Dewey offers a nostalgic, small-town feel near Bartlesville
Dewey, in central Washington County, functions as a suburban extension of Bartlesville, the county seat. “Bartlesville is right next door. They actually overlap a little, so Dewey is more like a suburb city,” says Re/Max Realtor Kevin Lynch, a Bartlesville native with almost 20 years of real estate experience. But Dewey, a community of just over 3,300 residents, has a nostalgic, small-town atmosphere that sets it apart from its sister city. “A lot of people go to Dewey for antiquing, there are a couple of neat museums, and the city does a lot of classic car shows,” Lynch says.
Single-family homes sell for under $500,000
Post oaks, elms and hickory trees shade broad front lawns and gravel driveways throughout Dewey. Cottages and Craftsmans are common, as are New Traditional and ranch-style homes. Lots are typically larger on the outskirts, where homesteads and working ranches sit on acres of land. Prices range from under $100,000 to nearly $460,000.
Summers here are hot, while winters are chilly with some snowfall. “You might see a snowstorm every five years, but a light dusting once a year is more normal,” Lynch says. The Caney River and Deer Creek are prone to flooding; Washington County is vulnerable to tornadoes.
Above average Dewey Public Schools
Dewey Public Schools earns a B from Niche. The system, which allows interdistrict open enrollment, serves just over 1,200 students across three schools: Dewey Elementary, Dewey Middle and Dewey High. The elementary school earns a B, while the middle school scores a B-plus and the high school gets a C-plus. Dewey High offers concurrent enrollment classes at several colleges and universities, including Rogers State University, Oklahoma State University, the University of Oklahoma and Tulsa Community College.
Outdoor recreation at Don Tyler Park and more
Don Tyler Park has a playground, picnic areas, paved trails and several athletic fields. It hosts Dewey’s annual Fourth of July Celebration, with live music, food, fireworks and a rubber duck race. The city’s three other public parks, Lions Park (formerly Kiwanis Park), Hix Park and Meadow Creek Park, have playgrounds and picnic areas.
Dewey’s annual Western Heritage Weekend
In October every year, downtown Dewey turns into the wild, Oklahoman West during Western Heritage Weekend. Festivities include free wagon rides, a bounce house, live music and food vendors, as well as a cattle drive through downtown and a car show. “The car show is a big attraction, people come in from all over for it,” Lynch says.
Dewey's antiquing scene
“Dewey is not the place to go out to eat. There’s a Simple Simon’s Pizza and a Sonic, and that’s about it for dinner,” Lynch says. Most of Dewey’s limited dining options are scattered along U.S. Route 75, but there are a few bars off the main road, including Backroads Bar and Dobbie’s Bar. ScissorTail Brewery is a local craft brewery near the antique shops that fill the low-slung historic storefronts along Don Tyler Avenue, from Mimi’s Antique Market and Linger Longer Antiques & Soda Shoppe to Black Hawk Vintage and Campbell’s Antiques. A few blocks away, there’s the Dewey Hotel Museum and Tom Mix Museum, which feature exhibits on local history. For groceries, there’s a Harps at the north end of town.
U.S. Route 75 connects Dewey to Tulsa
U.S. Route 75 runs north toward Kansas and south to Tulsa and the Tulsa International Airport, more than 45 miles away. Bartlesville healthcare facilities, including the Ascension St. John Jane Phillips Medical Center and Bartlesville Health & Wellness Center, are less than 5 miles from Dewey.
