The village of Odessa began in 1879 with its first settler, A.D. Beardsley, the Milwaukee depot agent and owner of the first general store. After Beardsley lost his three-year-old daughter, Dessa, to diphtheria, the town was named for her. In April 1880, the first school session was held. A brick school was built in 1915 and used until 1986, then dismantled in 1992 so its bricks could be reused in other buildings.