White-Pool House
Why it's listed
Built in 1887 on the highest knoll in what is now Odessa, this two-story red brick house was raised by Charles White and his two adult sons near the new transcontinental railroad. Modeled on an earlier White house in Raysville, Indiana, it used local materials such as caliche rock, native sandstone and wooden shakes. The Whites were among the county's first permanent settlers. Charles White is believed to have started agriculture in Ector County, and the family ran a mercantile store, held early county offices and began a Union Sunday School. In 1923 Oso W. Pool bought the property. During the 1927 oil boom he divided the house into apartments, annexed the land to the city and sold lots as Pool's Annex. Some alterations were added, but the structure is described as basically sound, and they can be removed. The house is regarded as the oldest surviving building in the county and a symbol of both its ranching and oil-boom eras. Plans call for restoration as a museum.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues it is the oldest existing structure in Ector County and its only example of late 19th and early 20th century architecture. It is tied to the White family's role in the county's early agricultural, commercial, political and religious development. It also reflects the 1927 oil boom, when the Pool family converted it to apartments and platted Pool's Annex.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 80004099, listed January 8, 1980. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 112 E. Murphy St., Odessa |
|---|---|
| County | Ector County |
| Listed | January 8, 1980 |
| Reference number | 80004099 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1887 |
| Architect / builder | Charles White and sons, Wilfred W and Herbert H. |
| Architectural style | Late Victorian |
| Areas of significance | Agriculture, Exploration/Settlement, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Fair condition; altered by apartment conversion but structurally sound. Owned by Ector County with the historical commission as trustees, and restoration as a museum and Pioneer Park is planned. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 31.84191, -102.36458 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
National Register listing is honorary for a privately owned home: it does not by itself restrict what an owner may do with their own money, and it does not require public access. Restrictions come from local landmark or historic-district ordinances, which are separate (how they differ).
Owner-occupied houses are not eligible for the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit, which applies to income-producing buildings, but many states offer credits for homeowners. Listing also opens the door to preservation easements and to buying a plaque. Start with what listing means for homeowners, renovating a listed house and selling one.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 80004099.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q1674056
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.