The original owners of the walnut log cabin, enclosed in the Excelsior Springs Golf Course Clubhouse were Edwin and Letice O’Dell.

In 1819, 17-year-old Edwin O’Dell left Croke County, Tennessee to settle in Missouri territory. He traveled with his father, Caleb, three uncles and their families, and his 70-year-old grandfather, Isaac, a Revolutionary War hero. The men constructed their own boat and floated down the Big Pigeon River, the French Broad River, the Tennessee River and the Ohio River. They went upstream on the Mississippi River to Old Franklin. From there, they traveled across country to Ray County.

On January 25, 1823, Edwin married Letice Clevenger, a descendent of Nehemiah Wood, another Revolutionary War soldier. On November 1, 1830, they took out a patent on the 160-acre farm and in 1825 built the cabin.

O’Dell was in debt and raised tobacco to pay interest on the notes. He also raised mules and, when they were ready for market, sold them for enough to clear off all indebtedness and leave him $900 cash. He often remarked that hard times came to him no more. The O’Dell’s had 10 children, five boys and five girls, all born in the cabin. The boys were Pittman, Moses, Adam, Jesse and David. The girls were Sallie, Betsy, Esther, Ruth and Mehala. All were hard-shell Baptists.

The land was heavily timbered, but was gradually cleared for pasture. There were frequent visits by the Osage Indians, all of whom were friendly. Deer, panthers, other large game and wonderful abundance of small game were prevalent down to the preceeding of the Civil War.

During the Civil War, guerilla warfare was prevalent on this land. On the night of April 17, 1864, Jesse, who was still living in the cabin with his wife, was bushwhacked and beaten outside the cabin. His pregnant wife, Henrietta, was terrified and hid until the guerillas had gone. The stress of the incident caused Henrietta to go into a premature labor and a boy, named Edwin after his grandfather, was born that night in the loft. The baby was not expected to live long, however, this second Edwin later married twice and fathered 15 children.

Not long after, a skirmish, later referred to as the Battle of Fredricksburg, was fought between the Blue and the Gray, on the O’Dell family property.

In 1886, the pioneer Edwin, died at the age of 84. His son, David, who died in September 1930, had survived all the other of Edwin’s children.

A portion of the farm that also contained the family cabin became part of the estate of Major William A. Bell of Sussex, England. Major Bell formed the General Realty and Mineral Water Company in Excelsior Springs, which helped develop the mineral water system and golf course.