Odessa, TX, originally started as a water stop for the railroads. As we’ve grown, we became a center for oil and ranching. Our city is now the third fastest-growing city in the United States. We’ve built many different local attractions, which help to remind us of the past and to contribute to our future. These are a few of our favorites that visitors and locals will enjoy.
3 Favorite Local Attractions in Odessa, TX
Stonehenge Replica
The unusual sight of a Stonehenge graces the campus of the University of Texas Permian Basin. This construct is a replica of the original in Salisbury, UK. It was unveiled in 2004 and has become a firm favorite for locals and tourists alike. The replica covers the same horizontal area as the original and is 70% of its height. It’s built from limestone and has been carefully crafted to give the appearance of the original weathered stones.
The story goes that the university was offered some limestone. A geology professor and his class started a project with this stone, and the result is this amazing replica. The area replica has numerous plaques explaining the history of the original Stonehenge and the details of the construction of this fascinating replica.
The Historic White-Pool House
This amazing building was built in 1887 and became a museum in 1978. The house is named for the two families that owned it over that time, the White family at the time of our city’s founding, and the Pool family at the time of the oil boom in the 1920s. The house and its surrounding 6-acres of land have been restored to their original condition.
The house is decorated with furniture, accessories, and memorabilia appropriate the to period. The estate also includes a windmill, a barn, other outbuildings, and an outhouse built of bricks. The barn features a display of agricultural implements. You can take a guided tour of the house and its grounds with one of the volunteer guides. The guides are very enthusiastic and have fascinating anecdotes about the house and its history.
Ellen Noel Art Museum
This museum opened in 1985, and is dedicated to the preservation and display of fine art. They have four indoor galleries, art classrooms, and an outdoor sculpture and sensory garden. The focus of the collections is on Texas regional art from the 1850s to the present. The museum has over 900 pieces of art, and the main room, the McKnight Gallery, houses their permanent collection. The other three galleries house various temporary exhibitions.
The beautiful sculpture garden provides a calm and relaxing space. There are benches available for visitors, and community book boxes are set around the area. The scents of the carefully chosen and tended flowers provide a wonderful environment for contemplation. The museum is located at 4909 E University Boulevard.
After you’ve visited and experienced some of our amazing local sights, come in for a test drive at Kelly Grimsley Honda and try out one of our amazing vehicles.
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