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42-594: The location as marked by a state historical marker is 31°14' N, 102°29' W, though debate exists as to possible alternate locations in that area. U.S. Geological Survey locates it at 31°14′08″N 102°29′02″W  /  31.23556°N 102.48389°W  / 31.23556; -102.48389 . Horsehead Crossing was the primary crossing on the Pecos for the Comanche Trail from the Llano Estacado south to Mexico . It

84-463: A 2020 census population of 359,001. The city is famous for being featured in the book Friday Night Lights: A Town, a Team, and a Dream , and the movie adaption, Friday Night Lights . In 1948, Odessa was also the home of First Lady Barbara Bush , and the onetime home of former Presidents George H. W. Bush and George W. Bush . Former President George H. W. Bush has been quoted as saying "At Odessa we became Texans and proud of it." Odessa

126-712: A city council of five councillors (elected from geographic districts) and a mayor (elected at-large). The council appoints and directs other city officials, including the city manager , and sets the city's budget, taxes, and other policies. In the 2014 fiscal year, the Odessa government had $ 179.1 million in revenues, $ 146.3 million in expenditures, $ 454 million in total assets, and $ 203 million in total liabilities. The city's major sources of public revenues were fees for services (such as public utilities ), sales taxes , and property taxes , and its major expenses were for public safety and for water and sewer service. On December 14, 2022,

168-468: A large diurnal temperature range and frequent high winds. As of the 2020 United States census , there were 114,428 people, 41,942 households, and 28,218 families residing in the city. As of the 2010 census , 99,940 people, 35,216 households, and 27,412 families resided in the city. The population density was 2,276.5 inhabitants per square mile (879.0/km ). There were 43,687 housing units at an average density of 995.1 per square mile (384.2/km ). In 2010,

210-416: A mean income of $ 82,699. Historically, the Odessa economy has been primarily driven by the area's oil industry, booming and busting in response to rises and falls in the crude oil price . Many of the city's largest employers are oilfield supply companies and petrochemical processing companies. In recent decades, city leaders have begun trying to decrease the city's reliance on the energy industry to moderate

252-555: A physician-assistant program. Additionally, TTUHSC Permian Basin includes a school of nursing focusing on primary care and rural health. In June 1999, the Texas Tech Health Center opened as a clinic, providing increased access to primary and specialized health care for the Permian Basin. Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center Permian Basin also operates 21 WIC clinics located in nearby small communities. Odessa College

294-697: Is a public, two-year college based in Odessa, serving the people of Ector County and the Permian Basin. It opened in 1952 and currently enrolls about 6,000 annually in its university-parallel and occupational/technical courses, and 11,000 students annually in its basic education, continuing education, and community recreation courses. Odessa College serves most of Midland, as in the parts in Ector County. Parts in Midland County are assigned to Midland College . The Ector County Independent School District serves portions of Odessa in Ector County (the vast majority of

336-599: Is located southwest of the city. Odessa has 31 jackrabbits statues, as part of an art project launched in 2004. The Odessa Jackalopes , a Tier ll junior ice hockey team plays its home games at Ector County Coliseum , which was also home to the Indoor Football League ’s Odessa/West Texas Roughnecks , and the West Texas Wildcatters of the Lone Star Football League and currently home to

378-683: Is primarily served by Midland International Air and Space Port ( IATA : MAF , ICAO : KMAF ) which served 47,088 passengers in February 2023. It is located in Midland County , within the city limits of the City of Midland but halfway between Downtown Midland and Downtown Odessa. An alternative airport is Odessa-Schlemeyer Field ( IATA : ODO , ICAO : KODO ), which is located within the city limits of Odessa, being only 5 miles northeast and 10 miles west from MAF. The Federal Aviation Administration categories

420-602: Is said to have been named after Odesa , a coastal city in Southern Ukraine , (historically spelled Odessa ) because of the local shortgrass prairie's resemblance to Ukraine's steppe landscape. Odessa is located along the southwestern edge of the Llano Estacado in West Texas . It is situated above the Permian Basin , a large sedimentary deposit that contains significant reserves of oil and natural gas. According to

