So, what's the deal about the monument? First off, if you've looked
elsewhere on the internet for information, I can state with assurance
that what you read is probably wrong. If it conflicts with any of the
following, it is definitely wrong. How do I know? I went there several
times to check it out for myself, took notes, and built this site.
First, location: The monument itself is between mile marker 115 and
116 on Pinal Pioneer Parkway, between Oracle and Florance. That's about
50 miles north of Tucson, 20 miles south of Florence. It's about
20 miles north of the junction of SR77 and SR79, and about 1/4 mile
north of the 'Tom Mix Wash.' Anything else you might hear, read, or see
is wrong. Either that, or someone's moved the monument since 24 August
2002.
Second, the plaque on the monument reads (verbatim):
Third, the monument was dedicated on December 5, 1947. It was also
rededicated July 19, 1980, and again on February 19, 1994. I publically
want to thank the helpful staff at the Arizona Historical Society
Research Library for helping me uncover these bits of trivia. Even
seven
years after his death, the respect for Tom was such that 300 people
attended the dedication, including Gene Autrey. The following article
is
from the Arizona Daily Star, December 6, 1947. Although the picture is
very dark, it is possible to see the outline of the monument.
Finally, what's the monument like today? Pretty much
unchanged, I would guess. You might read that the riderless horse is
riddled with bullet holes, but that's not true either. When I was out
there there was just one hole. I wouldn't really call that riddled,
would you? Now, I have read that the the riderless icon of Tony the
Wonder Horse has been stolen several times over the years, now whoever
does that surely wouldn't come close to filling Tom's
boots. So, after all these years, how is Tom remembered? That's up next, just click Next to find out. |