The historic Parker Ranch House, Maple and 13th Streets. [Front winter View]
This unusual stone home was started in the late 1920's by the Rayburn family and completed
in 1935 when Jim Parker brought his family to Odessa from Midland.
There were other Parker ranchs; however this location was chosen to be close to a school for the children of the family.
School children and church members were invited each year to hunt for Easter Eggs at the Parker Ranch House which was definitely in the country until the late 1940's. Originally it was surrounded by two sections of land. The home had two water wells, elms trees, a wind charger, bottled gas and cattle barns. Their fences ran from East County Road to Pagewood and from 8th to 27th Streets.
Bessie Lou Doelling, her youngest brother, Alvin, and sister, Mollie Lillian were raised in the house. When her children had grown, Mrs. Jim Parker donated the old family homestead to the Beta Sigma Phi Sorority. The house has subsuquently been given to the Heritage of Odessa Foundation for preservation and public education.
Courtesy, The PARKER HOUSE Ranching Museum. Richard Cummins, Director
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Updated: May 22, 1998