Railroad Roots: How Midland-Odessa Began to Boom

Midland-Odessa, Texas --  In 2025, life in Midland-Odessa isn't much different than other small cities in other areas of the United States.  We have infrastructure, highways, law enforcement, civil entities, and just about every other amenity that pretty much every other city has.  However, setting everything up in a rural part of West Texas, we call the Permian Basin, did not happen overnight, nor was it easy.

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History Founded On The Railroad

Before the pumpjacks, paved roads, freeways, or any other modern amenity, it was the railroad that helped jumpstart life in our little corner of West Texas.  In 1881, the Texas and Pacific Railroad spanned Westward in Texas and the land that would later become Midland, first rated out as a water stop for railroads since it was considered the halfway point from Fort Worth to El Paso. Initially, trails would use the area for a pitstop to refuel and to be used as a rest stop for passengers.

The Discovery Of Oil In The Permian Basin

In 1923, oil was discovered in the Permian Basin, and the region experienced something similar to a boom, much like a gold rush.  The railroad was used as a backbone to haul in people, equipment, and other various things that helped the area grow exponentially in population.  At the time, the roads that did lead to our area were small or treacherous; the assistance of the railroad was crucial in building the region into what it essentially became.

Modern Midland-Odessa and the Railroad

Just because we now have modern technology, that does not mean the railroad is not used anymore in the Permian Basin.  In fact, it is quite the opposite.  It still remains a vital hub for transferring major components of the gas and oil industry, whether it be crude, sand, or heavy equipment.  While passengers do not ride the railroad through our area like they did back in the 19th century, it is important to know that none of what we have going on in the Permian Basin would had ever been possible if it wasn't for the railroad.