The story
from WikipediaRead it all ↗Odebolt was platted in 1877 when the Chicago & Northwestern Railway was extended to that point. Odebolt was incorporated as a city May 13, 1878.
While the etymology of Odebolt's unusual name is unquestioned—being named after the Odebolt Creek—the etymology of the creek's name is disputed. It has been ascribed to a story of a French fur trapper and to multiple stories of a bolt falling in the creek. The trapper's name was reportedly Odebeau, and his name corrupted.
Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Start Odebolt’s collection
The first neighbors to add old photos shape how Odebolt’s history is told.
0 of 10 decades since 1900 have photos 📦Share a family photoSign in to add one+10Famous people from Odebolt
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Odebolt, decade by decade
2000
Nothing in Odebolt is on the National Register yet
That’s true of most small towns. It doesn’t mean Odebolt has no history, only that no one has written up a nomination. The closest listed place is Chicago and North Western Passenger Depot in Wall Lake, 8.9 miles away.
Odebolt and the nearest listed places
Closest to Odebolt
Chief Black Hawk StatueLake View · Built 193410.8miIda County CourthouseIda Grove · Building11.1miHow a place gets listed
Then & now
When neighbors add old photos, retakes from the same spot appear here side by side.
Stories next door
nearby towns’ historyFrom Wikimedia Commons (1). Images are copied here with their credits and licenses, shown on each photo’s page. Refreshed monthly.