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Click on a question below for more information.
- What do I write about?
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Sometimes it's hard to think of what to write.
Here are some ideas to get you started.
Family Histories
- When did your family come to Ector County?
From where?
- Who are the members of your family?
List full names and birth, marriage, and death dates.
- Where did your family live?
Where was your first house located?
- What kind of work did your family do?
- Did your family own or operate a business in Ector
County?
When?
Where? What kind?
- Where did your family go to school?
To church?
- What did you do for fun?
- What particular hardships do you remember about your life in Ector
County?
- What celebrations do you remember most?
- What's the funniest thing that ever happened to you in Ector County?
- What was the scariest thing that ever happened to you in Ector
County?
- Do you remember an especially difficult year in terms of storms,
droughts, etc.?
- What is your most outstanding memory of Ector County?
- What makes Ector County special to you?
Churches, Clubs, Organizations, Businesses
- Who were the founders of your club, organization, church, or
business?
- What was the founding mission statement for your group or business?
- Were the founders of your group or business originally from Ector
County?
- Where was/is the established meeting place or place of business
located in Ector County?
- What are the most memorable celebrations your group or business has
enjoyed?
- What were some of the hardships you have faced during the years you
have operated in Ector County?
- What projects have your group/business sponsored or participated in
that have benefited Ector County?
- What projects were "lead balloons" for your group or business?
- What are the goals your group or business is looking forward to
accomplishing in the future?
- What makes Ector County special to your group or business?
Return to Questions
- Do you have any examples?
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Here are some sample stories to help you get started.
They were adapted from Caldwell County Kin: The first 150
Years.
The names in these stories were changed.
Each story will each open in a new window.
They are all Adobe Acrobat documents.
The Acrobat Reader is free and most computers come with it installed
already.
If your computer doesn't have the Adobe Acrobat Reader, go to
www.adobe.com and get it.
It's free.
Return to Questions
- What kind of editing will you do?
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NONE.
Write your story in your own words.
It will not be edited in any way — not even to check for incorrect
spelling!
The way you tell your story is part of your heritage.
Return to Questions
- What does the publisher require?
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These are the things the publisher requires.
- Place your name, address, and phone number in the top left corner of
each page.
- Place the name of the person or organization the story is about in
the top right corner of each page.
- If the story is about a person, please put the last name first.
- Your story should be typed on regular 8-1/2 x 11 (letter size)
paper, double spaced, with 1/2 inch margins, using 10-point
type.
Return to Questions
- Can I put photographs with my story?
-
Yes, you certainly can!
- One single-column photo (2-1/4 inches wide) per story may be used at
no charge.
- One two-column photo (5-1/2 inches wide) per story may be used for a
charge of $5.50.
- Additional photos are $6 each for single-column photos and
$11 each for double-column photos.
A family photo is not necessary for your history, but "a picture is
worth a thousand words".
Photos of your ancestors, of your family as it is now, of family
get-togethers, will add much to your family history.
Each photo makes your story more interesting, so use as many as you
like.
Be sure to send copies printed on photo paper.
We cannot accept negatives, transparencies, or copies of photos
printed on copier/printer paper.
There will be no charge for enlarging, reducing, or cropping to fit the
format of the book.
Return to Questions
- How long is too long?
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Each story may be two typewritten pages, double-spaced, 1/2 inch
margins, FREE.
If you exceed this limit, the charge will be $0.40/line.
If your story is too long, we'll let you know.
If you choose not to change it, we cannot include it in the book until
we receive the money for the extra length.
Return to Questions
- How many stories can I submit?
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You may submit as many stories as you like.
In fact, we think "the more, the merrier!"
Submit stories about your children, your mother's family, your father's
family, your business, your church, your bridge club – whatever!
Return to Questions
- Will you accept diskettes?
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You can put your story on a diskette, Zip disk, or CD.
If you want to include one or more pictures in your story, put them on
the disk also.
Include a second document that matches each picture file name to the
appropriate caption.
Please put a label on the case to indicate name, address, phone number,
operating system (Windows, Mac, etc.), and the word processing software
used to create the document(s).
