Odell Nebraska - Nebraska Directory

Odell Area Cameras

Village · Gage County · Population 260 (2020 census) · ZIP 68415 · Founded 1880 · Peak population 472 (1930)

About Odell

Odell is a village of 260 in southwestern Gage County, where NE 8 and NE 112 run together, about 9 miles southwest of Wymore and 4 miles north of the Kansas line. The Oregon Trail passed just south of town, and Diller-Odell's secondary school is here.

History

Odell was platted in 1880 on the Burlington & Missouri, on land that had been part of the Otoe reservation; in 1882 it was the only town on the reservation in Gage County. It is named for LeGrand Odell, an original town-site owner, and banker James D. Myers was instrumental in its founding. People from nearby Charleston, north of Big Indian Creek, moved to the new town. By 1882 Odell had about 400 people, and its limestone quarries had shipped about 100 carloads of stone to Omaha. Myers built the First Commercial Bank of coursed limestone from Big Indian Creek in 1885. The census peak was 472 in 1930.

Highways and trails through Odell

Route	One way	Other way
NE 8 and NE 112Together through the village	NE 8 east across US 77 to Barneston; NE 112 north to US 77 near Blue Springs	NE 8 west toward Diller and Fairbury; NE 112 south to the Kansas line

Nearby towns

Diller	about 8 mi west-northwest	NE 8
Wymore	about 9 mi northeast	NE 8 and US 77
Blue Springs	about 9 mi northeast	NE 112 and US 77
Barneston	about 12 mi east	NE 8
Holmesville	about 13 mi northeast	County roads
Ellis	about 12 mi north-northwest	County roads
Beatrice	about 15 mi north-northeast	NE 112 and US 77

Things to see

The Southeast Nebraska Old West Trails Center in the 1885 First Commercial Bank (National Register), 301 Main St.: murals and exhibits on the Oregon Trail, transportation and the Otoe (Sundays 1–3, April–December) · Odell Public Library, 214 Main St. · Diamond Lake WMA and Donald Whitney Memorial WMA, about 3 mi west on NE 8, and Arrowhead WMA, 320 acres, 4 mi north and 4 mi west · St. Mary Catholic Church, 521 Perry St. · St. Joseph's Catholic Cemetery · Tiger's Den, 216 Main St.

Schools and health care

Schools: Diller-Odell Public Schools: Diller-Odell Secondary School (7–12), 506 Perry St., Odell, and Diller-Odell Elementary (PK–6), 315 Smith St., Diller

Health care: No clinic in Odell; Wymore Medical Clinic, 116 E. H St., Wymore, 402-645-3310 (Beatrice Community Hospital); nearest hospital: Beatrice Community Hospital and Health Center, 4800 Hospital Pkwy. (US 77 North), Beatrice, 402-228-3344 (critical access hospital with a 24-hour emergency department)

Sources: U.S. Census; Wikipedia; Andreas, History of the State of Nebraska (1882); Dobbs, History of Gage County (1918); National Park Service; History Nebraska; National Register of Historic Places; Nebraska Game and Parks; Lower Big Blue NRD; Nebraska Department of Transportation; city, village, school, museum and hospital websites. Distances marked "about" are straight-line estimates.