1. Dewey Hotel Museum
City: Dewey, OK
Category: Tours & Attractions
Telephone: (918) 534-0215
Address: 801 N. Delaware St.
Description: Dewey is just spittin’ distance from Bartlesville—and it’s where Jacob Bartles moved when he left town. The store he built is gone—it was located where the Tom Mix Museum is today. But the hotel he built—and where he and his family lived—still stands proudly on the opposite corner. Built in 1899, it was named in honor of Admiral George Dewey and his triumph in the Spanish-American War. Everyone from outlaws to oilmen dined in the spacious dining room, and Mrs. Bartles served tea in the front parlor. Although it’s called a museum, the exhibits are minimal—the hotel is the exhibit. It’s open daily, except holidays, between May 1 and Dec 20.
2. Tom Mix Museum
City: Dewey, OK
Category: Tours & Attractions
Telephone: (918) 534-1555
Address: 721 N. Delaware Ave.
Description: Although born in Pennsylvania, Tom Mix found his way to Oklahoma in the early years of the 20th century. He worked at several different jobs—tending bar in Guthrie, as town marshal in Dewey, and working on the famous 101 Ranch. It was his skill with horses that landed him a job with a movie company that was filming nearby. He headed for Hollywood, where he made over 300 movies, most of them silent. In his heyday, he was truly king of the western genre, doing all his own stunts, rescuing damsels in distress, capturing villains, and, all the while, looking stylish and cool.The Tom Mix Museum isn’t large and it won’t take you long to see all the exhibits, but plan a little extra time to watch one of the Tom Mix movies playing in the little theater. The museum is open Mar through Dec, Tues through Sun. It’s closed in Jan and open weekends only in Feb.