Ector County Newspapers

In 1895, William C. "Uncle Billy" griffin came to Odessa from Midland and began publishing Ector County's first Newspaper, the Odessa "weekly news'. The "weekly news" lasted only a year, and was followed by six other short-lived weekly publications until Agu. 1927, when production of Odessa "times" and Odessa "news" began. In Oct. 1928, the two weekly papers were merged as the Odessa "news-times". The towns of penwell and Goldsmith supported for a short time, during the oil boom of the 1930s, the only Ector County newspapers known to have been published outside of Odessa. The first daily newspaper, the "daily bulletin", began in 1936. The "news-times" followed with a daily in 1937. On Oct. 2, 1940, R. Henderson shuffler consolidated the "daily bulletin" and the "news-time" into the Odessa "Amerinca", which he sold on Aug. 11, 1945. Ownership of the newspaper changed twice before Aug. 13, 1948, when it was purchased by Raymond Cyrus Hoiles of freedom newspapers, Inc. V. L. Debolt was appointed publisher and has held that position for 26 years. The Odessa "American" has withstood brief competition from 5 newspapers since its first publication and has been published at this site since 1951.

Ector County Newspapers is a historical marker in Odessa, Ector County, dedicated in 1974. It is one of 37 historical markers documented in Ector County in the Texas Historical Commission Atlas, among 39 historic sites cataloged across the county.

The site sits at 31.8511, -102.3668 near Odessa. The nearest cataloged historic site is Ector County Courthouse (historical marker), about 0.2 miles away. Others within a short drive include Ector County Land Rush, Odessa Sanitarium, Site of, and Odessa Land & Townsite Company.

This record corresponds to Texas Historical Commission Atlas #5135001383. Use the map below for its exact position and turn-by-turn directions.