“You should check out the West of the Pecos Museum,” advised my friend, Amy. We were visiting her in Odessa, Texas on our way to El Paso. Amy and I had worked together at Centralia College in Centralia, Washington, where David and I both worked. Originally from Texas, Amy had always told me that I’d love Texas if we ever moved here. I sure do love it, so when she tells us about something else we’d enjoy, we’re certainly going to follow her advice.
The Museum of the Pecos was easy to find. We parked in the lot across from it (RVs should also fit well). Two things we noticed right away: 1) Boots, and 2) the Pecos Bill statue.
Then we went on over to the museum. There are seven historical markers outside the museum covering topics such as The Pecos Cantaloupe, migrants Crossing, Spanish Explorers, the Orient Hotel, and others.
The museum is located inside the old Orient Hotel, which was built in 1904, and the Number 11 Saloon, built in 1896.
Step inside and you truly feel transported back in time. The welcoming entrance includes many beautiful and fun displays. The old building itself is made of intricate old details in almost every nook and cranny. Look up, look down, look in the corners. So much beauty in the craftsmanship.
We explored that room, then started to the right, going down the hall into the “Number 11 Saloon.” Rather small, I always expect larger rooms, like we see on TV. But it had everything a customer needed back then – a few tables and chairs, a piano, a spittoon, and bullet holes in the wall. The furniture is original and it’s always fascinating to see the detailed work that went into creating the bars back then. They had so much personality and character, none of the boring, sterile designs of today.
The museum consists of three floors of various displays filling over 50 rooms. We took the stairs up from the saloon to access the rooms. The creaking sound of the wooden floor lets you know it’s an old building. “You certainly wouldn’t be able to sneak up on anyone,” I laughed to David.
There is just about everything you can think of from that time period to see. Exhibits include a cowboy hat collection, barbed wire collection, arrowheads, old telephones, and typewriters, along with recreated replicas of doctor’s offices, schools, laundries, and old homes. Rooms dedicated to military service and volunteer work, activities, and events. Plan to take plenty of time to explore each room. This museum really does an amazing job of placing visitors in the daily life of the time.
When you are finished head back down to the bottom floor and check out the gift shop. We love supporting museums through their stores and always try to purchase a few items.
After touring the many rooms inside the building, we stepped outside to see the grounds. There we found a replica of the saloon where “The Only Law West of the Pecos,” Judge Roy Bean held court. It wasn’t open so we couldn’t go in, but it was just fun to see. It seems he was quite the character and probably not the best person to be judging others.
A little past that building we noticed a fence surrounding a grave site. There are two markers for a Robert Clay Allison. The rear one is a “normal” one with his name, date of birth, military service, and in addition, says, “Gentleman”, and “Gun Fighter.” Seems typical enough. But then the stone in front says, “He never killed a man that did not need killing.”
I researched information on Allison, and there are quite the tales of his violent and strange reputation (one source believes it was from a brain injury as a child) but other than that I couldn’t find any information explaining why he is interred where he is. Alone, with no other graves around. Why was he important enough to be given this site? If you know the answer, please let us know.
Be aware that there is no elevator to the upper floors but there is a theater that plays a video of all the exhibits upstairs, so they can be viewed that way.
The West of the Pecos Museum can be found at 120 E. Dot Stafford St., Pecos TX 79772. It’s open Tuesday through Saturday and closed Sunday and Monday.
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