Odessa in Ector County, Texas — The American South (West South Central)

The Waddell Pecan Tree

Photographed By Bill Kirchner, July 10, 2015

1. The Waddell Pecan Tree Marker

Inscription. Click to hear the inscription.

A few years after Odessa was founded in 1881, a squirrel stole a pecan from a neighbor's porch, and buried it in the yard of W. T. Malone, planting this tree. A rarity in the downtown area, it became a well-known landmark.
When R. T. ("Cotton") Waddell (1889-1964) and his wife Mary Lee moved from their ranch to this home on July 1, 1926, they found entire neighborhood enjoying the native pecans from their tree. The R. T. Waddells, younger generation of a family influential in this region since the 1870s, gave time and talent to civic works as freely as their tree gave shade.

Erected 1972 by State Historical Survey Committee. (Marker Number 5697.)

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Agriculture • Horticulture & Forestry. A significant historical month for this entry is July 1746.

Location. 31° 50.801′ N, 102° 22.198′ W. Marker is in Odessa, Texas, in Ector County. Marker is on North Lee Avenue, on the right when traveling south. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 321 North Lee Avenue, Odessa TX 79761, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking

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distance of this marker. Site of The Odessa Sanitarium (about 400 feet away, measured in a direct line); Site of Livery Stable and Wagon Yard (about 500 feet away); Ector County Courthouse (about 500 feet away); Odessa Land & Townsite Company (about 500 feet away); The Odessa Telephone Exchange (about 500 feet away); General Matthew D. Ector (about 500 feet away); Ector County Land Rush (about 500 feet away); Site of The Dawson Saloon (about 700 feet away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Odessa.

Photographed By Bill Kirchner, July 10, 2015

2. The Waddell Pecan Tree Marker

The Waddell Pecan Tree image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Bill Kirchner, July 10, 2015

3. The Waddell Pecan Tree

Credits. This page was last revised on June 16, 2016. It was originally submitted on July 19, 2015, by Bill Kirchner of Tucson, Arizona. This page has been viewed 496 times since then and 51 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on July 19, 2015, by Bill Kirchner of Tucson, Arizona. • Andrew Ruppenstein was the editor who published this page.