The town was surveyed by Thomas F. Norton, deputy surveyor of Livingston County. The railroad had been granted a swath of land extending diagonally through the town. This presented a problem in town design, which was solved at Odell by aligning the entire original town with the tracks. A similar problem was presented by several towns along this railroad. Unlike the Toledo, Peoria and Western Railroad, built through Livingston County at about the same time, a standard plan with shared street names does not seem to have been used along the Chicago and Mississippi.Both Odell and Dwight contain a Waupansee Street, but not in the same relative location. Lots sold from twenty to thirty dollars, with twenty being more common.History of Livingston, 1878, p. 357. Where the tracks passed through the town, the land used by the railroad was widened an additional 100 yards on both sides of the tracks, to create railroad grounds, although at Odell they were not labeled as such. This kind of widening of railroad property at townsites was a common feature of railroad towns built in the 1850s and may be seen at places like Dwight, Towanda, McLean, Fairbury and Chatsworth; it became less common with later railroad towns. The depot at Odell was on the north side of the tracks and the two early elevators on the south side. The original town included 24 numbered blocks, each of which contained up to 20 lots. There was no central public square designated on the plat. The original town plan remains substantially unaltered to this day.Standard Atlas of Livingston County, Illinois (Chicago: vGeorge A. Ogle, 1911) p. 30.
The town was surveyed by Thomas F Norton deputy surveyor of Livingston County The railroad had been granted a swath of land extending diagonally through the town This presented a problem in town design which was solved at Odell by aligning the entire original town with the tracks A similar problem was presented by several towns along this railroad Unlike the Toledo Peoria and Western Railroad built through Livingston County at about the same time a standard plan with shared street names does not seem to have been used along the Chicago and MississippiBoth Odell and Dwight contain a Waupansee Street but not in the same relative location Lots sold from twenty to thirty dollars with twenty being more commonHistory of Livingston 1878 p 357 Where the tracks passed through the town the land used by the railroad was widened an additional 100 yards on both sides of the tracks to create railroad grounds although at Odell they were not labeled as such This kind of widening of railroad property at townsites was a common feature of railroad towns built in the 1850s and may be seen at places like Dwight Towanda McLean Fairbury and Chatsworth; it became less common with later railroad towns The depot at Odell was on the north side of the tracks and the two early elevators on the south side The original town included 24 numbered blocks each of which contained up to 20 lots There was no central public square designated on the plat The original town plan remains substantially unaltered to this dayStandard Atlas of Livingston County Illinois (Chicago vGeorge A Ogle 1911) p 30