Odessa
Odessa is the 31st-most populous city in Texas and is the county seat of Ector County, TX. Although most of Odessa sits in Ector County, a small segment of the town reaches into Midland County. Sitting on the Texas and Pacific Railway, Odessa was founded in 1881 as a watering hole and cattle-shipping point. The jack rabbit is the city’s famous icon, and an eight-foot-tall statue of a rabbit was built in 1962. Known as Jack Ben Rabbit, the statue was the idea of Odessa Chamber of Commerce President John Ben Shepperd to honor the city’s history in jackrabbit roping competitions that were held every year from 1932 to 1978.