical population

Census	Pop.	Note	%±
1880	100		—
1890	1,272		1,172.0%
1900	1,445		13.6%
1910	1,531		6.0%
1920	1,786		16.7%
1930	1,861		4.2%
1940	1,881		1.1%
1950	1,969		4.7%
1960	2,034		3.3%
1970	2,839		39.6%
1980	3,088		8.8%
1990	3,695		19.7%
2000	4,818		30.4%
2010	5,300		10.0%
2020	5,593		5.5%
U.S. Decennial Census [12]

2010 census

As of the census ^[13] of 2010, there were 5,300 people, 2,077 households, and 1,427 families living in the city. The population density was 1,292.7 inhabitants per square mile (499.1/km²). There were 2,280 housing units at an average density of 556.1 per square mile (214.7/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 94.8% White, 1.4% African American, 0.4% Native American, 0.4% Asian, 0.3% from other races, and 2.6% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.2% of the population.

There were 2,077 households, of which 37.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.1% were married couples living together, 14.3% had a female householder with no husband present, 5.3% had a male householder with no wife present, and 31.3% were non-families. 26.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.52 and the average family size was 3.00.

The median age in the city was 35.2 years. 27% of residents were under the age of 18; 8.8% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 26.6% were from 25 to 44; 22.8% were from 45 to 64; and 14.8% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 48.2% male and 51.8% female.

2000 census

As of the census ^[3] of 2000, there were 4,818 people, 1,887 households, and 1,290 families living in the city. The population density was 1,381.7 inhabitants per square mile (533.5/km²). There were 2,011 housing units at an average density of 576.7 per square mile (222.7/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 97.09% White, 1.18% African American, 0.27% Native American, 0.10% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 0.33% from other races, and 0.98% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.73% of the population.

There were 1,887 households, out of which 36.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.8% were married couples living together, 10.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.6% were non-families. 26.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.52 and the average family size was 3.07.

In the city the population was spread out, with 28.2% under the age of 18, 9.0% from 18 to 24, 30.9% from 25 to 44, 17.4% from 45 to 64, and 14.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females, there were 93.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.4 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $34,007, and the median income for a family was $40,000. Males had a median income of $35,476 versus $23,047 for females. The per capita income for the city was $17,455. About 8.4% of families and 9.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 10.0% of those under age 18 and 14.9% of those age 65 or over.

Education

Odessa R-7 School District operates two elementary schools, one middle school and Odessa High School. ^[14]

Odessa has a public library, a branch of the Trails Regional Library. ^[15]

Sports

I-70 Motorsports Park is a motorsports venue that opened in 1969 with a half-mile paved oval. It was shut down in 2008, then reopened in 2021 with a 3/8 dirt oval and a quarter-mile dragstrip.^{[ citation needed ]}

The Odessa R-VII Bulldog Football Team was the 1994 and 2019 Missouri State High School Athletic Association Class 3 State Champions.^{[ citation needed ]}

Parks and recreation

Dyer Park is one of the oldest parks in Odessa and is the most developed and heavily used parks in the city. Facilities include a community building, swimming pool, pavilion, picnic shelter, outdoor basketball and tennis courts, baseball and softball fields, a rodeo arena, and two playground areas. ^[16]

Lake Venita, located in Dyer Park, offers outstanding fishing, dock and a half mile paved walking trail. ^[17]

The 90 acre Odessa City Lake southwest of Odessa offers fishing and waterfowl hunting. It is managed under a cooperative agreement between the Missouri Department of Conservation and the City of Odessa. The site includes a privy, boat ramp and dock, a pavilion and picnic areas. ^[18]

Government

The City of Odessa is governed by a mayor and six-member board of aldermen. The current Mayor is Stephen Wright.

The city is divided into three wards. Two aldermen are elected in each ward, with terms alternating so that one alderman in each ward is elected each year in April. The Mayor is elected in even years and serves a 2-year term. ^[19] Odessa is incorporated as a fourth-class municipality. ^[20]

Media

Odessa has been served by a newspaper since 1880. In 1942 the Odessa Democrat ^[21] merged with The Ledger ^[22] creating The Odessan. ^[23]

As Lafayette County's largest newspaper The Odessan ^[24] is published weekly providing local coverage of news and sports in the communities of Odessa, Bates City, Mayview, Wellington, Napoleon and Lafayette County.  The newspaper is an independent, fourth-generation, family-owned publication.

Notable people

• Brenna Dowell, gymnast who was a world champion in 2015
• Tonya Evinger, mixed martial artist; born in Odessa on June 4, 1981
• Jim Fitterling, Chairman and CEO and of Dow, Inc., graduated Odessa High School 1979
• Terin Humphrey, medal-winning Olympic gymnast; graduate of Odessa High School
• James Krause, professional mixed martial artist
• H. Owen Reed, composer; born in Odessa on June 17, 1910
• Joe C. Specker, Army sergeant and (posthumous) Medal of Honor recipient in World War II
• Brad Ziegler, Major League Baseball pitcher, attended Odessa High School

References

1. "ArcGIS REST Services Directory". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved August 28, 2022.
2. U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Odessa, Missouri
3. "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau . Retrieved January 31, 2008.
4. "U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts: Odessa city, Missouri; Lafayette County, Missouri". www.census.gov. Retrieved February 11, 2022.
5. "Odessa Puddle Jumper Days". www.odessapuddlejumperdays.com. Retrieved February 11, 2022.
6. "Rodeo". www.odessamochamber.com. Retrieved February 11, 2022.
7. "Lighting Ceremony". Odessa MO Chamber. Retrieved February 11, 2022.
8. Eaton, David Wolfe (1916). How Missouri Counties, Towns and Streams Were Named. The State Historical Society of Missouri. pp.  183.
9. "Post Offices". Jim Forte Postal History. Retrieved October 25, 2016.
10. "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places . National Park Service. July 9, 2010.
11. "US Gazetteer files 2010". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on January 12, 2012. Retrieved July 8, 2012.
12. "Census of Population and Housing". Census.gov. Retrieved June 4, 2015.
13. "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau . Retrieved July 8, 2012.
14. "Odessa R-Vii School District". Greatschools. Retrieved March 25, 2018.
15. "Locations". Trails Regional Library. Archived from the original on March 25, 2018. Retrieved March 25, 2018.
16. "Odessa Parks and Recreation Department: Facility Details". odessamo.myrec.com. Retrieved February 11, 2022.
17. "Odessa (Lake Venita)". Missouri Department of Conservation. Retrieved February 11, 2022.
18. "Odessa City Lake". Missouri Department of Conservation. Retrieved February 11, 2022.
19. "Official Website of the City of Odessa, Missouri - Mayor and Board of Aldermen". www.cityofodessamo.com. Retrieved February 11, 2022.
20. "Missouri Register 2022 Issues". www.sos.mo.gov. Retrieved February 11, 2022.
21. "The Odessa Democrat (Odessa, Mo.) 1881-1942". Library of Congress. Retrieved February 11, 2022.
22. "Missouri Ledger (Odessa, Mo.) 1891-1942". Library of Congress. Retrieved February 11, 2022.
23. "The Odessan (Odessa, Lafayette County, Mo.) 1942-Current". Library of Congress. Retrieved February 11, 2022.
24. "The Odessan | Focus on Oak Grove (Original)". theodessan.net. Retrieved February 11, 2022.

External links

• Official website
• Parry, Albert (Spring 1944). "US towns named Odessa". Russian Review. 3 (2): 36–40. doi:10.2307/125407. JSTOR   125407.
• Historic maps of Odessa in the Sanborn Maps of Missouri Collection at the University of Missouri