Bring your completed disk to:
The Parker House Ranching Museum
1118 Maple Avenue
Odessa, TX 79762
Or mail it to:
Ector County History Book Committee
P. O. Box 1446
Odessa, TX 79760-1446
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Return to Questions
- Suggestions for electronic submission
-
With pictures:
If you want to send pictures with your story, you will not be able to
use the form on this web site.
You will need to send it to us in an e-mail, with the pictures
attached.
See the guidelines for sending stories with pictures.
Without pictures:
If you build your story in a text-editing program, such as Word or
WordPerfect, you'll be able to correct spelling and grammar before you
send us your story.
Remember that neither the committee nor the book editor will do any
editing – not even a spell-check!
Most text editors will allow you to set the 1/2 inch margins and the
double-spacing that the book editor requires.
This will also let you control the length of your stories so you won't
have to pay for extra lines!
Once you have your story done, be sure you save it!
Then, with your document open, you should "Select All" and "Copy".
Finally, paste your story into the form on this web site.
And don't forget to fill out the rest of the form!
Return to Questions
Guidelines for sending stories with pictures:
We recommend that you build your story in a text-editing program, such
as Word or WordPerfect.
- Place your name, address, and phone number in the top left corner of
each page.
- Place the name of the person or organization the story is about in
the top right corner of each page.
- If the story is about a person, please put the last name first.
- Each story may be two typewritten pages, double-spaced, 1/2 inch
margins, 10-point type, FREE.
- If you exceed this limit, the charge will be $0.40/line.
- If your story is too long, we'll let you know.
- If you choose not to change it, we cannot include it in the book
until we receive the money for the extra length.
Once you have your story done, be sure you save it!
Then:
- With your document open, "Select All" and "Copy".
- Paste your story into an e-mail.
- Attach your pictures to the e-mail.
- Type a row of hyphens after the end of your story
- List each picture that you have attached, along with a short
explanation or caption.
Be sure to double-check that the picture file names correspond to the
captions in your list.
You wouldn't want the wrong captions to appear on your pictures!
- One single-column picture (2-1/4 inches wide) per story may be used
at no charge.
- One two-column picture (5-1/2 inches wide) per story may be used for
a charge of $5.50.
- Additional pictures are $6 each for single-column photos and
$11 each for double-column photos.
- Column width will be determined by the size of the picture.
- All fees for extra pictures must be paid in full for the story to be
included in the book.
Return to Questions
- I NEED HELP WITH MY STORY!
-
If you need help writing your story, contact the committee at:
Ector County History Book Committee
P. O. Box 1446
Odessa, TX 79760-1446
or call (915) 332-7483 to leave your name and phone number.
We will set up a meeting with you.
Your story can be tape recorded.
Return to Questions
- Information about the photo section
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Even if you don't have a story to submit, you can still preserve your
heritage in print.
Send in your photographs for the photo section of the book.
- On the back of EACH photo, lightly print a photo number and your
name, address, and phone number.
- On a separate sheet of paper, write your name, address, phone
number, and a short explanation or caption for each photo.
- Identify each person in the photo, giving full names.
- Whenever possible, explain the occasion of the photo, noting when
and where it was taken.
- Number each of your captions to correspond with the photo number.
- Be sure to send copies printed on photo paper.
We cannot accept negatives, transparencies, or photos printed
on copier/printer paper.
Be sure to double-check your photos and captions to be sure the numbers
correspond.
You wouldn't want the wrong captions to appear on them!
Your photos will receive special care and we will do our best to prevent
any damage to them.
However, we cannot assume complete responsibility for them.
They will be returned after the book is printed.
Return to Questions
- What about the memorial section?
-
You can submit your materials (photos and/or a history) for a memorial
page.
The cost is $200 for a one-page memorial.
Please include information the following information on each photo and
each story: :
- Information for the surname index.
- Information we can use to contact you if necessary.
Return to Questions
- What about the surname index?
-
Refer to each person using the full name.
For example, John Doe had three children:
John Doe Jr., Mary Doe, and Jane Doe.
Return to Questions
- What's the deadline?
-
We are collecting many kinds of stories and each has its own
deadline.
See the
schedule
for more information.
The final date for receiving all stories is December 31, 2003.
Return to Questions
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