462-762: The Comanche War Trail or the Comanche Trace , was a travel route in Texas established by the nomadic Comanche and their Kiowa and Kiowa Apache allies. Although called a "trail," the Comanche Trail was actually a network of parallel and branching trails, always running from one source of good water to another. The trail was especially important from the 1830s to 1850s when the Comanche launched large scale raids from Texas into Mexico . Hundreds of warriors annually followed

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504-787: The Roman Catholic Diocese of San Angelo ), Rainey School of Montessori, Sherwood Christian Academy, and Zion Christian Academy. Odessa is also home to five charter schools: Compass Academy Charter School, UTPB STEM Academy, Harmony Science Academy-Odessa, Embassy Academy, and Richard Milburn Academy-Odessa. The city's main daily broadsheet newspaper is the Odessa American . A total of 124 listed radio stations broadcast in West Texas , which includes Midland/Odessa, Abilene, San Angelo and Alpine. Most notable broadcasts in Odessa are KFZX Classic Rock (102.1 FM ), KMRK My Country (96.1 FM) and KXWT Marfa Public Radio (91.3 FM). Odessa

546-482: The U.S. state of Texas and the seat of Ector County with portions extending into Midland County . Odessa's population was 114,428 at the 2020 census , making it the 34th-most populous city in Texas ; it is the principal city of the Odessa metropolitan statistical area , which includes all of Ector County. The metropolitan area is also a component of the larger Midland–Odessa combined statistical area , which had

588-479: The United States Census Bureau , the city has a total area of 44.0 square miles (114 km ); 43.9 square miles (114 km ) are land and 0.1 square miles (0.26 km ) (0.05%) is covered by water. Odessa has a hot semiarid climate typical of West Texas. Summers are hot and sunny, while winters are cool and dry. Most rainfall occurs in late spring and summer; snowfall is rare. The area exhibits

630-710: The West Texas Desert Hawks indoor football team and member of the National Arena League. High-school football is held at Ratliff Stadium , which was featured in the movie Friday Night Lights . It is home to the Odessa Bronchos and the Permian Panthers . It is one of the largest high-school stadiums in the state, listed as seventh in capacity within Texas. Odessa has a council–manager government , with

672-540: The racial makeup of the city was 75.4% White, 5.7% Black, 1.1% Asian, 1.0% Native American, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 14.2% from other races, and 2.5% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race was 50.6%. By 2020, the racial and ethnic makeup was 32.68% non-Hispanic white, 6.12% African American, 0.37% Native American, 2.14% Asian, 0.23% Pacific Islander, 0.31% some other race, 2.01% multiracial, and 56.14% Hispanic or Latino of any race, reflecting state and nationwide trends of greater diversification. Of

714-412: The 35,216 households in 2010, 37.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.6% were married couples living together, 14.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.6% were not families. About 25.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.65, and the average family size

756-479: The Cowden Field in 1930, oil became a major draw for new residents. In 1925, the population was just 750; by 1929, it had risen to 5,000. For the rest of the 20th century, the city's population and economy grew rapidly during each of a succession of oil booms (roughly in the 1930s–1950s, 1970s, and 2010s), often with accompanying contractions during the succeeding busts (particularly in the 1960s and 1980s). Odessa

798-711: The Lone Star Brass, Permian Basin String Quartet, and West Texas Winds. The Globe of the Great Southwest , located on the campus of Odessa College , features a replica of William Shakespeare 's Globe Theatre . It hosts plays, and features an annual Shakespeare festival. Other theaters include the Ector Theater, built in 1951, and the Permian Playhouse. Odessa's Presidential Museum and Leadership Library , on

840-474: The Odessa City Council voted to make Odessa a "sanctuary city for the unborn." In a 6–1 vote, Mayor Javier Joven and council members Denise Swanner, Mark Matta, Gilbert Vasquez, Chris Hanie, and Greg Connell established Odessa as the 62nd city to "outlaw" abortion. The new city ordinance makes a person civilly liable if any person aids, abets, or assists anybody in an abortion operation. In October 2024,

882-532: The United States, and 15% of world business schools, have received AACSB accreditation. The Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center Permian Basin Campus opened as a school of medicine in 1979, beginning in the basement of Medical Center Hospital. Since 1994, TTUHSC Permian Basin has included a school of allied health, offering a master's degree in physical therapy. Also, on the campus of Midland College, it offers

