The institution offered the city's first multiple drive-in window service. James S. Key was the bank's first president. However, the local agriculture industry continued to decline during the 1940s and '50s, as farmers were lured away from their land and onto the thriving oilfields. In response to an increasing demand for synthetic rubber, the United Carbon Company opened the world's largest carbon black plant just west of Odessa. The United Carbon Company also constructed a village of 150 houses for its employees, which was located nearby the facility.
Information is drawn from news accounts, archives and other historical records.
20th Century Countdown. The Odessa American's daily countdown of the last 100 years, from 1900 through 1999, with a short summary of some news and newsmakers affecting residents of Odessa. Copyright 1999 Odessa American. All rights reserved. Refer comments to Webmaster .