Tom Mix Monument

Pinal County, Arizona

On a lonesome stretch of highway north of Tucson stands a stone monument topped by a steel sculpture of a riderless horse. The horse's name was Tony, and he was the horse of Tom Mix. His name may not be familiar to most people now, but for people of a certain generation -- those who remember the era of the great movie cowboys -- Tom Mix will always be a beloved hero. In the 1920's and 1930's, Mix was one of the most popular Western stars, acting in hundreds of movies. He died in a car accident in 1940 near where the monument now stands; the desert wash where the crash occurred is now called Tom Mix Wash. The plaque on the monument reads:

Jan. 6, 1880 - Oct. 12, 1940

In memory of

TOM MIX

whose spirit left his body on this spot and whose characterization and portrayals in life served to better fix memories of the Old West in the minds of living men.

Directions: Between mile markers 15 and 16 on State Highway 79 (Pinal Pioneer Parkway), between Florence and Oracle Junction.

Last visited: March 2010.

Standard disclaimer: Sites are described for entertainment purposes only, as they were at the time of my last visit. I can not vouch for the current condition of the site or its accessibility.