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924-487: The United States. By 1857 parts of the trail had been named and appeared on maps. The Comanche launched their raids on Mexico in autumn, riding south on nights with a full moon, called a Comanche Moon in Texas. Following water sources, the primary trail ran north from two starting points on the Rio Grande River , one at Boquillas and the other at Presidio , with crossings of the river at both locations. The legs of

966-475: The boom-bust cycle and develop greater economic sustainability. Odessa has also taken steps to diversify the energy it produces. In 2009, a wind farm has been constructed in northern Ector County. Around the same time, a coal pollution mitigation plant had been announced for a site previously entered in the Futuregen bidding. The plant will be run by Summit Power and will be located near Penwell . This plant

1008-579: The campus of the University of Texas of the Permian Basin , is dedicated to the office of the Presidency. It also has displays about the presidents of the Republic of Texas . Texon Santa Fe Depot honors the old west and its railroads. The Parker House Museum features the lifestyle of a prominent ranching family in from the early 1900s. Odessa Meteor Crater , an impact crater 550 feet (170 m) in diameter,

1050-486: The city gained national attention after voting 5–2 to implement a transgender bathroom ban, in which any transgender person found using a publicly owned bathroom not matching their assigned gender at birth could be charged with trespassing. The ban was particularly notable for creating a private right to sue, under which any cisgender individual may seek damages from the transgender person of at minimum $ 10,000 in addition to attorney and court fees. A month later, they expanded

1092-816: The city). ECISD was established in 1921, in a consolidation of seven area schools. The district now contains 38 campuses. It administers these high schools: Permian High School , Odessa High School , George H. W. Bush New Tech Odessa, OC Techs at Odessa College and Odessa Collegiate Academy, also at Odessa College. The portion of Odessa in Midland County is zoned to the Midland Independent School District . Odessa's private schools include Montessori Mastery School of Odessa, Latter Rain Christian School, Odessa Christian School, Permian Basin Christian School, Faith Community Christian Academy, St. John's Episcopal School, St. Mary's Central Catholic School (of

1134-483: The early 1880s led to the abandonment of the crossing. The source of the name "Horsehead" has been attributed to horse skulls said to have marked the banks. This may have been due to Comanches , who marked the crossing for easier identification, or the abundance of animals that died at the crossing from drowning, quicksand, or over-drinking while being driven along the Comanche Trail returning from Mexico. Comanche Trail The Comanche Trail , sometimes called

1176-455: The field as a general aviation airport. Midland International Air and Space Port is being served by Southwest Airlines (25,131 passengers as of March 12, 2024), United Airlines (14,780), American Airlines (13,886); inclusive of their subsidiaries, such as American Eagle . Midland Spaceport is currently not being served by any commercial space companies, although the Texas Chapter of

1218-544: The first university-based research reactor to be built in the US in roughly a decade, and be one of the few HTGR-type reactors in the world. In January 2006, UTPB's School of Business was awarded accreditation by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business International, which is generally regarded as the premier accreditation agency for the world's business schools. According to the university, only 30% of business schools in

1260-494: The largest employers are in the education, government, and healthcare industries. Outside of those areas, the city's major employers are concentrated in the oil industry. According to the city's 2021 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, the top employers in the city were: The Midland–Odessa Symphony and Chorale (MOSC) was founded in 1962, and is the region's largest orchestral organization, presenting both pops and masterworks concerts. The MOSC has three resident chamber ensembles:

1302-553: The law to cover all restrooms public or private, and allow anyone to sue regardless of if they're an Odessa or even Texas resident. The Texas Department of Criminal Justice operates the Odessa District Parole Office in Odessa. The United States Postal Service operates three post offices in Odessa: Odessa, Northeast Odessa, and West Odessa. The University of Texas Permian Basin (UTPB) began in 1973. UTPB

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1344-415: The median income for a family was $ 36,869. Males had a median income of $ 31,115 versus $ 21,743 for females. The per capita income for the city was $ 16,096. About 16.0% of families and 18.6% of the population were below the poverty line , including 23.9% of those under age 18 and 14.1% of those age 65 or over. The 2020 American community Survey estimated the median household income increased to $ 63,829 with

1386-532: The trail met at Comanche Springs , near Fort Stockton, Texas and Las Moras Springs near Fort Clark . The trail continued north to cross the Pecos River in the vicinity of Horsehead Crossing , bending northeast to the area of Odessa and Big Spring, Texas . From there the Comanche Trail ran east past the Caprock Escarpment and on across the Llano Estacado by two separate routes. One branch ran to

1428-647: The trail southward in fall and returned with their booty, mostly livestock, in late winter or spring. The route ran from the Comanche summer hunting grounds on the Great Plains of northern Texas, Oklahoma , New Mexico , Colorado , and Kansas to the Rio Grande river which formed the border of the United States and Mexico. In the 18th century, the Spanish had established a line of missions and presidios to defend from what

1470-880: The vicinity of Lubbock and along the Double Mountains (Texas) fork of the Brazos River to near the present site of Abernathy , to near Littlefield , then via a series of springs to the Pecos River near Fort Sumner . A separate fork ran from Big Spring, Texas to near Plainview, Texas , rejoining the other route to the east of Muleshoe . Northern branches of the trail ran through the Texas Panhandle into Oklahoma , Colorado and Kansas . Southern branches extended into northern Mexico through Chihuahua , Coahuila and Durango to Zacatecas and San Luis Potosi , while an eastern fork ran from Big Spring, Texas southeast to Nuevo Leon and Tamaulipas . The Comanche Trail

1512-400: Was 3.21. The population was distributed as 29.8% under the age of 18, 10.6% from 18 to 24, 27.8% from 25 to 44, 20.0% from 45 to 64, and 11.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 32 years. For every 100 females, there were 93.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.6 males. At the 2000 census, the median income for a household in the city was $ 31,209, and

1554-543: Was an upper level and graduate university until the Texas Legislature passed a bill in spring 1991 to allow the university to accept freshmen and sophomores. As of 2006, the university was holding discussions with the Nuclear Regulatory Commission about the construction of a new High-Temperature Teaching and Test Reactor, which if successful, would finish licensing and construction around 2012. It would be

1596-508: Was founded in 1881 as a water stop and cattle-shipping point on the Texas and Pacific Railway . The first post office opened in 1885. Odessa became the county seat of Ector County in 1891 when the county was first organized. It was incorporated as a city in 1927, after oil was discovered in Ector County on the Connell Ranch southwest of Odessa. With the opening of the Penn Field in 1929, and

1638-465: Was noted as a beaten path as much as a mile wide. Much of the southeastern leg of the main trail runs through what is now Big Bend National Park , leaving the park through Persimmon Gap in the Santiago Mountains in the northern portion of the park. U.S. Route 385 follows the same route through parts of the park. Odessa, Texas Odessa ( / ˌ oʊ ˈ d ɛ s ə / ) is a city in

1680-691: Was probably a prehistoric crossing by earlier Native Americans. The ford was mapped in 1849 by Randolph B. Marcy , commander of an army escort for parties on their way to California on the San Antonio-El Paso Road . In 1858, the crossing became an important stop on the Butterfield Overland Mail route from St. Louis to San Francisco . In 1866, Charles Goodnight and Oliver Loving blazed their famous cattle trail , which came to this point and turned upriver. Decline of cattle drives and completion of two railroads across West Texas in

1722-528: Was supposed to lead to the creation of 8,000 jobs in the area. Plans were also in place for a small nuclear reactor called the High-Temperature Teaching and Test Reactor to be run as a test and teaching facility in conjunction with the nuclear engineering department at University of Texas of the Permian Basin . Odessa's main enclosed shopping mall, Music City Mall , used to include an indoor ice skating rink. As in many municipalities, some of

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1764-450: Was then called New Spain from the Comanche and other Indian tribes. Mexican independence from Spain in 1821 resulted in a decrease in the new country's capability to defend itself from Indian raids. At the same time, there was a growing demand for livestock, especially horses and mules, in the expanding United States. The Comanche took advantage of the situation by raiding hundreds of miles deep into Mexico for livestock which they marketed in

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